A Model for Archaeology: Presenting the Excavation Experience through 3D Printing Stratified Archaeological Sites

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Digital Technologies and Public Archaeology" , at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

A critical component of public archaeology is being able to experience the excavation. “Doing” is a highly significant element of the discipline and particularly effective for tactile learners of all ages. The Fairfield Foundation is pioneering a process that breaks down barriers to making archaeological contexts accessible, bringing the most highly detailed model of an archaeological site ever created into the classroom, onto the desktop, and across the globe to a 3D printer near you. Using drone-based photogrammetry at the transition between each cultural layer (at minimum), we are intensively documenting the excavation of the c. 1694 Fairfield manor house, which burned in 1897. By printing each excavation unit to scale, with every cultural layer and architectural component, we are using this hyper-realistic model to exhibit the principals of archaeology, our methods, and the value of preservation to a public eager to engage in hands-on experiences anywhere in the world.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Digital Technologies and Public Archaeology   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2020

Keywords

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 1005