Multimodal Digital Documentation of Actun Tunichil Muknal, Belize

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM), located in Western Belize, is among the most touristed archaeological caves in the Maya area and is well known for its striking physical characteristics and intact cultural deposits. Though well surveyed and studied, the cave and its many fragile and at-risk offerings had not been digitally documented. A collaborative program of scanning was conducted in summer 2023 using complementary imaging modalities across scales and resolutions. These included SLAM-based mobile LiDAR – which was ideally suited to the complex, partially flooded passageways and high, narrow chambers of the cave – as well as structured-light scanning (of individual objects or features) and photogrammetry. Particular attention was given to the human skeletal remains and ceramic vessels that lie within close proximity to visitor routes within the cave. The result of this integrative approach will be a fused multi-resolution digital twin of ATM that will not only serve as an accurate geometric record of the cave and its contents but will enable researchers to better visualize spatial contextual relationships and facilitate taphonomic analyses. An accessible, online, interactive version of the digital twin will be available to guides and the interested public as well.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 41482.0