Picturing The Past: Using 3D Artifact Scans And Prints In Outreach

Summary

This is a poster submission presented at the 2025 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The process of 3D scanning improves archaeologists’ ability to curate and share archaeological evidence by using photos to create 3D images of excavation units, features, and artifacts. This technology lets archeologists and museum staff capture these intricate details in a digital composition that can be displayed in exhibits, uploaded to websites, or simply stored in digital archives. Small finds displayed in exhibits can also be used in outreach programs, signifying the need to produce 3D images and printed items in order to increase the accessibility of these objects to the general public. This is true for the artifacts recovered from the historic site of Fort St. Joseph- located in present-day Niles, Michigan. To investigate the effects of reproducing artifacts as 3D images and printed items, photogrammetry and structured light will be examined in terms of their potential for accessibility against the time and funding required to employ the methods.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2025   •
• 2025 SHA Poster Submissions

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow