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Archaeologists are familiar with 3D reconstructions for virtual reality as an enhancement to the museum-goer/tourist experience or for illustrative purposes. Architectural reconstructions themselves are academic. Even though 3D reconstructions are hypothetical, a lot of research goes into creating something that could have appeared or functioned in the way that you envisioned. Once your model has reached a point of historical plausibility, it can be used for simulations to address specific research questions.

Here are a few examples:

The video above is an accoustic simulation of Stonehenge. You can read more about it by clicking “More Info.” It won a “best project” award at CAA a few months ago in Southampton because they have even introduced augmented reality stuff for mobile devices for people visiting Stonehenge. Very cool stuff.

Below is a selection of walthrough and timelapse clips depicting lighting simulation of the House of the Drinking Contest, a third century Roman house near Antioch. This is one of several models I have used for testing natural lighting. I’m not the only researcher engaged in these sorts of simulations, but I can’t find other videos online. This methodology is very useful for recontextualizing art within the house–specifically mosaics.

Finally, another project presented at CAA in March. This is CT scanning of a coin hoard in Britain by a high powered scanner at Southampton University in conjunction with researchers at the Portable Antiquities Scheme and the British Museum. CT scanning can be a real game-changer. It is a low-cost*, high-yield method of documentation when time and money for a systematic excavation of an object (like a hoard or a burial) are lacking.

I think CT scanning has great potential for analysis.

I’d like to propose a session for those who are already involved in these sorts of activities or are interested in getting started.

*it is low cost if you have access to someone else’s scanner

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I am interested in discussing how archaeologists are using web technology as a means for engaging and working with the public. My particular interest is how we use the web as a tool for community engagement. This can range from the use of social media, project-specific websites and blogs, the creation of online exhibits, or something I haven’t thought of yet. I’m coming to this both as a person who runs social media programs for archaeology, as well as a person who is in the process of building a digital exhibit, and trying to incorporate the community in the process. It’s on my mind. Some topics to think about:

– Community engagement: are we using the web as a one-way or two-way medium? Are we engaging communities actively in the creation of an online community, or providing a one-way static representation of our research? how is the public incorporated into the project through the web? Are we able to build meaningful relationships with these tools that result in greater awareness, education, and better stewardship?

– Access: One of the major obstacles for using the web is a question of access. What steps are we taking to ensure that our web content is accessible to the public? How do we ensure that we’re reaching the “correct” public? How do we define what public we’re trying to reach, and is that public online to begin with? How do we know the web is even the right tool for the job?

– The Real vs. The Digital: Most people would argue that the web cannot replace person-to-person interaction. Is this true? Is it even the right debate? What type of engagement are you doing through the web that couldn’t be done “in-person”? Does the digital space allow for engagement with groups that would have been otherwise unreachable? Can you use the digital space as a means for facilitating in-person engagement? Is digital engagement a compliment, a replacement, or a completely separate type of engagement from in-person engagement? What type of approaches can we learn from in-person public archaeology that we can apply to digital engagement, and vice-versa?

– How-To: The final component is discussing the how-to of digital engagement. What types of steps should people take when building a social media or digital engagement plan? What pitfalls should they look out for? How do they determine which tech to use, how to use it, and so on? What resources do they need to allocate? How do you determine if your project was a success or a failure?

Anyway, I’m interested in discussing this further below, or shoot me a message on the twitters @brockter.