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https://theconversation.com/3d-scanning-we-recreated-a-sacred-south-african-site-in-a-way-that-captures-its-spirit-219122>
"These days, if you want to visit remarkable archaeological sites such as Great
Zimbabwe or Petra in Jordan you don’t even need to leave your house.
3D scanning technology has improved in leaps and bounds in the last two decades
and become much more affordable. This has led to numerous archaeological and
heritage sites appearing on online interactive 3D platforms such as Sketchfab.
Unlike still images and videos, 3D models offer enhanced interaction, enabling
users to navigate and perceive a place from various perspectives.
But while technology has raced ahead, there is a noticeable lag in the
establishment of best practice guidelines within the field.
We are a multidisciplinary team made up of a geomatician, an architect, and two
archaeologists. In a recent article we examined the implications of current
scanning technology and sought to answer the question: can people avoid
repeating the mistakes of the past when digitising cultural locations?
One criticism of current 3D models of archaeological sites is that they are
devoid of human traces and history. The pursuit of objectivity in scientific
endeavours is the norm. But, in using 3D technology – making decisions about
site boundaries, what is cleaned from the model, and the chosen level of detail
– a subjective filter is introduced. The omission of human usage and cultural
traces renders these representations static and sterile. This inadvertently
strips sites of the very culture they aim to preserve.
In our research we sought to offer an alternative approach: one which aligns
with indigenous archaeology, where indigenous knowledge and scientific methods
are blended. To do so, we undertook a case study by digitising a site in South
Africa that is of profound cultural and spiritual importance to many who live
in that area. The results highlighted that, with considered approaches,
researchers can help keep the vibrant culture of meaningful places alive even
when they’re brought into the digital world."
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
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mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
