The ability to visually represent artifacts, whether they are stone, ceramic and metal, or organics such as bone and plant material, has always been important to the field of anthropology and archaeology. The ability to see the past, not only read about it, offers valuable insights into the production of cultural materials and the populations who made and used them.
Digital photography is the most widely used method of visual representation, but it often fails to faithfully represent the artifact being studied. In recent years, 3D scanning has emerged as an alternative source of high-quality visualization, but the cost of the equipment and the time needed to produce a model are often prohibitive.
Two new methods for producing high-resolution visualization of small artifacts are presented in a paper. Using expertise from fields such as archaeological science, computer graphics and video game development, the methods are designed to allow anyone to produce high-quality images and models with minimal effort and cost.
The first method, small object and artifact photography, deals with the photographic application of modern digital techniques. The protocol guides users through small object and artifact photography from the initial set up of the equipment to the best methods for camera handling and the application of post-processing software.
The second method, high-resolution photogrammetry, or HRP, is used for capturing the photographic, digital reconstruction and three-dimensional modeling of small objects. This method aims to give a comprehensive guide for the development of high-resolution 3D models, merging well-known techniques used in academic and computer graphic fields, allowing anyone to independently produce high resolution and quantifiable models.
Jacopo Niccol, lead author of the paper, says that the new protocols combine detailed, concise, and user-friendly workflows for photographic acquisition and processing.
The SOAP and HRP protocols were developed using Adobe Camera Raw, Adobe Photoshop, RawDigger, DxO Photolab, and RealityCapture and take advantage of native functions and tools that make image capture and processing easier and faster. Although most of these softwares are readily available in academic environments, SOAP and HRP can be applied to any other non-subscription based software with similar features. This allows researchers to use free or open-access software, even with minor changes to some of the steps.
The HRP and SOAP protocols are published on protocols.io.
The ability to faithfully represent artifacts is vital for the field of archaeology because visual communication is so important to understanding past behavior, technology and culture.
Practical instruction on archaeological photography and three-dimensional reconstructions are lacking even as new technologies change the field of archaeology. The authors of the new paper hope to fill the gap by providing step-by-step instructions for creating high quality visualization of artifacts.
More information: DIY digital archaeology: New methods for visualizing small objects and artefacts, PLoS ONE (2022). DOI: 10.1371/0267168 Journal information: PLoS ONE Citation: DIY digital archaeology: New methods for visualizing small objects and artifacts (2022, April 15) retrieved 15 April 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2022-04-diy-digital-archaeology-methods-visualizing.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
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