433 research outputs found
At the computer's edge. The value of virtual constructions to the interpretation of cultural heritage
No full textThe title of this paper is an adaptation of Ian Hodder’s notion that interpretation starts ‘at the trowel’s edge’ (1997), as excavations should be active, reflexive and multivocal practices, during which interpretation takes place as an inextricable part of our research. The process of interpretation is a complicated issue. It has engrossed most practitioners, and is closely related to the conceptualisation of the past as reflecting contemporary social and cultural experiences through the scrutiny of cultural heritage remains. Archaeological remains are under appreciated, as they can be accessed only by specialised audiences, and any finds are presented by means of conventional illustrations and comprehensive list of artefacts. Even the most common recording method in archaeology, i.e. fieldnotes, and the subsequent site reports, have been criticised (Hodder 1989) for their distance and impersonality, as well as their attempt to demonstrate objectivity by establishing rigorous classifications and complex terminologies. For that reason, different forms of media have been used in the interpretive processes, not only in scientific research, but also for providing varied levels of engagement with the archaeological datasets by the public
Deux savants grecs. Constantinos Sathas et Athanasios Papadopoulos-Kerameus. Notes biographiques
No full textXanthopoulos Th. Deux savants grecs. Constantinos Sathas et Athanasios Papadopoulos-Kerameus. Notes biographiques. In: Échos d'Orient, tome 17, n°107, 1914. pp. 345-348
Death management and virtual pursuits: a virtual reconstruction of the Minoan cemetery at Phourni, Archanes, examining the use of Tholos Tomb C and Burial Building 19 and the role of illumination, in relation to mortuary practices and the perception of life and death by the living
No full textIn the striking event of death, each community produces rituals, not explicitly or exclusively of a funerary nature. This is done in order to maintain both its stability and integrity, while incorporating the living into a fixed system of culturally defined roles and statuses.The living had an active role in manipulating dead bodies, either for the primary burial or secondary treatment. This means that they entered the tombs or antechambers in order to prepare the deceased for inhumation, and practiced various ceremonies in commemoration of their ancestors, in accord with their attitude towards death. In addition, they were preparing the tombs for forthcoming burials by removing decomposed bodies, or selected parts of them, and lighting fires for small or large scale fumigations.People were entering in the tombs to practice rituals related to funerary ceremonies, or for practical purposes, however the noisome environment of a poorly ventilated structure full of corpses may suggest that only a small amount of people could simultaneously enter and remain in it. Natural light, or flame light, should have been a key factor by illuminating the interior, and mirroring eschatological beliefs and world views.Computer based research provides scientists with an alternative reading of the dataset from the Minoan cemetery at Phourni, Archanes. This analysis attempts to evaluate tombs’ architecture, use, visual impact, and their capacity during different time periods, as well as the contribution of light to determine not only practical purposes, but philosophical and religious beliefs as well.<br/
Formal three-dimensional computational analyses of archaeological spaces
No full textIt is common practice within interpretations of archaeologically attested environments to develop spatially-contingent conclusions. Thus, in discussing motion within space one might consider a series of rooms acting to direct movement, to focus attention, and to provide sensations of enclosure and control. Such interpretations commonly derive from experience of the surviving spaces, examination of correlating perhaps better preserved environments, and consultation of plans and elevations. The computer graphic simulation has built on the potential of conventional painted and drawn reconstructions to provide access to hypothesised three-dimensional environments. These in turn stimulate critique and an emotional or purely functional engagement with visualised spaces (Earl et al in press; Beale et al 2010). More recent developments in computational practice have rendered easily accessible tools that can formalise the interaction with these simulations. Thus, architectural design software enables calculation of exact movements and transformations of natural light around built spaces and landscapes and the impact of varying forms of artificial illumination. Alongside this formal analyses of visibility enable the practicalities of the illumination of a given space to be compared to the potentials afforded by movement around it for viewing given locations. Together these formal methods provide a counterpart to less formalised modes of visual interpretation. In this paper we concentrate on the potentials of formal lighting analysis to identify the illumination that has an impact on the perception of a given environment. We highlight the importance of virtual constructions in archaeological research, especially concerning the estimation of lighting values in ancient structures and the importance of natural and flame light in domestic, religious and working spaces. We then consider means to explore the visibility of the space as a whole, and in the context of the available light and of computer graphic visual simulations of the environment as perceived. All the examples presented in this paper come from Minoan Crete with attention focussed not on the palatial structures that characterise many studies in the area, but rather on three different types of spaces: houses, workrooms and tombs, which provide valuable information about private life, working conditions and religion, accordingly. We leave for a later publication considerations of what the subsequent perception of digital objects within these simulated environments might mean in archaeological terms. <br/
Illuminating the burials in the Aegean bronze age: natural and artificial light in a mortuary context
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Virtual windows to the past: reconstructing the ‘Ceramics Workshop’ at Zominthos, Crete
No full textThe reconstruction of the ‘Ceramics Workshop’ at Zominthos, Crete is an ideal example of the contribution of computer graphics to the interpretation of archaeological data. Room 13 has been interpreted as a ceramics workshop without taking into account the peculiar absence of windows. A virtual reconstruction and illumination analysis of this area helped to identify its plausible uses, while several alternative models enabled a comprehensive approach to the simulation of lighting. This paper will discuss the decision making process based on the archaeological evidence and will address all the possible readings of this ambiguous dataset by explicitly examining the various structural and lighting models produced, while trying to understand how people perceive the environment and interact with i
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