&quot;Holographic Archaeology&quot;: Mixed Reality implementations in archaeological field- and laboratory work: New perspectives and challenges

The aim of this presentation is to provide an overview of the capabilities and challenges of the implementation of Mixed Reality (MR) technology in archaeological research. The hardware option that is used for this project is Microsoft’s HoloLens 2, released in 2019. In order to evaluate it, two distinct case-studies have been chosen, the one related to archaeological fieldwork and the other linked to laboratory work, and more specifically for zooarchaeological purposes. In regards to the first case-study, the aim is to test the ability of the HoloLens 2 to document and record archaeological features in situ. Another target was to assess how and to what extent this tool can be implemented in the workflow of an archaeological survey and/or excavation. As far as the second case-study is concerned, the target was to create a prototype of a virtual reference collection for animal bones in a MR environment which is focused more on rare and wild animal species, as these are, in most cases...Show moreThe aim of this presentation is to provide an overview of the capabilities and challenges of the implementation of Mixed Reality (MR) technology in archaeological research. The hardware option that is used for this project is Microsoft’s HoloLens 2, released in 2019. In order to evaluate it, two distinct case-studies have been chosen, the one related to archaeological fieldwork and the other linked to laboratory work, and more specifically for zooarchaeological purposes. In regards to the first case-study, the aim is to test the ability of the HoloLens 2 to document and record archaeological features in situ. Another target was to assess how and to what extent this tool can be implemented in the workflow of an archaeological survey and/or excavation. As far as the second case-study is concerned, the target was to create a prototype of a virtual reference collection for animal bones in a MR environment which is focused more on rare and wild animal species, as these are, in most cases, not adequately represented in conventional reference collections. The Documenting And Triaging Cultural Heritage (DATCH) open-source software was used for the first case study, in Chalcis, Greece. It was used at the medieval towers found in the hinterland of Chalcis with the aim to make drawings of the masonry, but also make measurements and add interpretations that could be useful for the study of these structures. As far as the MR animal reference collection is concerned, this platform was developed using the Mixed Reality Toolkit (MRTK) open-source software in the Unity game development engine. Imported 3D models of wild animals from Sketchfab (https://sketchfab.com/), available for free from the Lapworth Museum’s collection, are used as the basis for this digital reference collection with the aim to create a prototype of a supplementary edition for the physical reference collection. DATCH offers a quick and efficient way to create simple drawings of structures, following the contour of the masonry blocks. Making measurements and creating tags for highlighting and/ or identifying certain features, such as postholes or inscriptions found on the tower’s masonry, can enhance these drawings and be a valuable tool for visualizing features in a more intuitive manner, even after fieldwork is over. Regarding the MR reference collection, the 3D content was viewed in tandem with real specimens of the same species – a male Hippopotamus amphibius in this case. Working with both types of objects at the same time was seamless, manipulating the 3D model in such a way that was similar to the specimens of the conventional collection. Both case-studies highlight the potential of implementing MR technology in archaeological research, serving a multitude of different research problems. Not only is it used to visualize digitized structures, it can also provide novel ways to interact and interpret them. When dealing with animal bones it can assist the identification of animal remains and/or academic teaching of anatomy too. As more hardware solutions are becoming available, MR could become an integral part in testing hypotheses and creating new knowledge when studying the past, movable or not.Show less

Leiden University Student Repository

Documents

In Collections

"Holographic Archaeology": Mixed Reality implementations in archaeological field- and laboratory work: New perspectives and challenges