Minecraft has proven to be a valuable tool in the field of virtual heritage (Edwards et al., 2021; Langis-Barsetti, 2021; Politopoulos et al., 2019). This thesis explores potential collaboration...Show moreMinecraft has proven to be a valuable tool in the field of virtual heritage (Edwards et al., 2021; Langis-Barsetti, 2021; Politopoulos et al., 2019). This thesis explores potential collaboration efforts between academia and the modding community by first attempting to understand the perspectives of Minecraft mod developers. This study is guided by the research question: in what ways can the Minecraft modding community and heritage professionals influence each other? Four willing developers of historical and cultural Minecraft mods provided their perspective via questionnaire. Their responses are analysed with guidance from the established qualitative analysis methods: thematic analysis and narrative analysis (Bryman, 2012). Potential collaboration is then theorised based on the intentions, disciplinary bounds, and openness of both mod developers and heritage professionals. It is found that Minecraft mod developers and heritage professionals share many similar traits. Analysis of the developer perspectives also helped to reveal multiple ways in which collaboration efforts would be mutually beneficial. These findings are important, as this knowledge not only helps to introduce academia to the developer’s side of the Minecraft modding community, but can also be used by academics and mod developers to bring about future collaboration efforts that enhance both the modding community and the virtual heritage field.Show less
This graduation project discusses the scientific and communicative value of virtual reconstructions in archaeological research while exploring the public’s relation with and perception of...Show moreThis graduation project discusses the scientific and communicative value of virtual reconstructions in archaeological research while exploring the public’s relation with and perception of archaeology. More specifically, the project was initiated in the field, with a virtual reconstruction of building 7 from the Chalcolithic site of Chlorakas-Palloures in Cyprus. For the construction of the 3D model, the author applied the methodology of Extended Matrix following Demetrescu’s theoretical and practical framework. This methodology along with the difficulties that might arise is analyzed step-by-step in this paper, after the introduction of the case study and the settlement of Chlorakas-Palloures. Although 3D reconstructions have long attracted sustained scholarly consideration, archaeologists have not yet fully appreciated the significance of the medium’s use for the communication of archaeological information from the early stages of archaeological research, i.e., fieldwork. Moreover, concerns have been raised about the potential misuse of virtual reconstructions for non-scientific reasons, resulting in the promotion of a distorted image of archaeology (cf. the concept of pseudoarchaeology) through manipulated data. On that account, it becomes clear that archaeologists should take into serious consideration the public’s relation with and perception of archaeology. Even though the depiction of nameless figures in images from archaeological projects is no longer considered acceptable and developments have been made regarding the active engagement of the public, there are still steps to be taken in order to make archaeology more accessible and impactful. The project embraces the social character of archaeology and, therefore, incorporates as its main element, a questionnaire that values the public’s opinion. The answers of 300 participants from different age groups and countries, of various educational levels, related or not to archaeology, are systemically analyzed and evaluated. While acknowledging the possible limitations of such a survey, the results regarding the epistemic aspect and impact of virtual reconstructions on the vast majority of the participants are astonishing. If, based on the answers to this survey and the pertinent research, the public thinks that visual reconstructions (artistic illustrations, sketches, 3D models) render archaeology both more comprehensive and exciting and, furthermore, that the use of new media would influence positively the distribution of the archaeological information, then why do such endeavors are still to be found scarcely between the media that communicate archaeology? This graduation project emphasizes the need for further research into the potential use and impact of the new media, and particularly virtual reconstructions, on communicating archaeological information with the public.Show less
The god Aššur, the main god of the Ancient Assyrians, had two temples dedicated to him, of which the second temple is shrouded in mystery. The first temple was built in the capital city Aššur, and...Show moreThe god Aššur, the main god of the Ancient Assyrians, had two temples dedicated to him, of which the second temple is shrouded in mystery. The first temple was built in the capital city Aššur, and it was used for centuries, rebuilt and kept up by generations of kings. The second temple was built in a new capital, Kār-Tukulti-Ninurta, it was used for a couple of decades, and it was abandoned after the king who built it died. While much is known about this particular king, Tukulti-Ninurta I, not much is known about the function of his Aššur temple, nor why it was abandoned so quickly. To fill in this gap of knowledge, this thesis compares the two Aššur temples side-by-side based on their architecture, their recorded rationale, and their usage. Here I show how different the two temples are in their structure and what that meant for their usage, by drawing from the broader context of the Assyrian religion, the nature of the god Aššur, and his relationship with the Assyrian kings. The primary difference is their size, while further differences are seen in their style and lay-out, which likely correspond to differences in usage. I argue that its main purposes were threefold: it served as a (secondary) temple to Aššur, it was mainly used for processions, and the king felt a need to include the god Aššur in his new capital city due to the god’s importance in the capital city Aššur. Moreover, I argue that the second temple was abandoned because the god was too connected to the first temple to be moved, the main ceremonies and rituals could not be hosted due to its size so it became obsolete, and subsequent kings were not interested in using it. This is a relevant starng point for a deeper understanding of the god Aššur, why no further temples were dedicated to him, and in which ways the two temples dedicated to him are structurally different from other Assyrian temples.Show less
With social media becoming an integral part of the average person’s life, this paper explores how social media can be used to share knowledge about archeology and actively involve the public in...Show moreWith social media becoming an integral part of the average person’s life, this paper explores how social media can be used to share knowledge about archeology and actively involve the public in discussions about the practice and research. The study finds Instagram to be a useful platform for engaging in science communication because of specific features that create a space for professionalism and personalization from the creator, as well as a space that encourages discussion between the creator and the community they can establish. The study examines why science communication and outreach within archeology is important and how it can also benefit new research practices within the field. It then examines case studies of successful social media campaigns started by archeologists that yielded positive public involvement. Through interviews and surveys, the study then sheds light on efforts currently being made by both Oxford and Leiden University archeology departments to engage in science communication through their Instagram platforms and proposes a different strategy to engage the general public outside the world of academics based on the framework established through the case studies. The study concludes that the current Instagram pages of both universities aren’t prioritizing engaging the general public through their Instagram pages mainly because there is a lack of time and resources and knowledge about how to effectively use the platform to its fullest potential. A suggested strategy is stated in the conclusion on how to solve the current problems and create a space for public engagement.Show less
This thesis has researched the opportunities of implementing game-based learning in the secondary school curriculum by producing a literature study and conducting an experiment. The literature...Show moreThis thesis has researched the opportunities of implementing game-based learning in the secondary school curriculum by producing a literature study and conducting an experiment. The literature study consists of an overview of the literature on video gaming, education and games, and the connection between them. The experiment consists of participants playing Assassin's Creed: Odyssey and Apotheon and answering a questionnaire about their experiences and insights related to the archaeological features of ancient Greece. The results illustrate that digital games can be a useful addition to traditional learning methods if implemented well. Concretely this means that the students need guidance from their teacher in order to learn from gaming and not mistake falsehoods for truth. By applying games in the right way in the curriculum, students can develop various skills they might use in higher education, such as critical thinking and collaboration. Moreover, they can learn such skills by implementing them in archaeological case studies, and learn (basic) archaeology through gaming on their own and in-class.Show less
At the end of the Late Bronze Age, around 1200 BCE, a wave of destructions raged over the eastern-Mediterranean. Many theories argue that migrant populations, mainly from the Aegean sphere, are...Show moreAt the end of the Late Bronze Age, around 1200 BCE, a wave of destructions raged over the eastern-Mediterranean. Many theories argue that migrant populations, mainly from the Aegean sphere, are responsible for the devastations. In their journey, Cyprus was an important stop en route, making the island an important location to test these theories. However, in recent research the role that indigenous populations played in the destruction events is being emphasized. In this research, it is investigated whether the indigenous populations of Cyprus might in fact be responsible for many, if not all of the events of destruction on the island at the end of the Late Bronze Age. To investigate this hypothesis, Enkomi, Hala Sultan Tekke and Pyla-Kokkinokremos were studied diachronically. In the tumultuous period of the LBA Collapse, these sites were continuous, destroyed and newly founded respectfully. From their excavation reports, the presence of foreign elements is analysed using the concept of deep change to see whether the elements sufficiently constitute to a foreign presence or are merely the result of other modes of interaction (trade, raids). Additionally, a settlement model analysis of site development was applied to see whether internal dynamics, such as competition and rivalry, could have played a part in the destruction episode. From the analyses, it is clear that no large-scale migration to Cyprus had taken place. Aegean people were most likely present in the Cypriot sites, but this concerns small-scale populations and is unrelated to a large-scale migration event whatsoever. The events at Hala Sultan Tekke and Pyla might be better explained in relation to the nearby economically competing site of Kition. At Enkomi the evidence is ambiguous, neither being explained by the previously proposed migration theory, nor by internal dynamics. It is concluded that based on the evidence from the three sites, a large-scale Aegean migration is insufficiently supported. Rather, the workings of intra-insular dynamics between settlement systems appear more plausible as explanation. The Aegean traces, then, are the result of trade interaction and the presence of small groups of Aegean descent.Show less
