Virtual Taphonomy : a New Method Integrating Excavation and Post-processing of Human Remains
Wilhelmson, Helene LU and Dell'Unto, Nicolo LU
(2015)
In American Journal of Physical Anthropology
157(2).
p.305-321
- Abstract
- The objective of this paper was to integrate excavation and post-processing of archaeological and osteological contexts and material to enhance the interpretation of these with specific focus on the taphonomical aspects. A method was designed, Virtual Taphonomy, based on the use and integration of image-based 3D modeling techniques into a 3D GIS platform, and tested on a case study. Merging the 3D models and a database directly in the same virtual environment allowed the authors to fully integrate excavation and post-processing in a complex spatial analysis reconnecting contexts excavated on different occasions in the field process. The case study further demonstrated that the method enabled a deeper understanding of the taphonomic agents... (More)
- The objective of this paper was to integrate excavation and post-processing of archaeological and osteological contexts and material to enhance the interpretation of these with specific focus on the taphonomical aspects. A method was designed, Virtual Taphonomy, based on the use and integration of image-based 3D modeling techniques into a 3D GIS platform, and tested on a case study. Merging the 3D models and a database directly in the same virtual environment allowed the authors to fully integrate excavation and post-processing in a complex spatial analysis reconnecting contexts excavated on different occasions in the field process. The case study further demonstrated that the method enabled a deeper understanding of the taphonomic agents at work and allowed the construction of a more detailed interpretation of the skeletal remains than possible with more traditional methods. The method also proved to add transparency to the entire research process from field to post-processing and interpretation. Other benefits were the timesaving aspects in documentation, not only in the excavation process but also in post-processing without creating additional costs in material, as the equipment used is available in most archaeological excavations. The authors conclude that this methodology could be employed on a variety of investigations from archaeological to forensic contexts and add significant value in many different respects (for example, detail, objectivity, complexity, time-efficiency) compared to methods currently used. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4538909
- author
- Wilhelmson, Helene
LU
and Dell'Unto, Nicolo
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2015
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- image-based 3D modelling, 3D GIS, 3D models, burial, osteology
- in
- American Journal of Physical Anthropology
- volume
- 157
- issue
- 2
- pages
- 305 - 321
- publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Inc.
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:25720527
- wos:000354731600011
- scopus:84929643370
- pmid:25720527
- ISSN
- 0002-9483
- DOI
- 10.1002/ajpa.22715
- project
- Archaeological information in the digital society
- 3D GIS: a Research Platform for the Development of New Research Methodologies for the Documentation and Analysis of Archaeological Sites.
- Swedish Forensic-Archaeological Network
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- a86cc5f2-950e-4c2f-abe4-75fdd94c9d0c (old id 4538909)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 10:10:43
- date last changed
- 2022-03-12 02:55:36
@article{a86cc5f2-950e-4c2f-abe4-75fdd94c9d0c,
abstract = {{The objective of this paper was to integrate excavation and post-processing of archaeological and osteological contexts and material to enhance the interpretation of these with specific focus on the taphonomical aspects. A method was designed, Virtual Taphonomy, based on the use and integration of image-based 3D modeling techniques into a 3D GIS platform, and tested on a case study. Merging the 3D models and a database directly in the same virtual environment allowed the authors to fully integrate excavation and post-processing in a complex spatial analysis reconnecting contexts excavated on different occasions in the field process. The case study further demonstrated that the method enabled a deeper understanding of the taphonomic agents at work and allowed the construction of a more detailed interpretation of the skeletal remains than possible with more traditional methods. The method also proved to add transparency to the entire research process from field to post-processing and interpretation. Other benefits were the timesaving aspects in documentation, not only in the excavation process but also in post-processing without creating additional costs in material, as the equipment used is available in most archaeological excavations. The authors conclude that this methodology could be employed on a variety of investigations from archaeological to forensic contexts and add significant value in many different respects (for example, detail, objectivity, complexity, time-efficiency) compared to methods currently used.}},
author = {{Wilhelmson, Helene and Dell'Unto, Nicolo}},
issn = {{0002-9483}},
keywords = {{image-based 3D modelling; 3D GIS; 3D models; burial; osteology}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2}},
pages = {{305--321}},
publisher = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
series = {{American Journal of Physical Anthropology}},
title = {{Virtual Taphonomy : a New Method Integrating Excavation and Post-processing of Human Remains}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.22715}},
doi = {{10.1002/ajpa.22715}},
volume = {{157}},
year = {{2015}},
}