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3D Cybermaps of Western Han Mural Tombs

Galeazzi, Fabrizio ; Di Giuseppantonio Di Franco, Paola and Dell'Unto, Nicolo LU orcid (2010) p.97-107
Abstract
The Virtual Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Project is a joint research between UC Merced and the Jiaotong University aimed

to the digital documentation of archaeological sites, artifacts and cultural relics of the Western Han Dynasty. The outcome of this

process will be the creation of a virtual museum, based on collaborative environments, dedicated to the Western Han Dynasty and

able to integrate new archaeological datasets coming from the fieldwork activities (most part of them unpublished), monuments, and

famous collections of artifacts of the Xi’an archaeological museums.

One of the most important archaeological examples in Xi’an is represented by the mural paintings of the monumental... (More)
The Virtual Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Project is a joint research between UC Merced and the Jiaotong University aimed

to the digital documentation of archaeological sites, artifacts and cultural relics of the Western Han Dynasty. The outcome of this

process will be the creation of a virtual museum, based on collaborative environments, dedicated to the Western Han Dynasty and

able to integrate new archaeological datasets coming from the fieldwork activities (most part of them unpublished), monuments, and

famous collections of artifacts of the Xi’an archaeological museums.

One of the most important archaeological examples in Xi’an is represented by the mural paintings of the monumental tombs of the

Western Han Dynasty. Despite their cultural and historical importance they are at risk of being lost because of the critical conditions

of plasters and colors. The murals show a very rich repertory of subjects such as scenes of daily life, rituals and ascension to heaven.

These examples of mural paintings contain a very complex interpretation code explaining the relations between life and death during

the Western Han dynasty. A simple description of the subjects and also the 3D virtual reconstruction of the tombs are insufficient

for approaching a correct cultural interpretation. In this paper we present a preliminary case study on the semantics of the tomb M

27’s iconography (excavated in Xi’an in 2004 and documented by laser scanning) obtained through 3D virtual cybermaps. The use

of virtual-cyber mind maps emphasizes the interpretation of the spatial, religious and symbolic connections (affordances) of the

different subjects and images decorating the vault and the walls of the tomb. Through this simulation process the potential semantic

recomposition of the tomb creates new metaphors of learning and communication. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
digital archaeology, learning process, communication, cybermap, 3D data collection, 3D reconstruction, cyber archaeology
host publication
Cyber-Archaeology
editor
Forte, Maurizio
pages
97 - 107
publisher
BAR International
ISBN
9781407307213
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
4583b0b7-2298-4d36-abce-5a27c66b9c66 (old id 1746252)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 12:21:38
date last changed
2019-03-08 03:17:32
@inbook{4583b0b7-2298-4d36-abce-5a27c66b9c66,
  abstract     = {{The Virtual Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Project is a joint research between UC Merced and the Jiaotong University aimed<br/><br>
to the digital documentation of archaeological sites, artifacts and cultural relics of the Western Han Dynasty. The outcome of this<br/><br>
process will be the creation of a virtual museum, based on collaborative environments, dedicated to the Western Han Dynasty and<br/><br>
able to integrate new archaeological datasets coming from the fieldwork activities (most part of them unpublished), monuments, and<br/><br>
famous collections of artifacts of the Xi’an archaeological museums.<br/><br>
One of the most important archaeological examples in Xi’an is represented by the mural paintings of the monumental tombs of the<br/><br>
Western Han Dynasty. Despite their cultural and historical importance they are at risk of being lost because of the critical conditions<br/><br>
of plasters and colors. The murals show a very rich repertory of subjects such as scenes of daily life, rituals and ascension to heaven.<br/><br>
These examples of mural paintings contain a very complex interpretation code explaining the relations between life and death during<br/><br>
the Western Han dynasty. A simple description of the subjects and also the 3D virtual reconstruction of the tombs are insufficient<br/><br>
for approaching a correct cultural interpretation. In this paper we present a preliminary case study on the semantics of the tomb M<br/><br>
27’s iconography (excavated in Xi’an in 2004 and documented by laser scanning) obtained through 3D virtual cybermaps. The use<br/><br>
of virtual-cyber mind maps emphasizes the interpretation of the spatial, religious and symbolic connections (affordances) of the<br/><br>
different subjects and images decorating the vault and the walls of the tomb. Through this simulation process the potential semantic<br/><br>
recomposition of the tomb creates new metaphors of learning and communication.}},
  author       = {{Galeazzi, Fabrizio and Di Giuseppantonio Di Franco, Paola and Dell'Unto, Nicolo}},
  booktitle    = {{Cyber-Archaeology}},
  editor       = {{Forte, Maurizio}},
  isbn         = {{9781407307213}},
  keywords     = {{digital archaeology; learning process; communication; cybermap; 3D data collection; 3D reconstruction; cyber archaeology}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{97--107}},
  publisher    = {{BAR International}},
  title        = {{3D Cybermaps of Western Han Mural Tombs}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}