Re-enacting the sequence: combined digital methods to study a prehistoric cave

Abstract

This contribution seeks to demonstrate how recently developed 3D GIS platforms can help archeologists in relating to the original context legacy data that can be employed to digitally reconstruct the sequence of arbitrary layers as it was observed and then excavated in the end of the nineteenth century. This research has been conducted on the prehistoric cave of Stora Förvar, located on the small island of Stora Karlsö, in SouthEastern Sweden. As a part of a research project titled BThe pioneer settlements of Gotland,^this line of enquiry has sought to combine 3D-based digital acquisition techniques, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and old archival material (hand-made drawings, artifacts lists, historical pictures) in order to virtually reconstruct the original sequence as it was excavated through the method of arbitrary layers. At a later stage, the reconstructed sequence has been employed to re-contextualize and analyze the distribution of artifacts so as to detect any possible pattern that could have been useful for defining the chronological boundaries of the Mesolithic phase of habitation of the cave. In brief, three main objectives can be defined: (a) to recreate a spatial connection between the artifacts retrieved at the time of the excavation and the sequence of layers, (b) to define density maps showing the relationship between volumes of layers and categories of artifacts belonging to the sequence, and (c) to further our knowledge about the Mesolithic habitation of the cave, not only vertically (chronologically) but also horizontally.

Survey Solutions for 3D Acquisition and Representation of Artificial and Natural Caves

“…The recent evolution of SfM applications on caves seems to be encouraging for the identification of a methodology that could be used for a massive 3D mapping of caves. To date, only a minimal number of caves are represented in the third dimension and they are often equipped with ladders and walkways, for tourism or archaeological purposes, to ease their access [59,60]. In this paper, we investigated the best compromise between the accuracy and feasibility of different techniques and to define a general methodology to carry out a 3D survey of natural and complex caves.…”

Ancient Hermione revealed: the contribution of high‐performance computing and digital methods to the analysis of a hidden cityscape

“…By integrating such data in GIS it will be possible to build up an interpretative framework that can allow us to gain new knowledge about the way space was structured and used in antiquity. As recent scholarship has proven, by combining vertical and horizontal map representations together with 3D models it is possible to virtually reconstruct the original context in a way that would not be possible through traditional approaches of documentation (Landeschi et al, 2018). In an urban context it would be interesting also to test volumetric analysis for engaging at a deeper level with the study of visual connectivity, following theories on space syntax analysis (Hillier & Hanson, 1989), to cope with that empty space often disregarded from archaeological enquiry (Campana, 2017) and possibly to add new meaning to the use of the landscape, trying to explore concealment and hiddenness as additional properties (Gillings, 2015).…”

“…Indeed, as some recent scholarship has proven (Earl, 2007; Opitz, 2017; Paliou, 2011; Paliou, 2013; Paliou, Wheatley, & Earl, 2011), three‐dimensionality has a clear ‘heuristic’ value in the way it can dramatically improve the quality of data interpretation through the adoption of statistically‐oriented spatial analysis techniques, combined with a highly accurate representation of the space in all of its dimensions. Research conducted at Lund University has recently proven the potential of 3D technology in combination with a geographical information system (GIS) to analyse and interpret archaeological data (Dell'Unto et al, 2015; Landeschi, 2018; Landeschi et al, 2018). The results obtained both on a single site and on a landscape scale provided archaeologists with interesting solutions to address different types of questions, concerning: (a) the perception of the ancient space (Landeschi et al, 2016); (b) the structural degradation of ancient architectural structures (Campanaro, Landeschi, Dell'Unto, & Leander Touati, 2015); (c) the damage evaluation in the context of a site threatened by human action (Landeschi, Nilsson, & Dell'Unto, 2016).…”

Sharing Archaeological Knowledge: The Interactive Reporting System

“…3D models are commonly adopted by archaeologists in support of documentation (De Reu et al 2013;Dellepiane et al 2013;Forte 2014;Dell'Unto 2016;Dell'Unto et al 2016Opitz and Johnson 2016;Derudas, Sgarella, and Callieri 2018), and these represent a powerful medium for reviewing and presenting the excavation process. These systems allow for the visualization of contexts and materials no longer available in three dimensions, diachronically and spatiallyaware, providing archaeologists with the possibility of experiencing new forms of interactive narration and promoting a more reflexive approach to the data (Forte 2014;Berggren et al 2015;Opitz 2015;Dell'Unto 2016), as well as encouraging new archaeological interpretations (Opitz and Johnson 2016;Dell'Unto et al 2017;Galeazzi and Richards-Rissetto 2018;Landeschi et al 2019).…”