Web-based visualization for 3D data in archaeology: The ADS 3D viewer

Abstract

The solid geometry of archaeological deposits is fundamental to the interpretation of their chronological sequence. However, such stratigraphic sequences are generally viewed as static two-dimensional diagrammatic representations which are difficult to manipulate or to relate to real layers. The ADS 3D Viewer is a web-based resource for the management and analysis of archaeological data. The viewer was developed to take advantage of recent developments in web technology, namely the adoption of WebGL (Web Graphics Library) by current web browsers. The ADS 3D Viewer combines the potential of the 3D Heritage Online Presenter (3DHOP), a software package for the web-based visualization of 3D geometries, with the infrastructure of the Archaeology Data Service (ADS) repository, in the attempt to create a platform for the visualization and analysis of 3D data archived by the ADS. Two versions of the viewer have been developed to answer the needs of different users. The first version, the Object Level 3D Viewer, was implemented to extend the browsing capability of ADS project archives by enabling the visualization of single 3D models. The second version, the Stratigraphy 3D Viewer, is an extension which allows the exploration of a specific kind of aggregated data: the multiple layers of an archaeological stratigraphic sequence. This allows those unable to participate directly in the fieldwork to access, analyse and re-interpret the archaeological context remotely. This has the potential to transform the discipline, allowing inter-disciplinary, cross-border and 'at-distance' collaborative workflows, and enabling easier access to and analysis of archaeological data.

Ontology-Based Photogrammetry Survey for Medieval Archaeology: Toward a 3D Geographic Information System (GIS)

“…The latest works include ADS (Archeology Data Service, U.K.) and ISTI-CNR, Italy, where archaeological dig reports, 3D surveying, 3D visualization on the web and the Harris formalism can be found in the same tool [44]. Indeed, the Harris formalism has been developed for archaeological excavation and a transposition on an upstanding structure, in a real 3D context, with stratigraphic units still functional at the time they were studied, which implies the development of many new issues to be considered, as well as an accurate formalism.…”

The Rise of 3D in Maritime Archaeology

“…There, it is necessary to understand site formation processes when prospecting for submerged archaeological sites. This has been demonstrated in the Southern North Sea (Gaffney et al 2007) where 3D deep seismic survey gathered by the oil industry was used to model a vast submerged landscape which would have been occupied by Mesolithic Europeans. In researching a submerged archaeological site, the modern sea level imposes a division of the landscape that can interfere with the archaeologist's interpretation of that site.…”

Managing Cultural Heritage With Integrated Services Platform

“…At present the research in the field is wide-ranging and there exists a varied range of new generation web-platforms for CH data management available for end users, even open source, as advanced professional tools designed for operators working in the domain of cultural assets for supporting Cultural Heritage experts in their investigations. Recently developed applications are more or less flexible outside their scope, not all suitable for non-experts users, each one addressing particular needs and giving priority to various aspects: (i) ease of use by non-expert end users both for quick and simple annotation on 3D representations and disseminating analysis and research outcomes (Shi et al, 2016;Wang et al, 2018); (ii) effective visualising methods and viewer platforms for 3D artefacts, complex 3D meshes and point clouds (Galeazzi et al, 2016); (iii) semantic-aware 3D representation for recording and integrating multidisciplinary observations of the conservation state into structural spatialised data (Carboni and De Luca, 2017;Messaoudi et al, 2018), tools for Heritage Building Information Modeling (H-BIM) solutions by enabling semantic 3D data (Apollonio et al, 2017c) and relying on a computational ontology for Cultural Heritage domain modelling and ontology-based web platforms for managing extremely large amounts of information (Garozzo et al, 2017), semantic reality-based 3D digital models of architecture acquired by means of photogrammetric or TLS customised workflows used as documentation containers (Gaiani, 2015) and for hypothetical reconstructions of completely or partly missed architecture (Adembri et al, 2017), 3D environment to annotate textual, numerical or graphical information directly onto the high resolution 3D model (Soler et al, 2017;Apollonio et al, 2018b), Information Systems and advanced diagnostics tools to support restorers in their investigation (Apollonio et al, 2017b;Apollonio et al, 2018a). Another issue was a suitable retrieval system for stored information with relevance for the user and in the form more consistent with his own interests.…”