Comparative Material of the Malloura eCatalogue and the Next Stage in Cypriot Cultural Preservation and Accessibility
Mentor 1
Derek Counts
Location
Union 250
Start Date
28-4-2017 1:00 PM
Description
Since 1990, the Athienou Archaeological Project (AAP) has excavated a large corpus of material from a religious sanctuary dating to ca.700-100 CE in the Malloura Valley, near the village of Athienou, Cyprus. Several 3D digital models of terracotta and limestone sculptural fragments from the site will soon be available for viewing and study through a digital publication produced in collaboration with UWM's Digital Commons. The Malloura eCatalogue shall maintain some aspects of traditional catalogues that have served useful and have been proven to assist researchers. One of these components is the reference to comparative material (comparanda), which I am responsible for finding and analyzing. This task is completed by first examining published 2D paper materials and museum websites which contain static images alongside object descriptions. Then, one can take it a step further by looking at these 2D images with 3D scans side-by-side, whose angles, size, and shading may be manipulated in a 3D processor (Meshlab); I can then reveal otherwise unknown details and profiles. Thus far, it has become clear that these details may elucidate the individual craftsmanship of the statue fragments, allowing for future analysis of aesthetic trends in the region, alongside the economic implications of local workshops and trade networks. Ultimately, the production of an open access digital catalogue that utilizes 3D imaging alongside traditional methods of archaeological description, analysis, and comparison allows for a new way to not only preserve Cypriot cultural heritage, but to provide open, easy access of the corpus to researchers and the public alike. Access to said 3D corpus addresses, and surpasses, the limits presented to researchers by traditional, static 2D catalogues, and will contribute to more accurate archaeological interpretations in the future.Since 1990, the Athienou Archaeological Project (AAP) has excavated a large corpus of material from a religious sanctuary dating to ca.700-100 CE in the Malloura Valley, near the village of Athienou, Cyprus. Several 3D digital models of terracotta and limestone sculptural fragments from the site will soon be available for viewing and study through a digital publication produced in collaboration with UWM's Digital Commons. The Malloura eCatalogue shall maintain some aspects of traditional catalogues that have served useful and have been proven to assist researchers. One of these components is the reference to comparative material (comparanda), which I am responsible for finding and analyzing. This task is completed by first examining published 2D paper materials and museum websites which contain static images alongside object descriptions. Then, one can take it a step further by looking at these 2D images with 3D scans side-by-side, whose angles, size, and shading may be manipulated in a 3D processor (Meshlab); I can then reveal otherwise unknown details and profiles. Thus far, it has become clear that these details may elucidate the individual craftsmanship of the statue fragments, allowing for future analysis of aesthetic trends in the region, alongside the economic implications of local workshops and trade networks. Ultimately, the production of an open access digital catalogue that utilizes 3D imaging alongside traditional methods of archaeological description, analysis, and comparison allows for a new way to not only preserve Cypriot cultural heritage, but to provide open, easy access of the corpus to researchers and the public alike. Access to said 3D corpus addresses, and surpasses, the limits presented to researchers by traditional, static 2D catalogues, and will contribute to more accurate archaeological interpretations in the future.
Comparative Material of the Malloura eCatalogue and the Next Stage in Cypriot Cultural Preservation and Accessibility
Union 250
Since 1990, the Athienou Archaeological Project (AAP) has excavated a large corpus of material from a religious sanctuary dating to ca.700-100 CE in the Malloura Valley, near the village of Athienou, Cyprus. Several 3D digital models of terracotta and limestone sculptural fragments from the site will soon be available for viewing and study through a digital publication produced in collaboration with UWM's Digital Commons. The Malloura eCatalogue shall maintain some aspects of traditional catalogues that have served useful and have been proven to assist researchers. One of these components is the reference to comparative material (comparanda), which I am responsible for finding and analyzing. This task is completed by first examining published 2D paper materials and museum websites which contain static images alongside object descriptions. Then, one can take it a step further by looking at these 2D images with 3D scans side-by-side, whose angles, size, and shading may be manipulated in a 3D processor (Meshlab); I can then reveal otherwise unknown details and profiles. Thus far, it has become clear that these details may elucidate the individual craftsmanship of the statue fragments, allowing for future analysis of aesthetic trends in the region, alongside the economic implications of local workshops and trade networks. Ultimately, the production of an open access digital catalogue that utilizes 3D imaging alongside traditional methods of archaeological description, analysis, and comparison allows for a new way to not only preserve Cypriot cultural heritage, but to provide open, easy access of the corpus to researchers and the public alike. Access to said 3D corpus addresses, and surpasses, the limits presented to researchers by traditional, static 2D catalogues, and will contribute to more accurate archaeological interpretations in the future.Since 1990, the Athienou Archaeological Project (AAP) has excavated a large corpus of material from a religious sanctuary dating to ca.700-100 CE in the Malloura Valley, near the village of Athienou, Cyprus. Several 3D digital models of terracotta and limestone sculptural fragments from the site will soon be available for viewing and study through a digital publication produced in collaboration with UWM's Digital Commons. The Malloura eCatalogue shall maintain some aspects of traditional catalogues that have served useful and have been proven to assist researchers. One of these components is the reference to comparative material (comparanda), which I am responsible for finding and analyzing. This task is completed by first examining published 2D paper materials and museum websites which contain static images alongside object descriptions. Then, one can take it a step further by looking at these 2D images with 3D scans side-by-side, whose angles, size, and shading may be manipulated in a 3D processor (Meshlab); I can then reveal otherwise unknown details and profiles. Thus far, it has become clear that these details may elucidate the individual craftsmanship of the statue fragments, allowing for future analysis of aesthetic trends in the region, alongside the economic implications of local workshops and trade networks. Ultimately, the production of an open access digital catalogue that utilizes 3D imaging alongside traditional methods of archaeological description, analysis, and comparison allows for a new way to not only preserve Cypriot cultural heritage, but to provide open, easy access of the corpus to researchers and the public alike. Access to said 3D corpus addresses, and surpasses, the limits presented to researchers by traditional, static 2D catalogues, and will contribute to more accurate archaeological interpretations in the future.
