3D Data and Visualization in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Studies

Main field of studies: Archaeology

Specialization: A1N, Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirements

Admission to the course requires a Bachelor of Arts or the equivalent of 180 higher education credits, of which 90 credits within the disciplines of Archaeology, Classical Archaeology and Ancient History, Cultural Heritage Studies, or History. Option of courses within liberal arts, but also social sciences like Digital humanities, will be considered applicable. For Digital humanities the first year of courses (60 credits) is required.
Admission to the course is also granted with a Bachelor's degree in Cultural Heritage, including basic and advanced courses in the main field of Archaeology (60 credits).

This course will provide students with the skills to create 3D models of cultural heritage for digital exhibitions. Such models are a valuable resource for democratising cultural heritage, as they can be widely distributed and displayed for analysis, viewing, and distribution. The course will also problematise digital exhibitions and museums and provide a deeper understanding of the surrounding ethical issues. One focus will be the complex issues surrounding the theory of digital archaeology, as well as
archaeology in the public sphere, critical cultural heritage management, and theories about human vision in relation to data visualisation. This will be discussed critically and in depth. The course follows a practical teaching philosophy, which means that students become familiar with 3D modelling software. The course also provides in-depth knowledge of various techniques such as photogrammetry, laser scanning, and other visualisation methods. The focus will be on models that can be easily
integrated into digital exhibitions, enabling students to create their
own 3D models and present them in a meaningful way. This includes understanding the importance of para- and metadata, how to retrieve this data in collaboration with museums and the private sector, and how such data and its interpretations can be
presented ethically. As the course will focus on transferable skills,
 the teaching will offer long-term sustainability for participants. As such, the course will provide students with the opportunity to acquire 3D data, formulate appropriate research questions, and answer them using a suitable theoretical framework.

After completing the course, students should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

Independently and in depth, understand how 3D data is produced

Create polygon-structured models for virtual exhibitions, publications, and games in depth, and understand the theoretical and ethical aspects of virtual exhibitions and 3D reconstructions

Competence and skills

plan and design a public virtual exhibition of cultural heritage that includes paradata, metadata, and contextual information. In relation to this, create a block-out.

create and place information in a virtual exhibition

create a suitable scientific network for the purpose of implementing a virtual exhibition

Judgement and approach

evaluate the strengths and opportunities of implementing a digitised and modelled cultural heritage in a digital museum and exhibitions.

evaluate the ethical challenges in digital exhibitions.

Teaching takes the form of lectures, practical exercises and seminars. Students also engage in independent data collection.
Language of instruction: English

The course assesses students on an individual project assignment, which involves presenting a written description of methods, work stages, analysis, and critical reflection. A small group assignment, or alternatively an independent assignment, involving the use of 3D data will also be presented at a seminar. In order to pass the course, students must pass the project assignment and actively participate in seminars and exercises.

The grading scale comprises: Excellent (A), Very good (B), Good (C), Satisfactory (D), Sufficient (E) and Fail (F).

After completing the course, students will have the opportunity to evaluate it. The results of the evaluation and any changes to the course will be shared with students who participated. The evaluation will also be conducted with students who will be taking the next course.