Digital Archaeological and Historic Landscapes: Laboratory and Fieldwork (2015-2016)

What was the lagoon’s appearance when the ancient Venetians were looking from their windows? And what plants were growing close to the Etruscan tombs? What animals could see an inhabitant of Catalhoyuk in Turkey in the Neolithic?

The virtual reality allows us to see with our ancestors’ eyes, “diving” into ancient landscapes using sophisticated 3D visualizing systems such as the DiVE, Oculus Rift and zSpace. These immersive systems in fact are able to substantially increase interpretation and perception of the virtual environment and in our case of the digital landscapes.

Thanks to the scrupulous work of scientists and archeologists, these systems become actual time machines and the visitor, wearing special glasses connected with the main software, can walk, run and even interact with the ancient landscape moving the surrounding objects. The use of these platforms is not just a way to satisfy visitors’ curiosity, but allows scientists to explore details of the past that cannot be observed using classic or conventional techniques. The virtual reality is a tool to truly study in deep the past, but it is also a powerful method to teach students, who learn how to implement data found in archives and historical maps and to build a mosaic of information, recreating our ancestors’ world. This is the main objective of the new research project leaded by prof. Maurizio Forte at Duke University, funded by the Bass Connection Initiative: take advantage of the natural predisposition of young undergraduates to use modern technologies for the virtual reality to allow them to explore the past. Helped by more expert graduate students and  researchers, undergraduates learn how to extract data from history books and ancient geographic maps that will be implemented in specific visualization software. Further information can be extracted from field campaigns and sampling, as for example data retrieved in the lab on the pollen found in archeological sites. Once the geographic information database is complete, students learn how to create the objects that will compose the final virtual landscape. By the end of 2014, thanks to Forte’s project and to the work of students and scientists, it will be possible to visit Duke and get into the DiVE to magically go back in time and observe the Etruscan tombs and city of Vulci, in Italy, or walk along a pathway of Çatalhöyük in Turkey in the Neolithic or even sail in the Venice lagoon looking at the ancient salt marshes.

Continuing project through Summer 2016

See the full article on Bass Connections:

https://bassconnections.duke.edu/project-teams/digital-archaeological-a…