Henrik POHL | Ronny WESSLING
(Kuratorium Pfahlbauten, Attersee a. Attersee, Austria)
Keywords: structure from motion, underwater archaeology, lake villages
Abstract:
150 years after the discovery of Austria’s first lake dwellings, today’s modern scientific methods allow us to obtain new and extraordinary insights into these unique archaeological sources under water. In order to equate the Upper Austrian National Exhibition of 2020 with latest scientific standards, new interdisciplinary research projects are being developed and realized with great support by the Upper Austrian National Museum,the curatorship palafittes as well as the province of Upper Austria.
The main objective hereby is to portray the phenomenon lake dwelling from a modern perspective. Investigation into archaeological findings at the public bathing beach of Seewalchen-Attersee in 2015 commenced the pilot project Zeitensprung. During these first underwater excavations in Austria after more than 30 years, new technologies such as Structure from Motion (SfM) and Multi View Stereo (MVS) have been implemented to gain a systematic 3D documentation. Hence, first field reports documenting the use of these methods supporting a more laminar excavation documentation will be presented.
Surface models can be represented as two-dimensional images, e.g. true orthophotos and elevation coded images, which provide an ideal basis for mapping and drawing. Overall, five site plans and a cross section drawing were derived from the models. Conventionally, such time consuming work is carried out directly at the site. However, the application of SfM and MVS defers most of the graphic work into the post excavation process and therefore saves valuable time during fieldwork. 3D models can be animated in time. By moving through realistically texturized 3D models, sorted according to their stratigraphic position, a four-dimensional virtual reality can be constructed. With this technique a digital copy of the recorded features, arranged in time and space, is still accessible after their destruction and permits a virtual desktop based re-excavation of the site.
Relevance conference | Relevance session:
It´s exactly about the conference theme: cultural heritage and new technologies.
Innovation:
During these first underwater excavations in Austria after more than 30 years, new technologies such as SfM and Multi View Stereo (MVS) have been implemented to gain a systematic 3D documentaion.
