Chair: Bernard Frischer
It is ironic that digital archaeologists who use their knowledge and skill to preserve the historical record of past cultures do not spend much time thinking about how their own work can be archived. The purpose of this session is to encourage creators of 3D models of cultural heritage sites to begin thinking about how we can ensure that our work is both preserved and distributed. Up to now, the efforts of practitioners of the new art of scientific 3D modeling have understandably concentrated their efforts on mastering the technology, developing standards and best practices for related archaeological documentation and metadata, and applying their knowledge to specific projects. The time has come to reflect on how the models we are making can be made interoperable and available for distribution via the Internet. We also need to consider what mechanisms might be created to maintain and preserve our data for future generations. Papers are therefore solicited on the following topics:
1) what is being done, or might be done, to create an online repository of scientific 3D computer models of cultural artifacts, monuments, and sites?
2) in such an online repository, what special services should be offered to depositors, (e.g., peer-review, translation of format, long-term archiving and preservation)?
3) what infrastructure would such an online repository require (e.g., standards for file format, archaeological documentation, and metadata)?
4) what are the technical, security, and legal obstacles to be overcome before such a repository can be created?
5) what would be the sustainability plan of such a repository to ensure that it can be self-financing?