The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – What is the Confidence Level of 3D Virtual Reconstructions in Archaeology?

Jiri UNGER
(Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague, v.v.i., Prague, Czech Republic)

Keywords: 3D modelling; virtual reconstruction; imagination of the past

Abstract:
The lecture will focus on different projects of 3D computer reconstruction of the sites from prehistory to medieval period realised directly by author. 3D reconstruction models of paleolithic cave settlement, neolithic dwellings, La Téne oppidum, early medieval stronghold and medieval town from Czech republic will be presented. Each of the 3D visualizations was based on a different set of input data and it is so clear that the creation of computer reconstructions of archaeological situations involves a lot of variables, whether due to the chronological classification of the sites or the extent of their archaeological survey. The creation of these reconstructions is mainly a problem of the imagination of the past and it will be discussed what role the integration of available information and various analogies actually play and what is the part of the imagination of the model maker, which significantly influence the resulting form of the digital model and its historical accuracy. So it is obvious that the more we go deep into the past, the more we depend on the knowledge of the whole context and less on the knowledge of specific realities. Lecture will therefore as well present how to graphically visualize the level of confidence of archaeological 3D reconstructions.

Relevance for the conference: Contribution will present different approaches for visualisations of CH 3D using computer modelling.
Relevance for the session: Contribution focus is to show level of uncertainty during the proces of creation of 3D virtual CH reconstructions.
Innovation: 3D reconstructions ranging from the paleolithic to medieval period and made all by one author provide a solid data base for discussion of historical relevancy of virtual models in archaeology.
References:

• • Kantner, J. 2010: Realism vs. reality: creating virtual reconstructions of prehistoric architecture. BAR International Series 843, 47 – 52.
• • Tasič, N. – Novakovič, P. – Horňák, M. (eds.) 2017: Virtual Reconstructions and Computer Visualisations in Archaeological Practise, CONPRA Series Vol. IV, Ljubljana.

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