From Photography to 3D Models and Beyond: Visualizations in Archaeology

Donald H. Sanders is trained and educated as an archaeologist, architectural historian, and architect. He helped pioneer the discipline of virtual heritage in the early 1990s and continues to innovate in the field. His special interest is the application of nontraditional methods (including interactive 3D computer graphics and behavioral science techniques) to the study and visualization of the past, pushing the boundaries of conventional archaeological interpretation. He founded Learning Sites, Inc., in 1996, and the Institute for the Visualization of History, Inc., in 2001, to actualize these innovations by creating virtual reconstructions of the ancient world for museums, schools, scholars, and broadcast media. He has been an invited keynote speaker at venues around the world; and publications by him or about his companies have appeared in journals, newspapers, books, and magazines in over a dozen countries. Sanders is the Tartessos Prize winner in virtual heritage for 2015 and Corporate Vision Executive Award winner for 2016.

'This publication would work well both as an introduction and as a reference tool for specialists who want to explore history and current trends of visualization in archaeology. Despite the absence of any mention of free software applications, the volume could also work as a manual for university classes...' – Alessandro Di Ludovico (2024): Bryn Mawr Classical Review

• Preface IntroductionChapter 1. How Archaeologists Learn About the PastExcavation. One way we learn about the pastSite Visits. A second way we learn about the pastData Dissemination. A third way we learn about the pastSummary Chapter 2. A Brief History of Architectural DepictionsIntroductionDevelopment of Architectural / Archaeological IllustrationsConclusion Chapter 3. A History of Photography for ExcavationsThe 1830s and 1840sThe 1850sThe 1860sThe Late 19th CenturyThe 20th CenturyConclusion Chapter 4. History of Interactive 3D Computer Modeling in ArchaeologyIntroductionThe Emergence of 3D Computer GraphicsThe 1980sThe 1990s and the Emergence of Virtual HeritageInto the Third MillenniumSummary History of 3D Modeling in ArchaeologyParallels Between Photography in Archaeology and 3D Modeling in ArchaeologyConclusion Chapter 5. When New Technology Replaces Old TechnologyIntroductionHistorical ExamplesPhotography and Interactive Computer GraphicsConclusion Chapter 6. One Future of ArchaeologyIntroductionAn Historical SummaryOne Future for Archaeology. Building the multipastPutting It All TogetherSome Closing ThoughtsPostscript Bibliography Index