To use or not to use: 3D documentation in fieldwork and in the lab

Hostettler, Marco; Drummer, Clara; Emmenegger, Lea; Stäheli, Corinne (2 September 2022). To use or not to use: 3D documentation in fieldwork and in the lab. In: Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists. Budapest.

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Excavating an archaeological site involves many decisions and trade-offs to be made. This is not only due to the limited resources on site but also has methodological roots. As excavations are destructive, decisions on the quantity and on which details documentation should focus must be taken. For documentation, a wide range of tools are available.

One such tool is 3D documentation. It brings with it many benefits like the possibility to move in a 3D space through the excavation, the generating of ‘virtual’ profiles, or high precision DEM’s to name a few. 3D documentation of finds offers the possibility of fast unwrapping of complex features, fast drawings from different angles, or printing as a replica for different purposes.
However, when compared to conventional methods, more problematic issues arise as well. 3D models must be calculated before the excavation can proceed. The calculation either needs time or powerful hardware. The method also results in a vast amount of data, as, in contrast to a drawing, most details are recorded. The question here is how to balance and evaluate these pros and cons.

With this session, we want to ask: How and on which basis do you decide when choosing the documentation method? How do you evaluate the cost and time benefit of 3D documentation, also taking into account consequential costs such as data storage and curation over long periods of time? Is the time saved in the field doubled in the office? How much of the recorded data is used in the evaluation?

We aim to bring together archeologists, technicians, and restaurateurs concerned with the above stated questions, whether working in the field or the lab, or as decision-makers in managing positions. We highly encourage members of commercial archaeological enterprises and of heritage offices to bring in their points of view.

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