By: Gabe Hrynick
In his last post, Matt talked about using 123D Catch to generate three-dimensional images of archaeological excavations, and suggested that the software could be useful for recording archaeological features. A focus of E’se’get research since 2009 has been the identification and excavation of ancient Mi’kmaw dwelling features. These features can provide a myriad of information about Woodland period lifeways and social organization. However, because they are relatively large, they present some technical difficulties during excavation.
As discussed previously, we have encountered and exposed the remains of a wigwam-like house floor, which we have labelled Feature 1. Two of the ways archaeologists record features are by mapping and by photography, as Matt described in earlier posts. A challenge of photography, however, is to capture the necessary angles to document the floor properly. Natalie, who handles much of the project photography, took over 50 photos of the floor from various angles. This was a task made challenging by the frequently mottled lighting at the site. To get more angles, she even climbed a tree.
Using these photos and software from 123D Catch, we were able to produce this 3D model of the floor, which allows us to the view the floor from new angles we cannot see on site. We’ve already used this image when discussing the feature and strategizing in the evenings, and suspect that it will continue to be a valuable tool for visualizing the feature in our research and presentations.
Wow! This is great. I think this will be very helpful for flooring contractors to create much better flooring. Through this tool, contractors can design well the flooring and accurately calculate the flooring area. Thanks for sharing this great information.
Thanks,
Mark