(University of Michigan Press)
Biographies often explore the lives of great men and women, but how should we publish the memoir of a great building? And how might archaeologists write a narrative of that building for the public to more easily interact with? A new digital publication from the University of Michigan Press and its accompanying online archaeological object database answers these questions by presenting a 3D reconstruction of the lifecycle of a Roman house from the ancient Latin city of Gabii, near Rome. Since 2009, the site has been excavated by the Gabii Project, directed by Nicola Terrenato, a professor of Roman Studies with LSA. The project’s commitment to on-site tablet use and 3D modeling provides a unique look into the structure, while also setting down best practices for this approach. The e-publication also underscores the value of open source tools in the field of archaeology for disseminating, preserving, and publishing data.
(Updated March 22, 2017 to include additional link to a new story release from Michigan News.)
