Computational photography, 3D modelling and online publication of basketry for Cache Cave (CA, USA)

Abstract

Advanced 2D and 3D computer visualizations are increasingly being used for recording and documentation, analysis, dissemination and public engagement purposes. Recent technological advances improve considerably not only data acquisition, processing and analysis but also provide easy and efficient online presentation. This paper aims to evaluate the contribution of advanced 2D and 3D computer visualization and discuss the potential of 3D modelling for recording basketry technology and documenting the state of preservation of baskets. It explores the available analysis, integration and on-line dissemination tools, using as case studies recently excavated baskets from Cache Cave, Southern California. Results indicate that the proposed methodology, which incorporates Reflectance Transformation Imaging visualizations and photogrammetric 3D models, further processed using 3D modelling software and integrated analysis tools, and transformed to web-based format, is useful addition to the basketry analysis toolkit.