Place: The Physical Embodiment of Collective Information

Abstract

Many classic landscape archaeology studies use GIS tools to create a ‘god’seye’ perspective, where the images they produce are views from above the landscape looking down, like 2D-maps or viewsheds. Instead, this work uses software applications that recreate contexts from an individual’s field of view. These are seen as investigative aids for examining archaeological problems about people rather than just illustrating newly gained knowledge from serious scientific investigations. The first application (Horizon) uses topographic data and 3D-rendering techniques to create landscape views with visual depth. The second application, Stellarium, allows us to insert new forms of output from Horizon as well as high resolution panoramic photographs taken at archaeological sites. This paper demonstrates the new informative digital outputs and their interpretive uses.