The potential and problems of volumetric 3D modeling in archaeological stratigraphic analysis: A case study from Chlorakas-Palloures, Cyprus

Abstract

3D digital recording technologies have become increasingly popular for rapid, cost-effective, and accurate archaeological documentation in the field. Despite improvements in 3D GIS software, three-dimensional reconstruction of archaeological stratigraphy has been slow to develop and is rarely utilized as a basis for spatial analysis post-excavation. This is partially owing to the technical and methodological challenges of creating accurate reconstructions of excavated stratigraphy, which restricts the analytical potential of 3D datasets. Volumetric 3D modeling could vastly improve how we understand and analyze archaeological deposits and stratigraphies by enabling a quantitative comparative analysis of per-volume density of artifact types between stratigraphic units.The presented case study examines the spatial articulation of the recorded stratigraphic units from three adjacent trenches excavated during the 2015–2017 field season at the Chalcolithic settlement site of Chlorakas-Palloures in Cyprus. Three vector-based 3D modeling methods using the existing 3D Analyst toolkit within the proprietary software ESRI ArcScene are evaluated for their effectiveness in volumetric representation of stratigraphy using total station (TS) data and photogrammetry models of archaeological features.The results of this study indicate that volumetric modeling can enhance the analytical potential of spatial data by visualizing and identifying patterns in excavated deposits and organizing and disseminating information about the excavation process in an intuitive, user-friendly interface. However, accurate volumetric modeling of all types of archaeological features requires a re-evaluation of conventional documentation procedures to capture the volume of excavated deposits rather than just the interfaces between them. Furthermore, efficient workflows using cost-effective and open source software must be developed to make this approach more accessible and effective for a wider archaeological community.