3D digitalisation of natural and cultural objects

The collection of the State Museum Nature and Man Oldenburg includes objects from natural history, archaeology and ethnology. Only a small proportion of the objects has been digitally acquired and made virtually accessible so far. Digitalisation (3D) poses major challenges for museums. The Modi project aims to examine how digital archiving and visualisation tools can promote the preservation and presentation of sensitive cultural heritage objects in several case studies. For this purpose, different disciplines (archaeology, photogrammetry and cultural studies) are combined. The IAPG is responsible for the development and evaluation of optical 3D measurement methods to digitise the fragile and highly complex free-form surfaces of the cultural objects. Based on the results the project partner, State Museum Nature and Man Oldenburg, can extract new archaeological conclusion from the modern 3D data. The cultural studies aims to answer the question of how the resulting models can be imbued with authentic value and can, therefore, be experienced as significant cultural heritage in their own right. Within the framework of the project, two primary case studies are considered: the megalithic graves of Kleinenkneten and the Weserrunenknochen. For the comparison between today's condition and the excavation situation at that time in the 1930s, excavation documents in the form of photographs and glass image negatives are digitized and evaluated three-dimensionally by means of newly developed methods. In addition, the current condition of the megalithic tombs is being recorded as part of an extensive measurement campaign. The Weserrunenknochen are bones decorated with runes, which are thought to have been made between the 4th and 6th centuries. At the end of the 1980s, three of the seven rune bones were identified as forgeries. Using modern measurement technology, highly accurate 3D models are produced which confirm the assessment.
people

Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Dr. h.c. Thomas Luhmann (head)

Simon Albers, M.Sc.

Paul Kalinowski, M.Sc.

Funding source

Niedersächsisches Vorab


Projektlaufzeit: 10/2019 – 09/2022

Fördervolumen: ca. 500.000 €

Kooperationspartner: Landesmuseum Natur und Mensch Oldenburg