This week, as we juggle other events associated with Greenland Science Week, Alice, Hans, and I have been trying to pull together some sort of summary of last week's work. We are also thinking ahead, armed with new knowledge on culture and community heritage, to dream about what comes next.
As mentioned a few times, last week the three of us hosted 3D heritage workshops, while conducting interviews, giving presentations, and holding conversations with community members in Sisimiut and Sarfannguit. While Hans has been working in Greenland for many years, Alice and I are new here. We came wanting to share our ideas about community science, digital heritage, and international learning, but we also came wanting to learn from Greenlanders. These workshops, presentations, and conversations allowed us to gain insight into the kinds of projects possible going forward, as we discussed expanding this international collaboration and working with the community in the future. Back in Nuuk, Alice and I have both admitted our heads were spinning with thoughts and ideas. We're not quite sure what's next. We are in the process of putting together some sort of collection of images, scans, videos, and stories from last week to craft a narrative that somehow ties it all together. This will be great to share with you all, as well as those that funded our time in Sisimiut and Sarfannguit (primarily the United States Consulate for that part of the trip). We have been working on this today and are not yet done, but I wanted to share a few of the 3D scans that came out of the community collaborations. Some of these were completed by members of the Sisimiut/Sarfannguit community, the outcome of their experience learning the technology. While the production of scans is not necessarily the final outcome of a digital heritage project, they are still pretty cool by themselves! They give you a great look at some of the artifacts that were brought up during the Narsannguaq excavation this past summer, the collection that filled Sisimiut Museum with so many well-preserved artifacts. As you can see, the artifacts represent both communities living in Sisimiut historically, Inuit and European. Having 3D scans of these objects will allow the museum to share them with others in Greenland as well as the international community. Tonight, I wanted to share a few with you, as well as ask you to consider how this digital technology can be used to share a history unknown to many outside this Arctic city. How can digital technology be used to share the stories of Greenland's past? How can it be used to preserve that past for future generations to experience? How might it be used in excavations where so many artifacts are uncovered that it overwhelms a local museum, who is suddenly challenged with the study, curation, and preservation of so many vulnerable artifacts? The technology is cool...but its what we do with the technology that makes it impactful!
11 Comments
Charlie Sarkioglu
11/9/2021 07:33:11 pm
Viewing the 3D scans in this post demonstrates a thorough example of how digital technology can be used to preserve archaeological material culture and share the stories about Greenland’s past by making it more widely available in online museum databases. The scans are so incredibly detailed, it seems as if I am able to pull them out of the computer screen and hold them in my hand. With these types of scans, it is possible for a viewer to look inside of the seal skull and harpoon head. The use of digital technology seems like it would greatly remove many of the limitations related to the organization, storage, and display of artifacts that museums have to manage. Also, 3D scanning technology could play a major role if used in the field during excavations involving indigenous archaeology when artifacts are to be returned after they are examined.
Connor Brennan
11/9/2021 08:09:17 pm
Those 3D scans are so cool! I think that scanning artifacts will be a very important tool in the future of archaeology. It will be easier for archaeologists to get access to artifacts to study if they have been scanned. It also allows more widespread study of more fragile artifacts the would usually be too fragile to be handled by anyone but experts. I feel like 3D scans are also an important educational tool, imagine a museum that is able to "display" hundreds of artifacts in a smaller space. While 3D scans are no substitute for the real thing I still think they present many opportunities for the field.
Anthony
11/10/2021 02:05:19 pm
I think this use of technology is the stepping stone and process of 3D scans, I like how this goes more into an archaeological anthropology, feel this was interesting by the objects that were chosen as well like the spear head that was especially interesting to look at right now. I think the people that are challenged by it really could be the curators, and the archeologist be the ones that are overwhelmed possibly, I think i'm going into this field with my major being history and learning more of the pieces that were given out! One possibly would display the prints of certain scans that are similar objects that are being displayed so we can archive the other objects that are being scanned because possibly there's going to be a lot of objects to show off. But besides that I do love the objects really!
Anthony
11/10/2021 02:14:45 pm
I love the post that is here! I think the scanning is interesting insight for 3D scans and possible that we can display them as digital scans on a screen because it'll help with this idea of the question you brought up of the overwhelming of those scan and objects in museums and I feel with my major and all with my field can help do that. With my major of history and museums in that field can help do that and present and achieve this objects to help this a little bit better, besides that I love the spear head it's so cool and it tells a lot of the history by looking at it besides what the scans will tell.
Amaya Campbell
11/10/2021 02:24:20 pm
The digital technology we have now a days is amazing. The fact that you could post these so we are able to see them is incredible. Digital technology like 3D scans can be used to preserve the past for the future by duplicating these items which also makes them more visible for studying. It can preserve the image of them without handling the real thing. Recent generations have come up with ways to make technology more useful and will continue to do so.
Jeimi Toribio
11/10/2021 04:29:29 pm
Digital technology can be used to share the stories of Greenland by physically being able to display artifacts and their stories to everyone especially those objects that are fragile or on the smaller side that can be enlarged in size by these scans. This technology will also help archaeologists by being able to recreate artifacts that were potentially found incomplete and also can help when doing research and can be used to compare artifacts closely similar to the scans. This technology can also offer knowledge to those on the outside that don't have access to the physical object.
Christian Mott
11/11/2021 04:55:15 pm
This virtual learning experience continues to amaze me as I learn simply by logging onto my computer. We are able to view and study all these different artifacts from Greenland and learn a little bit about there history without having to go anywhere. I hope this technology continues to advance and is one day used in schools for kids to learn as well! I think this is a great way to learn with a hands on experience being brought to the student!
melissa michel
11/12/2021 08:25:10 pm
I remember in the beginning of the semester where I seeing anthropologist use the scanning technology two put together the rest of bone parts. and the scans would give an idea of how the person or animal looked. so digital technology can be used to share the stories of Greenland pass by helping pieced together how are you fax and bones looked before.
MaKenna Adams
11/13/2021 01:02:13 pm
These 3D scans really show the progress of the documentation and the sharing of artifacts. It's a non damaging way of documenting and preserving artifacts. It's a neat way of being able to share history without having to be present physically.
Aaron Cheeseman
11/14/2021 04:58:41 pm
I am amazed at the detail in those 3D scans! I love that I am able to look at all angles of these scans. I think digital technology will we extremely useful for sharing Greenland's past, along with any other culture's past. Having the ability to inspect an artifact thoroughly through a computer will allow anyone to learn about this culture. For people who cannot make it to Greenland, this is the next best thing besides physically holding the artifact. For an overwhelmed museum, perhaps this technology can be used to display all the items on a website, while select items are displayed in the museum.
Cipher Gallagher
11/14/2021 08:29:15 pm
These are just so amazing to see and we have the 3D imaging to thank for being able to see such detail about these artifacts. I still prefer to see things in person, but being able to see them at all is an incredible honor. I hope more nations start to use this technology so that we may better preserve history for the future. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
About me:
I am an anthropology professor, writer, researcher and global traveler. In fall of 2021, I led an experiential eLearning project connecting US students (and public) with the people, places, and industries of Greenland. I redesigned a research trip into a virtual field trip for my students who didn't have any Study Abroad options. All of the videos, photos, interviews, and storytelling are still here to enjoy! 
Categories
All
|