Madeline G.P. Robinson is an archaeologist at the University of Sydney. Madeline specialises in 3D photogrammetry modelling and has worked at several sites in Australia and overseas, above and underwater, since graduating from USYD with a Science and Arts degree and first-class honours. Over the past few years, Madeline has been working with the Chau Chak Wing Museum developing an online catalogue of 3D modelled objects and is currently undertaking her PhD at the University of Sydney.
Congratulations on the publication of your new book, Photogrammetry for Archaeological Objects: A Manual. As an archaeologist, how did you come to specialise in photogrammetry modelling?
Madeline: I actually learnt how to do photogrammetry underwater first! It’s been a really interesting journey over many years, starting as an undergraduate student at the University of Sydney doing a double degree in archaeology and marine science. During this, I undertook an intensive maritime archaeology course at Flinders University where, under the instruction of Dr Kōtarō Yamafune, I was first introduced to photogrammetry. As part of the course, we endeavoured to model the wreck of an early 1900s oyster cutter, the Caprice, in Mount Dutton Bay, SA. Upon my return to studying at the University, I quickly joined one of the marine sciences labs as a volunteer under the guidance of Professor Will Figueira and Dr Gus Porter. My role involved processing thousands of images of the Great Barrier Reef to create accurate photogrammetry models for ongoing scientific assessments. With this foundation, I was then able to confidently move on to designing an honours research project modelling the Neolithic temples of Malta. This led me to further photogrammetry fieldwork in Sri Lanka with Professor Barbara Helwing, modelling first millennium BCE stupas and archaeological objects. Soon after, I was brought on as a research assistant to Professor Peter Hiscock, where I modelled hundreds of lithic artefacts from around Australia and trained students in Australia and overseas. It was through this experience that was able to hone my method of modelling small objects for archaeological analysis. In the five years since, I have become the Discipline of Archaeology’s photogrammetry specialist and worked on a variety of projects, including creating a digital catalogue of objects for the Chau Chak Wing Museum and teaching photogrammetry to undergraduate and postgraduate students. As a result of these experiences, I decided to compile this manual for students, hoping it will assist them in their photogrammetry endeavours.
Can you briefly describe what photogrammetry modelling is, and how it might be useful for archaeologists?
Madeline: Photogrammetry modelling is the process of creating digital three-dimensional models of objects, features or landscapes using well-exposed, overlapping two-dimensional photographs. All you need is a camera! By creating digital models of your research subject material, you open up new and varied ways to analyse your archaeological material. For example, you can obtain precise measurements of any areas or cross-sections of your subject, assess volume and surface area, and even strip back the texture so you can analyse the raw morphology, even of areas that are not visible to the naked eye. Photogrammetry can also be used to understand production methods, structural variations across a number of specimens, and create archival records, as digital 3D models are immune to time and degradation. You can even map landscapes and create digital elevation models that can be further used in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
For archaeologists, photogrammetry is particularly useful as it offers a non-invasive way to capture a 3D snapshot of cultural material or landscapes that can be analysed and re-analysed over and over again without damaging the subject. Models can be sent anywhere in the world and are incredibly useful educational tools, even if the original object is locked away in a museum somewhere. This helps promote public accessibility to cultural heritage – all you need is a screen!
Photogrammetry for Archaeological Objects: A Manual is an easy-to-follow introduction and guide to photogrammetry. Is this a resource you wish had been available when you first started 3D modelling?
Madeline: Absolutely! With this manual in my hands, I would have saved a huge amount of time working out the best techniques and approaches in both the shooting and processing stages of photogrammetry. It is a common assumption that photogrammetry is easy – which it can be, but only if making accurate and successful models is not a high priority! It takes time and understanding to set up your camera accurately, to position the camera and the lights, to know how many camera angles are required and how to work in an uncontrolled environment where your only light source is the sun. There is so much essential knowledge to understand before jumping in. Knowing how to process a basic model is also pretty simple; however, once you scratch the surface and delve deeper into the software, there is a lot to learn which can get confusing. Through countless hours of working with , I have discovered a variety of tools, functions and methods that really help the processing stage. Through trial and error, I tested a lot of the software’s features. This is why I wanted to write this manual, so I could share all the things I have learnt along the way and make the learning curve easier for beginners, so they don’t have to go through the stress of finding the answers to their problems by themselves – it’s all in the book!
How might these case studies help develop an understanding of how to approach different photogrammetry projects?
Madeline: These case studies were specifically chosen to cover a range of different shapes, material types and colours, each presenting its own unique challenge and solution. They span from very small objects (a microlith) to shiny objects (a coin), long and thin material (bone fragment), and triangular and black stone tools. The intention here is to demonstrate examples of effective methods in both the shooting and processing stages that produce successful models. This introduces the reader to a variety of approaches and allows them to pick the best methods for their own projects. I have tried to cover the most common archaeological objects (like stone tools, bone fragments, coins and pottery) so readers can simply follow what I have outlined in the manual, however it is very likely other objects will be modelled, so this will set them on the right track! Unfortunately, in photogrammetry modelling there is no standard, one-size-fits-all approach, so introducing the readers to the range of choices not only in the shooting stage, but also in choosing equipment and in processing, will hopefully show them how to best design their own methodology.
Although this manual primarily focuses on modelling archaeological objects, I have also included three case studies on how to approach modelling excavation pits, landscape features and walled structures. It is highly likely that at some point an archaeologist photogrammetrist will encounter the need to model these in their career, so I have included them just in case!
Do you see this manual as a resource exclusively for archaeological purposes? Or might there be other applications?
Madeline: The methodology here is absolutely not exclusive to archaeologists, as anyone in the fields of zoology, palaeontology, geology, marine and medical sciences, and art and architecture (to name a few) will be able to use the techniques. Any discipline that requires high-resolution photogrammetry models for use in research, analysis or education will find this manual highly useful! This guide aims to provide a foundation for researchers to create accurate and successful models; archaeology is merely the lens through which photogrammetry is explored.
You have worked at a number of archaeological sites, both here in Australia and abroad. What have been some of your most memorable experiences from working at these sites?
Madeline: It is really difficult for me to name just one memorable moment as I have worked in some amazing places – from mustatils in Saudi Arabia to Aboriginal rock art sites in Australia. I think one of the most prominent projects that really stands out for me is modelling the oldest stone axe fragment in Australia, currently housed in the Western Australian Museum. This was an incredibly difficult object to model as it is so small, but to see and work with it was just a really humbling experience, knowing someone made it tens of thousands of years ago, and here I was taking photos of it. The other project would have to be modelling the Neolithic temples in Malta. This was the first project where I got to take the reins and navigate the modelling process. After months of research and preparation, being able to explore the temples and analyse their engineering and architecture and recreate it in digital space was really exciting. Walking through them again using a VR headset was an additional highlight! Those weeks when I was exploring the rooms and capturing every detail of the temple walls, envisioning what the temples were originally like and what they were used for, are a memory I won’t forget easily.
I also want to add that the other experiences that I am particularly grateful for in my photogrammetry career are all the friendships I have made. Through teaching and collaborating on projects I have met some of the most inspiring and driven people, for whom I am deeply thankful. Specialising in photogrammetry has opened up many doors for me, offering new experiences and challenges each year, and I’m genuinely excited for what the future will bring.
Photogrammetry for Archaeological Objects: A Manual is available now. Order your copy here.