AppdArchaeology.com
Quick Links:
How to use this resource:
Opening a Model
Selecting a trench opens the interactive model in a new browser tab. A stable internet connection is recommended, particularly during the initial loading process. Trackpads can be a bit jittery in the current version, a mouse is recommended.
Be sure to click inside the box to lock your cursor.
For the best experience, I recommend clicking on fullscreen.
Movement Controls
WASD or Arrow Keys: Move around the trench.
Mouse: Change the direction you are looking.
Space Bar: Jump.
F: Toggle between walking and drone modes.
ESC: Leave Fullscreen
Drone Mode
Drone mode allows you to fly above the excavation and view the trench from different angles. Use WASD to move, the mouse to change direction and Space Bar to gain altitude.
Drone mode can take a little practice, particularly for visitors unfamiliar with keyboard movement controls.
Mobile Devices
The models can also be explored on mobile devices using touchscreen joystick controls. It is best used in landscape orientation.
This is particularly interesting when visiting Govan Old in person, as you can walk around the current excavation while exploring earlier versions of the trench on your phone. It offers a way to compare the archaeology as it appears today with how it looked at previous stages of excavation.
Trench Archive
About the Archive:
This archive brings together 3D models created from photogrammetric surveys I have carried out during archaeological excavations at Govan Old over the past three years.
The surveys were originally undertaken to produce accurate orthomosaics and plans for archaeological recording, rather than interactive models. I began experimenting with ways to reuse this existing data, creating a digital archive that allows people to revisit different stages of excavation long after the trenches have been backfilled.
The models also provide an opportunity to compare the development of individual trenches over time, preserving a visual record of features as they were uncovered, investigated and removed.
As the original surveys were intended primarily for producing 2D plans, most photographs were taken from directly overhead. This means that vertical surfaces, such as trench sections, are not always reconstructed accurately.
Although these limitations are visible in some models, the archive demonstrates how data collected for conventional archaeological recording can be reused for public engagement and interpretation. It has also influenced how I approach future surveys, particularly the value of including oblique photographs to produce more complete 3D records.
AppdArchaeology.com