[en] How Technology Means: Texts, History, and Their
Associated TechnologiesJoshua L. Mann, Expositus
Abstract
[en]
Technologies used to study and represent the past are not hermeneutically
neutral. Since technologies have illocutionary force, we should ask of any
representation of history, In what ways are the associated
technologies conveying meaning? In this article, the question will be
asked of a particular kind of history, textual history, taking biblical texts as
an illustrative example. The goal is to better understand how textual
technologies of yesterday, today, or tomorrow capture or obscure the material
history of their texts. The article proceeds in two main parts. First, two kinds
of technologies commonly used are examined and compared: the non-digital book
and its familiar digital counterparts. Second, we will consider ways in which
augmented reality and virtual reality have been used and might be used to
represent texts. It will be suggested that these new technologies may overcome
some of the limitation of previous book technologies in capturing a text’s
history. In conclusion, practical suggestions will be made for those who read,
study, or produce digital textual objects.
[en] Ghosts in the Machine: a motion-capture
experiment in distributed receptionHelen Slaney, University of Roehampton; Anna Foka, DH Uppsala and Humlab Umeå; Sophie Bocksberger, University of Oxford
Abstract
[en]
Digital reconstructions of classical antiquity are generally ocularcentric,
appealing only to the sense of vision. We propose that new technologies may be
used to engage the other senses in the act of reception, and specifically here
we focus on kinaesthesia, or the sense of self-movement. This paper analyses a
phase of the project Ancient Dance in Modern Dancers in which participants
created performance pieces in a genre of Graeco-Roman dance for use in a
motion-capture system. It was necessary for the performers to develop a range of
translational strategies in order to communicate their movement to the system,
entailing what we term “distributed reception”, in which the ultimate
recipient of ancient source-material is not a human actor but rather the machine
with which s/he is in collaboration.
[en] Reviving Classical Drama: virtual reality and
experiential learning in a traditional classroomEleni Bozia, University of Florida
Abstract
[en]
Over the past decades the advancement of technology and its subsequent
introduction to the humanities has led to the development of several
applications that enhance study and research in areas such as Classics,
archaeology, epigraphy, and linguistics. The focus of digital humanists and
other humanities scholars has turned to the efficient storage of information
that facilitates search, comparative studies, accessibility, and consequently
research. The common point of reference for the aforementioned applications is
that they do not involve the need for the scholar to
“physically” be in a virtual space. In areas, such as
archaeology and epigraphy, the creation of projects that provide access to 3D
models of the artifacts as well as to virtual replications of ancient sites has
resulted in the opening of new areas of research and reconsideration of
traditional research issues. Also, argue that digital
visualizations may make the ancient world more accessible to a larger audience.
One may comprehend the structure of a vase and analyze its artistic patterns by
zooming and relighting it. A problem that is yet to be considered, though, is
how a scholar and a student are to perceive Classical drama, the theatrical
space, the distances between the actors, the chorus, and the audience, the
logistics of the performance, and the cultural aspects at play. This paper
discusses the importance of experiential learning and the use of virtual reality
as a means of promoting traditional edification methods, virtually recreating
the actuality of the stage, and presents the Magic Mirror Theater, a web
application designed to facilitate the study of Classical drama.
[en] Recording invisible proofs to compose stone
narratives. Applications of Near Infrared Spectroscopy in provenance
studies.Claudia Sciuto, Umeå University
Abstract
[en]
The history of human-environment interaction is embedded in stone. Stones are
essential components of daily life and their various usage characterize certain
areas or chronological periods. The form of a stone object is the result of a
long chain of interactions with distinct bodies but the intangible life story of
any artefact is partially registered in its original material properties and
gradual physical alteration. Digital systems can be adopted for collecting these
invisible records and tracing a stone’s history. Chemical imaging and portable
spectroscopy are quick and non-destructive remote sensing techniques that can be
used to gather empirical data and track production and use of stone artefacts
over time. This article reviews the application of Near Infrared Spectroscopy as
a method for geochemical characterization of objects and as a tool for
provenance studies within the Mobima project, carried out by an
interdisciplinary team of archaeologists and chemists at University of Umeå,
Sweden.
Near Infrared Spectroscopy can be used for acquiring and processing spectral
information directly in the field, modelling datasets of big assemblages and
classifying objects.
Making stones’ biographies visible will help understanding the entanglement of
past societies and their geological landscapes.
[en] To tree, or not to tree? On the Empirical Basis
for Having Past Landscapes to Experience.Philip I. Buckland, Umeå University, Sweden; Nicolò Dell'Unto, Lund University, Sweden; Gísli Pálsson, Umeå University, Sweden
Abstract
[en]
This article provides an overview of some of the complex issues involved in
reconstructing and visualizing past landscapes. It discusses the importance of
empirical data and introduces some of the terminology necessary for
understanding methods which are often considered more in the domain of the
natural sciences than humanities. Current methods and practices are put in the
context of environmental archaeology, archaeological theory and heritage
management as well as related, briefly, to the broader context of archaeological
theory, practice and research data infrastructure. Finally, some examples and
pointers for the future are given in the hope that the article may provide a
point of reference for those looking to gain an entry point into the study of
past landscapes, and understand their relevance in archaeological
visualisation.
