Experimental and Collaborative 3D imaging for material culture documentation: a case study from the Endangered Material Knowledge Programme at the British Museum

Keynote lecture for the Summer School in 3D Imaging and Modelling for Cultural Heritage.

Over the last few decades, 3D technologies—from photogrammetry and 3D scanning to virtual or augmented reality and 3D printing—have become increasingly prevalent in the field of cultural heritage. These technologies have a varied range of applications including research and conservation science but also public engagement and storytelling. Among these, one of the most interesting aspects of these tools, is their potential to record the object’s materiality. They can aid in the representation and interpretation of the object's historical construction and usage, interactions with the environment, and how it unfolds in space. Therefore, helping researchers gain a much more comprehensive understanding of the objects craftmanship and use over time. The British Museum Endangered Material Knowledge Programme (EMKP) supports the documentation of material knowledge systems that are under threat and/or in danger of disappearing. Scholars, practitioners and community members are encouraged to experiment with digital technologies to find the best suited tool for the documentation of specific material knowledge systems and practices. 3D imaging technologies are applied in an experimental way, to test their capacity and efficiency, and in a collaborative environment where researchers, practitioners and community members come together in the deployment and assessment of the technology itself. In this session we reflect on how EMKP grantees have applied 3D imagining for the documentation of material knowledge systems in different ways and context. We will reflect on the benefits and pitfalls derived from them and the lessons learnt in their application.