A Leap of Faith. The Contribution of Digital Archaeology to the Reconstruction of Greek Neolithic

Constantinos Papadopoulos supervised by Dr Graeme Earl

The advancement of 3D graphics in the last twenty years, led to their application in several fields, including medicine, education and military. In archaeology, the production of engaging imagery was and still is at the forefront of these applications, however in recent years they gradually started to be used in research to provide a better understanding of the past. Most of these studies are based on archaeological evidence which are either well preserved or there is extensive literature to rely on. Many of these projects have focused on the reconstruction of individual artefacts, while barely any attempted to draw on data of early prehistory, large archaeological datasets, or sites that cannot be revisited or are lost forever.

Recent approaches have challenged the way archaeologists traditionally identify the size, character and function of the Neolithic household. Virtual reconstruction of Neolithic structures may shed more light on this problematic issue by revealing how people perceived “domestic” space and interacted within it. The proposed work aims to provide a further understanding of the Neolithic culture in Greece, through analysis of spatial correlations, identification of movement and interaction patterns, as well as approaches to construction, form and decoration of architectural units. Therefore, visual and sensory perceptions of the archaeological sites which will be socially contextualised in the proposed project will add a vital component in the understanding of an otherwise impoverished aspect to the Neolithic communities’ interpretation.

Late Neolithic Makriyalos, which is one of our main case studies, is a flat extended settlement and is considered to be the first extensive and fully documented excavation for this type of Greek Neolithic settlement. However, this site does not exist anymore since it was destructed by a railway line and the national highway. As a consequence, which are the issues that emerge when we try to revive an archaeological site based only on digital images, drawings and field notes? Which are the potential dangers, when it is not possible to go back to the primary data? Can we talk about objectivity when communication with the excavator is the only direct source of information? Are there any ways to overcome the ambiguities of the archaeological records and produce credible reconstructions? Lastly, is it possible to answer research questions based on the analysis of reconstructed data? These and other related issues will be addressed in the course of this paper, looking at the case study of Neolithic Makriyalos.