- Graz, Steiermark, Austria
The 4th issue of the magazine "Schloss Hanfelden Einst & Jetzt" deals with the research and investigation of the roof truss and the facade of Schloss Hanfelden (Styria, Austria), archaeological excavations and finds at the castle and a... more
The 4th issue of the magazine "Schloss Hanfelden Einst & Jetzt" deals with the research and investigation of the roof truss and the facade of Schloss Hanfelden (Styria, Austria), archaeological excavations and finds at the castle and a Roman excavation in its surroundings.
The history of the Hußlik/Kneißl collection (Enzersdorf/Pöls) and the founding of the "Arbeitskreis Schloss Hanfelden plus" association are also described.
The history of the Hußlik/Kneißl collection (Enzersdorf/Pöls) and the founding of the "Arbeitskreis Schloss Hanfelden plus" association are also described.
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ZusammenfassungEin Doppelspitzschlägel aus dem römerzeitlichen Marmorsteinbruchrevier Spitzelofen in Kärnten wurde untersucht, um dessen Herstellung und Einsatz bei der Marmorbearbeitung beurteilen zu können.Das Eisen wurde in Form von... more
ZusammenfassungEin Doppelspitzschlägel aus dem römerzeitlichen Marmorsteinbruchrevier Spitzelofen in Kärnten wurde untersucht, um dessen Herstellung und Einsatz bei der Marmorbearbeitung beurteilen zu können.Das Eisen wurde in Form von Luppen aus Rennfeuern erhalten. Inhomogene Kohlenstoffverteilungen im Schlägel können auf die Eisenherstellung im Rennfeuer sowie die Verarbeitung durch Schmieden zurückgeführt werden. Das Eisen des Doppelspitzschlägels besteht weitgehend aus Stahl mit eutektoidem (0,8 % C) Kohlenstoffgehalt, wobei vor allem an der Spitze ein Gradient zu fast reinem Ferrit beobachtet wurde. Es wurden die erwarteten Stahlgefüge, wie Perlit, Zwischenstufe, Widmannstättscher Ferrit und Ferrit, gefunden, jedoch kein Martensit. Um dies abzuklären, wurden Spitzen nachgeschmiedet und gehärtet, wobei auch hier kein Martensit an den Oberflächen der Spitzen nachgewiesen werden konnte.Versuche zur Marmorbearbeitung mit einem nachgeschmiedeten Doppelspitzschlägel zeigten, dass ei...
In Greek art, the phase from 900 to 700 BCE is referred to as the Geometric period due to the characteristically simple geometry-like ornamentations appearing on painted pottery surfaces during this era. Distinctive geometric patterns are... more
In Greek art, the phase from 900 to 700 BCE is referred to as the Geometric period due to the characteristically simple geometry-like ornamentations appearing on painted pottery surfaces during this era. Distinctive geometric patterns are typical for specific periods, regions, workshops as well as painters and are an important cue for archaeological tasks, such as dating and attribution. To date, these analyses are mostly conducted with the support of information technology. The primitives of an artefact’s ornamentation can be generally classified into a set of distinguishable pattern classes, which also appear in a similar fashion on other objects. Although a taxonomy of known pattern classes is given in subject-specific publications, the automatic detection and classification of surface patterns from object depictions poses a non-trivial challenge. Our long-term goal is to provide this classification functionality using a specifically designed and trained neural network. This, how...
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ZusammenfassungIm römerzeitlichen Marmorsteinbruchrevier Spitzelofen in Kärnten wurden bei archäologischen Ausgrabungen metallurgische Reste aus einer Schmiedeesse gefunden, die die Bearbeitung der Werkzeuge in unmittelbarer Nähe zum... more
ZusammenfassungIm römerzeitlichen Marmorsteinbruchrevier Spitzelofen in Kärnten wurden bei archäologischen Ausgrabungen metallurgische Reste aus einer Schmiedeesse gefunden, die die Bearbeitung der Werkzeuge in unmittelbarer Nähe zum Steinbruch belegen. Aus einer holzkohlehaltigen Schicht wurden drei Korngrößenfraktionen von Hammerschlag gewonnen und untersucht. In allen Proben wurden die Eisenoxide Wüstit (FeO), Magnetit (Fe3O4) und Hämatit (Fe2O3) nachgewiesen. In der feinsten Fraktion (0–0,5 mm) befanden sich eher gleichförmige Hammerschlagpartikel neben größeren Anteilen an Kalzit (Marmor) und Quarz. In den gröberen Fraktionen lag der Hammerschlag plättchenförmig vor. In den Proben konnte neben den Eisenoxiden lokal auch Schlacke und metallisches Eisen nachgewiesen werden.Das Vorliegen von plättchenförmigem Hammerschlag zeigt, dass dieser durch Verzunderung während des Schmiedevorgangs entstanden ist und bei den verwendeten Schmiedetemperaturen die Schmelzpunkte von Gusseisen un...
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Due to advances in digitization technology, documentation efforts and digital library systems, increasingly large collections of visual Cultural Heritage (CH) object data becomes available, offering rich opportunities for domain analysis,... more
Due to advances in digitization technology, documentation efforts and digital library systems, increasingly large collections of visual Cultural Heritage (CH) object data becomes available, offering rich opportunities for domain analysis, e.g., for comparing, tracing and studying objects created over time. In principle, existing shapeand image-based similarity search methods can aid such domain analysis tasks. However, in practice, visual object data are given in different modalities, including 2D, 3D, sketches or conventional drawings like profile sections or unwrappings. In addition, collections may be distributed across different publications and repositories, posing a challenge for implementing encompassing search and analysis systems. We introduce a methodology and system for cross-modal visual search in CH object data. Specifically, we propose a new query modality based on 3D views enhanced by user sketches (3D+sketch). This allows for adding new context to the search, which i...
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The analysis of Cultural Heritage (CH) artefacts is an important task in the Digital Humanities. Increasingly, rich CH artefact data comprising metadata of different modalities becomes available in digital libraries and research data... more
The analysis of Cultural Heritage (CH) artefacts is an important task in the Digital Humanities. Increasingly, rich CH artefact data comprising metadata of different modalities becomes available in digital libraries and research data repositories. However, the large amounts and heterogeneity of artefacts in these repositories compromise their accessibility for common domain analysis tasks, as domain researchers lack a structural overview of the spatial, temporal, and categorical traits of the artefacts in these collections. Still, researchers need to compare artefacts along different modalities, put them into context, and deal with possible uncertainties, subjectivities, or missing data. To date, many works support domain research via interactive visualisation. The majority relies primarily on visualisation of text and metadata including spatiotemporal, image and shape data. However, fewer consider these types of data in a tightly coupled way. We present an approach for tightly inte...
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The analysis of painted pottery is instrumental for understanding ancient Greek society and human behavior of past cultures in Archaeology. A key part of this analysis is the discovery of cross references to establish links and... more
The analysis of painted pottery is instrumental for understanding ancient Greek society and human behavior of past cultures in Archaeology. A key part of this analysis is the discovery of cross references to establish links and correspondences. However, due to the vast amount of documented images and 3D scans of pottery objects in today’s domain repositories, manual search is very time consuming. Computer aided retrieval methods are of increasing importance. Mostly, current retrieval systems for this kind of cultural heritage data only allow to search for pottery of similar vessel’s shape. However, in many cases important similarity cues are given by motifs painted on these vessels. We present an interactive retrieval system that makes use of this information to allow for a motif-driven search in cultural heritage repositories. We address the problem of unsupervised motif extraction for preprocessing and the shape-based similarity search for Greek painted pottery. Our experimental e...
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Research Interests: Archaeology, Spatial Analysis, Medieval History, Machine Learning, Slavic Languages, and 15 moreMigration, Medieval Archaeology, Applications of Machine Learning, Archaeological GIS, Artifial Intellegence, Arificial Intelligence, Population, Slavs, Passions, PLoS one, Early Medieval Period, Migration Anthropology, Early Slavs, South Slavs, and Archeology Slavs
ZusammenfassungIm Zuge eines archäologischen Surveys im römischen Marmorsteinbruchrevier Spitzelofen im Jahr 2021 wurden unter anderen zwei Steinmetzwerkzeuge gefunden, welche die bisherige Anzahl von über 30 Steinbruchwerkzeugen von... more
ZusammenfassungIm Zuge eines archäologischen Surveys im römischen Marmorsteinbruchrevier Spitzelofen im Jahr 2021 wurden unter anderen zwei Steinmetzwerkzeuge gefunden, welche die bisherige Anzahl von über 30 Steinbruchwerkzeugen von dieser Lagerstätte erweitern. Bei den Neufunden handelt es sich um Werkzeuge für die eigentliche Steinbearbeitung, d. h. für das Zurichten der abgekeilten bzw. herausgebrochenen Steinblöcke zu Roh- bzw. Halbfertigprodukten: ein zweibahniger Hammer mit ausschwingenden Enden und ein schmaler Breitmeißel. Der Hammer (lat. malleus) kann einem Hammertyp zugewiesen werden, der als archäologisches Fundstück rar, jedoch in einigen Reliefdarstellungen, zumeist auf Grabdenkmalen, von der Zeitenwende bis zum Ende des 3. Jahrhunderts n. Chr. nachzuweisen ist. Auf diesen Grabdenkmalen erscheint dieser Hammertyp stets als Teil eines Werkzeugsets, zumeist mit Messwerkzeugen und Meißeln (lat. scalpra) kombiniert. Die dargestellten Werkzeuge kennzeichnen – in einem Fall...
The application of X-radiography in ceramic studies is becoming an increasingly valued method. Using the potential of industrial X-ray computed tomography (CT) for non-destructive testing as an archaeometric or archaeological method in... more
The application of X-radiography in ceramic studies is becoming an increasingly valued method. Using the potential of industrial X-ray computed tomography (CT) for non-destructive testing as an archaeometric or archaeological method in pottery studies, especially regarding aspects such as manufacturing techniques or pottery abrics, requires controlled data-acquisition and post-processing by scientific computing adjusted to archaeological issues. The first results of this evaluation project show that, despite the difficulties inherent in CT technology, considerable information can be extracted for pottery analysis. The application of surface morphology reconstructions and volumetric measurements based on CT data will open a new field in future non-invasive archaeology.
Research Interests: Engineering, Archaeology, Classical Archaeology, Digital Humanities, Computed Tomography, and 15 moreMuseum Studies, Cultural Heritage, Archaeological Science, Digital Archaeology, Museum Informatics, GPU Computing, Archaeological Informatics, Image segmentation, Ancient Greek and Roman Art, Pottery, CT scanning, Connoisseurship, Pottery Archaeology, X ray Computed Tomography, and History of Ancient World
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Rapid progress in digitisation and computer techniques have enabled noteworthy new pottery analysis applications in recent decades. We focus on analytical techniques directed specifically at archaeological pottery research in this survey... more
Rapid progress in digitisation and computer techniques have enabled noteworthy new pottery analysis applications in recent decades. We focus on analytical techniques directed specifically at archaeological pottery research in this survey and review the specific benefits these have brought in the field. We consider techniques based on heterogeneous sources such as drawings, photographs, 3D scans and CT volume data. The various approaches and methods are structured according to the main steps in pottery processing in archaeology: documentation, classification and retrieval. Within these categories we review the most relevant papers and identify their advantages and limitations. We evaluate both freely and commercially available analysis tools and databases. Finally, we discuss open problems and future challenges in the field of pottery analysis.
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The rapid expansion of the Slavic speakers in the second half of the first millennium CE remains a controversial topic in archaeology, and academic passions on the issue have long run high. Currently, there are three main hypotheses for... more
The rapid expansion of the Slavic speakers in the second half of the first millennium CE remains a controversial topic in archaeology, and academic passions on the issue have long run high. Currently, there are three main hypotheses for this expansion. The aim of this paper was to test the so-called "hybrid hypothesis," which states that the movement of people, cultural diffusion and language diffusion all occurred simultaneously. For this purpose, we examined an archaeological Deep Data set with a machine learning method termed time series clustering and with emerging hot spot analysis. The latter required two archaeologyspecific modifications: The archaeological trend map and the multiscale emerging hot spot analysis. As a result, we were able to detect two migrations in the Eastern Alps between c. 500 and c. 700 CE. Based on the convergence of evidence from archaeology, linguistics, and population genetics, we have identified the migrants as Alpine Slavs, i.e., people who spoke Slavic and shared specific common ancestry.
Research Interests: Spatial Analysis, Machine Learning, Classification (Machine Learning), Migration, Medieval Archaeology, and 11 moreApplications of Machine Learning, Archaeological GIS, Spatial Statistics, Artifial Intellegence, Migration (Anthropology), Spatial archaeology, Slavs, Early Medieval Period, Early Slavs, South Slavs, and Archeology Slavs
The rapid expansion of the Slavic speakers in the second half of the first millennium CE remains a controversial topic in archaeology, and academic passions on the issue have long run high. Currently, there are three main hypotheses for... more
The rapid expansion of the Slavic speakers in the second half of the first millennium CE remains a controversial topic in archaeology, and academic passions on the issue have long run high. Currently, there are three main hypotheses for this expansion. The aim of this paper was to test the so-called "hybrid hypothesis," which states that the movement of people, cultural diffusion and language diffusion all occurred simultaneously. For this purpose, we examined an archaeological Deep Data set with a machine learning method termed time series clustering and with emerging hot spot analysis. The latter required two archaeologyspecific modifications: The archaeological trend map and the multiscale emerging hot spot analysis. As a result, we were able to detect two migrations in the Eastern Alps between c. 500 and c. 700 CE. Based on the convergence of evidence from archaeology, linguistics, and population genetics, we have identified the migrants as Alpine Slavs, i.e., people who spoke Slavic and shared specific common ancestry.
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Abstract A sophisticated combination of noise reducing, segmentation and mesh generation methods provides the reconstruction of the surface morphology from three dimensional computed tomography scans of archaeological data as triangular... more
Abstract A sophisticated combination of noise reducing, segmentation and mesh generation methods provides the reconstruction of the surface morphology from three dimensional computed tomography scans of archaeological data as triangular surface meshes. The highly parallelized GPU-enabled implementation of the algorithm processes large data sets in only a few minutes, allowing the systematic reconstruction of various objects. Rendering of the generated triangular meshes and the calculation of the surface area and the volume ...
Research Interests: Geography, Archaeology, Classical Archaeology, Computer Science, Scientific Computing (Computational Science), and 15 moreComputed Tomography, Museum Studies, Cultural Heritage, Archaeological Science, Digital Archaeology, Museum Informatics, GPU Computing, Archaeometry, GPU based volume rendering, Archaeological Informatics, Image segmentation, Ancient Greek and Roman Art, CT scanning, Connoisseurship, and Pottery Archaeology
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Der Baustoff Stein stellt ein kostbares Baumaterial dar. Seine Gewinnung in abgelegenen Steinbrüchen und der Steintransport über größere Distanzen sind aufwändig und teuer. Solange es nicht mehr genutzte Gebäude aus Stein in direkter... more
Der Baustoff Stein stellt ein kostbares Baumaterial dar. Seine Gewinnung in abgelegenen Steinbrüchen und der Steintransport über größere Distanzen sind aufwändig und teuer. Solange es nicht mehr genutzte Gebäude aus Stein in direkter Umgebung der Baustelle gab, die demoliert werden konnten bzw. durften, griff man auf diese Ressourcen zurück. Die Wiederverwendung von Bausteinen war in der Antike wie auch in der Neuzeit üblich und reicht von einzelnen umgearbeiteten Steinen, über die Entsorgung in Fundamenten und Steinpackungen bis zur systematischen flächendeckenden Verwendung. Folgender Beitrag soll einige Aspekte des vielschichtigen Phänomens der Wiederverwendung von
römerzeitlichen Steindenkmalen am Beispiel der Villa von Löffelbach beleuchten.
römerzeitlichen Steindenkmalen am Beispiel der Villa von Löffelbach beleuchten.
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The Negova Helmets from Ženjak (Schöniagg) in the Slovenske Gorice – New Insight on an Old Depot Find The Universalmuseum Joanneum and international partners ran the cross-border project »InterArch-Steiermark«... more
The Negova Helmets from Ženjak (Schöniagg) in the Slovenske Gorice – New Insight on an Old Depot Find
The Universalmuseum Joanneum and international partners ran the cross-border project »InterArch-Steiermark« (www.interarch-steiermark.eu) from 2011 to 2014, which led to new research on the depot from Ženjak (Negova). The article presents for the first time new results from archival research, archaeometallurgical analysis and the analysis of the surroundings of the supposed place of discovery. Archival research has revealed with high certainty that twelve helmets in Vienna, five helmets in Graz and a helmet in Ljubljana must now be assigned to the helmet depot of Ženjak. The composition of the hoard of 18 helmets sketches a typologically consistent appearance with a clear area of origin in the south-east Alpine area and the complete development of the helmet type in the eastern Alps. The archaeometallurgical analyses show that the production of this type of helmet followed a common technological tradition. One of the helmets even allowed the detailed examination of an antique repair by overflow casting on its crest. Despite the sparse population of the area around Benedikt in the late Hallstatt period, the actual place of discovery on the main connecting route between Gornja Radgona and Lenart, and thus between the Mur and Drava valleys, does not seem to be so unlikely for the deposition of such a hoard.
The Universalmuseum Joanneum and international partners ran the cross-border project »InterArch-Steiermark« (www.interarch-steiermark.eu) from 2011 to 2014, which led to new research on the depot from Ženjak (Negova). The article presents for the first time new results from archival research, archaeometallurgical analysis and the analysis of the surroundings of the supposed place of discovery. Archival research has revealed with high certainty that twelve helmets in Vienna, five helmets in Graz and a helmet in Ljubljana must now be assigned to the helmet depot of Ženjak. The composition of the hoard of 18 helmets sketches a typologically consistent appearance with a clear area of origin in the south-east Alpine area and the complete development of the helmet type in the eastern Alps. The archaeometallurgical analyses show that the production of this type of helmet followed a common technological tradition. One of the helmets even allowed the detailed examination of an antique repair by overflow casting on its crest. Despite the sparse population of the area around Benedikt in the late Hallstatt period, the actual place of discovery on the main connecting route between Gornja Radgona and Lenart, and thus between the Mur and Drava valleys, does not seem to be so unlikely for the deposition of such a hoard.
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Winning poster of the Best-Poster-Award of the CHNT 23 (2018) Conference Video Version of the poster: https://youtu.be/155zXG9eyg4 Poster Abstract:... more
Winning poster of the Best-Poster-Award of the CHNT 23 (2018) Conference
Video Version of the poster:
https://youtu.be/155zXG9eyg4
Poster Abstract:
https://www.chnt.at/advanced-documentation-methods-in-studying-the-black-figure-style-of-corinthian-vase-paintings/
Video Version of the poster:
https://youtu.be/155zXG9eyg4
Poster Abstract:
https://www.chnt.at/advanced-documentation-methods-in-studying-the-black-figure-style-of-corinthian-vase-paintings/
Research Interests: Archaeology, Computed Tomography, Digital Photogrammetry applied to Archaeology, Greek Pottery, Ancient Greek Pottery, and 7 moreEtruscan and Corinthian Pottery, CT scanning, archaic Greek Pottery, Technology and 3D Visualisation for Scientific Research in Archaeology, Archaeological drawing, Corinthian pottery, and 3D Modelling of CT Images
The discovery of Roman bronze statuettes at Montorio near Verona in 1830 revealed inconsistencies in the way the Austrian monarchy distinguished archaeological finds from treasures and treated these two categories. The Venetian... more
The discovery of Roman bronze statuettes at Montorio near Verona in 1830 revealed inconsistencies in the way the Austrian monarchy distinguished archaeological finds from treasures and treated these two categories. The Venetian authorities initially classified the bronze statuettes at Montorio as a treasure in terms of the Austrian Civil Code (ABGB), but the Central Finance Authority (Allgemeine Hofkammer) disagreed. The clarification of this particular case ultimately led Emperor Franz I to direct the Hofkammer to draft a new law generally valid throughout the entire monarchy. The resulting negotiations, which lasted until 1846, related to issues such as the claim of ownership rights to archaeological finds not regarded as treasure in accordance with ABGB, the definition of archaeological finds in contrast to treasures, the duty of disclosure and submission, the pre-emption right of the Cabinet of Coins and Antiquities, and the state‘s rightful share of treasures. However, the decree of 15 June 1846 finally issued by the Central Authority for the Interior (Vereinigte Hofkanzlei) did not clarify the situation. The duty of disclosure and submission, the pre-emption right, and the state’s rightful share of treasures were abandoned, but the distinction between archaeological finds and treasures remained open. This paper presents not only these negotiations between 1834 and 1846 but also examines the current legislation on archaeological finds and offers considerations for a modern adaption of the Monument Protection Act.
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A sophisticated combination of noise reducing, segmentation and mesh generation methods provides the reconstruction of the surface morphology from three dimensional computed tomography scans of archaeological data as triangular surface... more
A sophisticated combination of noise reducing, segmentation and mesh generation methods provides the reconstruction of the surface morphology from three dimensional computed tomography scans of archaeological data as triangular surface meshes. The highly parallelized GPU-enabled implementation of the algorithm processes large data sets in only a few minutes, allowing the systematic reconstruction of various objects. Rendering of the generated triangular meshes and the calculation of the surface area and the volume of the reconstructed items or selected parts of interest, can be done in real time. Those items can also be exchanged by scientists around the world and can be investigated without manipulating the irreplaceable artifacts. The application of computed tomography and the development of archaeological adjusted post processing of the acquired volumetric data enable a non-destructive investigation of the entire object regarding shape, manufacturing techniques or material textures. The reconstructions can also serve as a basis for virtual exhibitions.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Classical Archaeology, Computer Science, Scientific Computing (Computational Science), Computed Tomography, and 22 moreMuseum Studies, Cultural Heritage, Pottery (Archaeology), Archaeological Graphics & Illustration, Archaeological Science, Digital Archaeology, X-ray Tomography, Museum Informatics, GPU Computing, Archaeometry, GPU based volume rendering, 3D Reconstruction, Archaeological Informatics, Ceramics (Archaeology), Image segmentation, Ancient Greek and Roman Art, Computer Applications & Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA), 3D modelling cultural heritage, 3d Reconstructions in Archaeology, CT scanning, Connoisseurship, and CAA - Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology
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In the first third of the 19th century the so called old tower was demolished in the castle at Seggau, close to Leibnitz in Styria. Hundreds if not thousands of re-used blocks (spolia) from the Roman period were built in this tower, which... more
In the first third of the 19th century the so called old tower was demolished in the castle at Seggau, close to Leibnitz in Styria. Hundreds if not thousands of re-used blocks (spolia) from the Roman period were built in this tower, which had been taken from the tombs and from public places of the Roman city Flavia Solva. The construction method of a double-mantled masonry of large rectangular blocks, the characteristic surface-treatment of these spolia and so on eliminate the medieval period as time of construction for this building. Extensive layers of demolition dated to late antiquity in the cemeteries of Flavia Solva prove the dismantling of the monumental tombs and the adjustment of the architectural parts to rectangular building blocks on the spot. Analogies concerning building typology and masonry techniques to late antique fortifications provide a lot of evidences for the characteristics of such re-using of spolia during the Valentinian time and shortly afterwards. The archaeological results and analogies, in particular to Poetovio and Celeia, leave no doubt that a fortification was constructed between the last third of the 4th century and the first half of the 5th century AD. In short, these building projects in the south-eastern Alpine region seem to be associated with the reorganisation under Generidus of 409 AD, known by ancient sources. This reorganisation may have served the controlling of migration and the protection against bands of robbers. Especially in the early 5th century AD the monitoring of barbarian foederati and the integration of Romanic refugees from the Pannonian-Illyrian plains must become central tasks of the stabilisation of this region for the West-Roman Empire. Moreover, such measures could also have maintained the agricultural production and supply of the civilian population.
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The branch of restoration history is relatively recent in the study of ancient ceramics. The Universalmuseum Joanneum, with its more than 200-year history, is home to many ceramic vessels, some of which were substantially reworked in the... more
The branch of restoration history is relatively recent in the study of ancient ceramics. The Universalmuseum Joanneum, with its more than 200-year history, is home to many ceramic vessels, some of which were substantially reworked in the 19th century. After outlining the history of the Joanneum Museum’s ceramic collection, two of its vessels in particular will be studied from an archaeological and conservational point of view; the vessels have been examined in detail with conventional methods as well as with the help of industrial computer tomography (CT).
The first case study comes from Etruria: a vessel of Bucchero ‘pesante’-ware decorated with relief heads. As a result of the CT scan, the vessel revealed itself as a pasticcio of fragments that did not originally belong together. This means that in principle the vessel is no longer a restoration in which the goal is being able to ‘read’ or discern the fragmented vessel, rather, it must be viewed as a new creation. With the CT-image it is possible to distinguish, in a non-destructive manner, between the ancient and modern matter. Modern interventions are also clearly evident in the second case study: a column-krater rendered in the Volterra style and whose status is also now far from being considered antique as a result of its being almost completely over-painted.
Starting with a larger material base will allow comparable detailed studies of restoration measures, different restoration concepts and perhaps even of individual persons and workshops (as in the case of ancient vase painting) to be recognized. The application of modern methods of investigation allows us to place an object not only in its archaeological context, but also to reconstruct the more recent transformative processes that are also a part of the object’s history.
The first case study comes from Etruria: a vessel of Bucchero ‘pesante’-ware decorated with relief heads. As a result of the CT scan, the vessel revealed itself as a pasticcio of fragments that did not originally belong together. This means that in principle the vessel is no longer a restoration in which the goal is being able to ‘read’ or discern the fragmented vessel, rather, it must be viewed as a new creation. With the CT-image it is possible to distinguish, in a non-destructive manner, between the ancient and modern matter. Modern interventions are also clearly evident in the second case study: a column-krater rendered in the Volterra style and whose status is also now far from being considered antique as a result of its being almost completely over-painted.
Starting with a larger material base will allow comparable detailed studies of restoration measures, different restoration concepts and perhaps even of individual persons and workshops (as in the case of ancient vase painting) to be recognized. The application of modern methods of investigation allows us to place an object not only in its archaeological context, but also to reconstruct the more recent transformative processes that are also a part of the object’s history.
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In cooperation with the Austrian Foundry Research Institute (ÖGI) in Leoben and the Goethe Center for Scientific Computing (G-CSC) at the University of Frankfurt, a study was conducted to address the documentation of ceramic vessels using... more
In cooperation with the Austrian Foundry Research Institute (ÖGI) in Leoben and the Goethe Center for Scientific Computing (G-CSC) at the University of Frankfurt, a study was conducted to address the documentation of ceramic vessels using high-resolution computer tomography (CT); their aim was to evaluate the possibilities and limitations of this technique in the context of the archaeological study of ceramics. The objects being examined were vessels and vessel fragments from the collections of the Universalmuseum Joanneum in Graz and the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Graz.
The low density and heterogeneous nature of ceramic substances proves to be ideal for CT examinations. The radiation exposure, as demonstrated by optimal performance, can be classified as low. TL-dating for the purposes of verifying authenticity is guaranteed even after a CT examination, taking the threshold values into consideration. More than any other method, the industrial CT achieves, without contact and in a non-invasive manner, a fully three-dimensional image of an object including all external and internal structures. The information created by the CT volumetric reconstruction-matrix, which provides a virtual three-dimensional visualization of the object based on the respective densities of a data-element (voxel), can be measured and evaluated using commercial software programs in a contact-free manner. In order to prepare the CT generated model for more efficient post-processing, a Surface Reconstruction Method (SRM) was developed. This method generates a surface model which provides a simple method for calculating the vessel’s capacity and ceramic volume. Foreign material (such as inclusions in the clay, modern ingredients, etc.) and even air holes within the ceramic body can be made visible by setting corresponding threshold parameters. This will provide information regarding the pottery fabric, production techniques and restoration measures of the vessel. The high accuracy of this method, which is in the micrometer-range, allows for archaeometric comparisons of thin sections without the need for a material sample to be taken.
The low density and heterogeneous nature of ceramic substances proves to be ideal for CT examinations. The radiation exposure, as demonstrated by optimal performance, can be classified as low. TL-dating for the purposes of verifying authenticity is guaranteed even after a CT examination, taking the threshold values into consideration. More than any other method, the industrial CT achieves, without contact and in a non-invasive manner, a fully three-dimensional image of an object including all external and internal structures. The information created by the CT volumetric reconstruction-matrix, which provides a virtual three-dimensional visualization of the object based on the respective densities of a data-element (voxel), can be measured and evaluated using commercial software programs in a contact-free manner. In order to prepare the CT generated model for more efficient post-processing, a Surface Reconstruction Method (SRM) was developed. This method generates a surface model which provides a simple method for calculating the vessel’s capacity and ceramic volume. Foreign material (such as inclusions in the clay, modern ingredients, etc.) and even air holes within the ceramic body can be made visible by setting corresponding threshold parameters. This will provide information regarding the pottery fabric, production techniques and restoration measures of the vessel. The high accuracy of this method, which is in the micrometer-range, allows for archaeometric comparisons of thin sections without the need for a material sample to be taken.
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The application of X-radiography in ceramic studies is becoming an increasingly valued method. Using the potential of industrial X-ray computed tomography (CT) for non-destructive testing as an archaeometric or archaeological method in... more
The application of X-radiography in ceramic studies is becoming an increasingly valued method. Using the potential of industrial X-ray computed tomography (CT) for non-destructive testing as an archaeometric or archaeological method in pottery studies, especially regarding aspects such as manufacturing techniques or pottery fabrics, requires controlled data-acquisition and post-processing by scientific computing adjusted to archaeological issues. The first results of this evaluation project show that, despite the difficulties inherent in CT technology, considerable information can be extracted for pottery analysis. The application of surface morphology reconstructions and volumetric measurements based on CT data will open a new field in future non-invasive archaeology.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Classical Archaeology, Digital Humanities, Computed Tomography, Museum Studies, and 18 moreCultural Heritage, Pottery (Archaeology), Archaeological Science, Digital Archaeology, X-ray Tomography, Museum Informatics, GPU Computing, 3D Reconstruction, Archaeological Informatics, Ceramics (Archaeology), Image segmentation, Ancient Greek and Roman Art, Computer Applications & Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA), 3D modelling cultural heritage, 3d Reconstructions in Archaeology, CT scanning, Connoisseurship, and CAA - Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
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Der Dipylon-Meister und seine engsten Werkstattkollegen - Neues zu Altbekanntem Die Erzeugnisse der Dipylon-Werkstatt, einer in Athen etwa von der Mitte bis in das 3. Viertel des 8. Jahrhunderts v. Chr. arbeitenden Keramikwerkstatt,... more
Der Dipylon-Meister und seine engsten Werkstattkollegen - Neues zu Altbekanntem
Die Erzeugnisse der Dipylon-Werkstatt, einer in Athen etwa von der Mitte bis in das 3. Viertel des 8. Jahrhunderts v. Chr. arbeitenden Keramikwerkstatt, gehören zu den eindrucksvollsten Beispielen der attisch-geometrischen Keramik. Seit den grundlegenden stilistischen Arbeiten, insbesondere durch John N. Coldstream, wird neben der Hand des Dipylon-Meisters noch ein sehr enger Kreis von Töpfern bzw. Malern geschieden, die in unmittelbarer Nähe zum Meister arbeiteten (Coldstreams "closer associates"), zuweilen auch zusammen ein gemeinsames Werk dekorierten. Der vorliegende Beitrag zur Dipylon-Werkstatt widmet sich, ausgehend von einem erst 2014 bekannt gewordenen Dipylon-Fragment an der Universität Graz den Werken dieser "ersten Reihe" von Werkstattkollegen des Dipylon-Meisters. Er beginnt dort, wo Emil Kunze mit seiner wegweisenden Arbeit zu den Disiecta Membra attischer Grabkratere aufgehört hat - mit der Rekonstruktion dieser Gefäße, deren Fragmente heute über mehrere europäische Sammlungen verstreut sind. Insbesondere der Krater Kunze Nr. IV (Coldstream GGP, Nr. 11), von dem nun mit aller Wahrscheinlichkeit auch die Vorderseite der Hauptzone wieder gewonnen werden konnte, eröffnet einen neuen Blickwinkel auf das Oeuvre des Dipylon-Meisters bzw. seiner Werkstattkollegen. Die vorgestellte Rekonstruktion dieses Kraters aus dem Kreis der Werkstattkollegen ergibt nämlich ein Zwillingsstück zum bekannten Prothesis-Fragment Louvre A 517, das von Coldstream jedoch dem Meister selbst zugewiesen wurde (Coldstream GGP, Nr. 4). Dies führt konsequenterweise zu weiteren Fragestellungen: Wie weit sind wir überhaupt in der Lage, Malerände im starren Korsett des geometrischen Stils zu erkennen? Ist nun diese sehr charakteristische Hand, wie sie an den vorgestellten Krateren sichtbar wird, dem Dipylon-Meister, weiterhin einem Werkstattkollegen oder doch eher einem Maler zuzuweisen, der dann aber nach seinem bedeutendsten Werk, Maler von Louvre A 517 genannt werden sollte? Schlussendlich: Wer ist der Dipylon-Meister?
Stephan Karl, Universität Graz
...darf's auch ein bisschen mehr sein? Mehrwert mathematischer Bildverarbeitung in der Archäologie
Der Einzug der Bildverarbeitung in der Archäologie ein spannender, neuer Aspekt der wissenschaftlichen Einordnung und Interpretation archäologischer Artefakte. Insoweit ist die Arbeit an und mit Computer-Daten, eine weitere Facette der "Ära der Digitalisierung" der wissenschaftlichen Arbeit.
Die Verarbeitung digitaler Daten keramischer Objekte ist erfolgreich, falls zwei Faktoren zusammenkommen. Zum einen müssen die erhobenen Daten geeignet sein, die partikuläre, zum jeweiligen Objekt zugehörige Fragestellung zu beantworten. Zum anderen müssen die zur Verügung stehenden digitalen Werkzeuge in der Lage sein, den geünschten wissenschaftlichen Mehrwert aus diesen Daten herauszuarbeiten. In anderen Worten, es reicht nicht, dass die Antwort in den Daten steckt, es müssen auch an die Bedürfnisse der archäologischen Forschung zugeschnittene digitale Frameworks verfügbar sein, welche diese Antwort auch zugänglich machen
Der Vortrag behandelt einige Beispiele solcher Frameworks.
Kamil S. Kazimierski, Universität Graz
Die Erzeugnisse der Dipylon-Werkstatt, einer in Athen etwa von der Mitte bis in das 3. Viertel des 8. Jahrhunderts v. Chr. arbeitenden Keramikwerkstatt, gehören zu den eindrucksvollsten Beispielen der attisch-geometrischen Keramik. Seit den grundlegenden stilistischen Arbeiten, insbesondere durch John N. Coldstream, wird neben der Hand des Dipylon-Meisters noch ein sehr enger Kreis von Töpfern bzw. Malern geschieden, die in unmittelbarer Nähe zum Meister arbeiteten (Coldstreams "closer associates"), zuweilen auch zusammen ein gemeinsames Werk dekorierten. Der vorliegende Beitrag zur Dipylon-Werkstatt widmet sich, ausgehend von einem erst 2014 bekannt gewordenen Dipylon-Fragment an der Universität Graz den Werken dieser "ersten Reihe" von Werkstattkollegen des Dipylon-Meisters. Er beginnt dort, wo Emil Kunze mit seiner wegweisenden Arbeit zu den Disiecta Membra attischer Grabkratere aufgehört hat - mit der Rekonstruktion dieser Gefäße, deren Fragmente heute über mehrere europäische Sammlungen verstreut sind. Insbesondere der Krater Kunze Nr. IV (Coldstream GGP, Nr. 11), von dem nun mit aller Wahrscheinlichkeit auch die Vorderseite der Hauptzone wieder gewonnen werden konnte, eröffnet einen neuen Blickwinkel auf das Oeuvre des Dipylon-Meisters bzw. seiner Werkstattkollegen. Die vorgestellte Rekonstruktion dieses Kraters aus dem Kreis der Werkstattkollegen ergibt nämlich ein Zwillingsstück zum bekannten Prothesis-Fragment Louvre A 517, das von Coldstream jedoch dem Meister selbst zugewiesen wurde (Coldstream GGP, Nr. 4). Dies führt konsequenterweise zu weiteren Fragestellungen: Wie weit sind wir überhaupt in der Lage, Malerände im starren Korsett des geometrischen Stils zu erkennen? Ist nun diese sehr charakteristische Hand, wie sie an den vorgestellten Krateren sichtbar wird, dem Dipylon-Meister, weiterhin einem Werkstattkollegen oder doch eher einem Maler zuzuweisen, der dann aber nach seinem bedeutendsten Werk, Maler von Louvre A 517 genannt werden sollte? Schlussendlich: Wer ist der Dipylon-Meister?
Stephan Karl, Universität Graz
...darf's auch ein bisschen mehr sein? Mehrwert mathematischer Bildverarbeitung in der Archäologie
Der Einzug der Bildverarbeitung in der Archäologie ein spannender, neuer Aspekt der wissenschaftlichen Einordnung und Interpretation archäologischer Artefakte. Insoweit ist die Arbeit an und mit Computer-Daten, eine weitere Facette der "Ära der Digitalisierung" der wissenschaftlichen Arbeit.
Die Verarbeitung digitaler Daten keramischer Objekte ist erfolgreich, falls zwei Faktoren zusammenkommen. Zum einen müssen die erhobenen Daten geeignet sein, die partikuläre, zum jeweiligen Objekt zugehörige Fragestellung zu beantworten. Zum anderen müssen die zur Verügung stehenden digitalen Werkzeuge in der Lage sein, den geünschten wissenschaftlichen Mehrwert aus diesen Daten herauszuarbeiten. In anderen Worten, es reicht nicht, dass die Antwort in den Daten steckt, es müssen auch an die Bedürfnisse der archäologischen Forschung zugeschnittene digitale Frameworks verfügbar sein, welche diese Antwort auch zugänglich machen
Der Vortrag behandelt einige Beispiele solcher Frameworks.
Kamil S. Kazimierski, Universität Graz