Essential guide to 3D digitised heritage: Introduction to 3D

ESSENTIAL GUIDE
TO 3D DIGITISED
HERITAGE
INTRODUCTION TO 3D
#CONNECTINGARCHAEOLOGY
PART 1 OF 3 WEBINAR SERIES
CATHERINE ANNE CASSIDY
DIGITAL SKILLS, CARARE

WELCOME
• This webinar is an introduction to 3D digitisation in heritage and is the
first in a three part series organised by CARARE for the 5CH project.
• These webinars are geared towards CH professionals, volunteers, or
students who want to learn more about 3D as a heritage sector activity.
• Today we’re exploring the uses of 3D digitisation, the methods for
digitisation, things to consider when setting up a project, resources and
skills required, and object selection. We end by introducing what is to
come in the following two webinars in the series.
https://www.carare.eu/ carare.bsky.social

ABOUT US!
CARARE has been working with heritage organisations and
archaeologists across Europe since 2010 offering support
and practical assistance in sharing datasets with Europeana
• We are a non-profit membership association aiming to advance
professional practice and foster appreciation of the digital
archaeological and architectural heritage
• CARARE is a partner in the consortium for the implementation of
the Common European Dataspace for CH and in projects working
with 3D – notably 5DCulture,Tech4Heritage and the 3D-4CH
competence centre (starting in January),
• We have a help desk and can offer advice on 3D
https://www.carare.eu
Contact: info@carare.eu
Bluesky: @carare.eu
Training hub:
https://www.carare.eu/e
n/training/
Webinars onVimeo:
https://vimeo.com/user1
24611809

D5D
DD5
5DD
D5D
DD5
5DD
5DCulture in a few words
With project funding from the EU, 5DCulture is a
collaboration between key cultural heritage stakeholders that
aims to enrich the offer of 3D digital cultural heritage assets,
tools and know-how in the Data Space for Cultural
Heritage.
These webinars are part of the project’s capacity building
activity.
https://5dculture.eu/about

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Appreciation of the benefits of 3D digitisation of cultural
heritage for organisations and society,
2. Knowledge in first stages of proposal, planning, implementing
and continuing 3D digitisation at their organisation,
3. Identify potential obstacles and create plausible solutions.

OVERVIEW
• 3D Digital Heritage
• Motivations for 3D
• Methods of 3D Digitisation
• Project Planning
• Next Steps
Carinated vase with flaring rim, Musées Royaux d’Art et
d’Histoire, Bruxelles, CC BY-NC-SA

DIGITAL HERITAGE “cultural, educational, scientific, and
administrative resources ….created
digitally or converted into digital form
from existing analogue resources” –
UNESCO Charter on the Preservation of
the Digital Heritage
Santa Maria de Cardet. Vall de Boí, Catalan Cultural
Heritage Agency, CC BY
Ivory Beverley Crozier, The Hunt Museum, CC0
Space Stone, Connected Culture and Natural Heritage in a Northern Environment, CC0
https://www.smarthistory.co.uk/Edinburgh1544/16
th_Century_Edinburgh.html

WHAT IS A 3D MODEL EXACTLY?
3D pipeline, Anthony Corns, Discovery Programme, third 4CH TwinIt! webinar.
Gilgamesh Epic tablet V, Tech 4 Heritage, CC BY
A three-dimensional coordinate-based representation of an object's surface created by vertices
and polygons, which then can be covered in a texture which simulated the details of an object.

Sutherland chair,Timespan Museum, CINEG, CC0

https://northernheritage.org/timespan-new/

OVERVIEW
• Next Steps
Statue of the Cloister Mother Mary, Connected Culture and Natural
Heritage in a Northern Environment, Skriðuklaustur, CC0.

WHY DIGITISE CULTURAL HERITAGE IN 3D?
INCEPTION Platform
• 3D digitisation is valuable for
conservation, research, education,
tourism and for documenting heritage at
risk
• It offers access to heritage in places that
are hard to reach and for people who
are unable to visit in person
• It allows the sector to make connections
and to create rich experiences for their
audiences

MOTIVATIONS FOR 3D
DIGITISATION OF HERITAGE
1. Mounting threats to tangible heritage
2. Greater accessibility and potential for research
3. Opportunities for richer dissemination of heritage through
accessible smart and immersive technologies
3D digital heritage supports:
• Recording heritage in three dimensions at a moment in time,
• Widen participation in new media creation,
• Deepen understanding though holistic interpretation,
• Connect heritage professionals and researchers to communities,
• Communicates knowledge in engaging and accessible ways, and
• Stimulates debate leading to further research.
3D objects from the Connected Culture and Natural Heritage in a
Northern Environment project, CINEG, CC0

WHAT CAN BE DIGITISED IN 3D
Natural & Cultural Heritage
Immoveable & Moveable
Micro to Macro
Chess Piece, Connected Culture and
Natural Heritage in a Northern
Environment, CC0
Santa Maria de Taüll.Vall de Boí, Catalan Cultural Heritage Agency, CC BY
Hatra Archaeological Site,Tech 4 Heritage, CC BY
Porpoise skull,The University of St Andrews,
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/porpoise-skull-99be71b441ba47d9a3f
Deeve’s Uniform Jacket,The University of St
Andrews,
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/deevess-uniform-
jacket-32692cd690c845d5a519344aebd37702

WHAT CAN BE DIGITISED IN 3D
•Must be inherently multidimensional
o Flat objects (paper) X, perceived to be flat objects
o 2D can be digitised and wrapped on a 3D mesh as a
texture
•Possible of capturing different views
o Multiple views will reflect in the 3D model,
o Less views, less detail
•Must remain (relatively) still
o A flag waving in the air will not have the exact same shape
o A boat in the water will hold its shape, but what is visible
above the water will change (so still possible)
Recording in 3D structure at Knowth, Brú na Bóinne,
Discovery Programme, CC-BY-NC
Scanning the Girl with the Pearl Earring,
Mauritshuis,Kate Fernie, CC-BY

OVERVIEW
• Next Steps
Estátua de bronze de mercúrio,The EU-LAC MUSEUMS project,
The University of St Andrews,
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/estatua-de-bronze-de-mercurio-
mercury-bronze-s-15ae8f3182424133a599c0801e87a588

METHODS OF DIGITISATION
3D Models are a collection of points, which can be generated
manually, mathematically, or by capturing ‘real’ surfaces.
METHODS OF ‘REAL’ CAPTURE BORN DIGITAL CREATIONS
STRUCTURED LIGHT SCANNING BUILT CONSTRUCTIONS (BIM, CAD. SKETCHUP)
LIDAR/LASER SCANNING MODELED CHARACTERS (MUDBOX)
COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT) SCANNING VIRTUAL LANDSCAPES (UNREAL, UNITY)
PHOTOGRAMMETRY (STRUCTURE FROM MOTION)

STRUCTURED LIGHT SCANNING
• Beamed calibrated pattern
• Strikes the surface of an
object distorted
• Scanner's camera captured
distortion frame by frame
• Reconstructs in digital
3D in several frames
Artec3D
Artec3D

Photos courtesy of OpenVirtual Worlds, University of St Andrews.

LASER SCANNING & LIDAR
LIDAR data (C) Environment Agency & Natural Resources Wales released under the Open
Government License via Wikimedia Commons
Photo courtesy of EU-LAC MUSEUMS project,The University of St Andrews.

COMPUTEDTOMOGAPHY (CT)
•X-ray source transmitted through a sample, recorded by detectors
•Rotated fractional and more projections taken
•Cross sections reconstructed into 3D
•Captured internal structures, valuable for natural history collections
University of Dundee D'Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum 3D

PHOTOGRAMMETRY (SFM)
Photos courtesy of OpenVirtual Worlds, University of St Andrews.

OVERVIEW
• Next Steps
Kerbstone 67, Newgrange (Photo Texture), The Discovery Programme,
In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

TIPS FOR PROJECT PLANNING
1. Decide your goals – why, who for and what
are you digitizing
2. Assess the resources you have – skills,
equipment, conditions
3. Work out what budget you need to cover
all the costs
4. Create a project plan which covers the
workflow, standards, rights, access, storage
and archiving
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/basic-principles-and-tips-3d-digitisation-cultural-heritage

WHY PLANNING IS IMPORTANT
Building destroyed by L'Aquila's earthquake,
Downing Street, BY-NC-ND
La Fortezza Spagnola, Direzione Regionale
Musei Abruzzo, CC-BY-ND
• Disasters happen and sometimes people need to
act quickly to capture a record before more
damage occurs
Best efforts
• After the initial response, restoration and
reconstruction can begin
Best practices
• Upskilling helps to ready yourself and your
organisation for projects (planned and unplanned)
Paradata captures the actuality behind a project

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL
A white statue being digitized, meemoo, the Flemish
Institute for Archives
https://pro.europeana.eu/post/scanning-cultural-heritag
e-in-3d-in-challenging-situations-a-practical-approach
Cultural heritage comes in many different
sizes, shapes and materials with different
challenges
The workflow for your 3D projects need to
be adapted to the heritage and to the
outcomes you need from your project
Scaling a project based on your own
capacities and resources

CONSIDERATIONS FOR A 3D PROJECT
• Establish a Project Team
• Internal Team selection
• tasks to assign (project management, digitisation, object handling, documentation, processing, ingress data to archive,
digital curation)
• External Team selection
• Tasks to assign; Invitation to tender, evaluation of tenders, appointment of external supplier; Contracts; Monitoring;
Management of finances
• Internal to External team communications
• tasks to assign (project management, object handling, documentation, ingress data to archive, digital curation, liaise with
external team if required)
• Project Plan
• Project Scope
• outline purpose, timelines, resources, people, tasks, skills, expected outcomes
• Project Standards and Specifications
• metadata and media, introduction to FAIR Principles, implications for access and engagement, outputs based on project
aims
• Object Selection
• values, parameters and levels of success, adaptations, priority list, digitisation methods
• Agreements
• Copyright
• recognition of terms and scope, negotiation, contractual agreements (external)
• Licensing
• constraints of licences, pathways for selection, Creative Commons
• Access to CH Sites
• reaching agreements with landowners for access to CH for digitisation, negotiation

DIGITISATION OBJECTIVES
Recognition of the value,
reasoning, and objectives
for 3D digitisation
o Establishing what the
digitisation will achieve
now, but what it could in
the future
PRIORITY REASONING DETAILS EXAMPLES
Threatened Environmental, development, social At risk of looting, conflict, climate
change, rescue archaeology, single
representation
Iconic Representative of an institution,
culture or nation
For further preservation and
promotion of a singular piece
Thematic representation Part of a collection Within a grouping of objects for
digitisation
Exhibiting For future exhibiting or engagement
use
Immersive interactives, touchscreen,
within a virtual reconstruction
Conservation work Document prior to or after
conservation procedures
A sculpture digitised before and after
cleaning
Project-based Included based on a specific project
topic
A specific building chosen based on
remit of a project
Research Part of a research topic Pottery included due to its
possibilities for further academic
research
Promotion Engagement, Publication & Marketing For online or print, learning
programmes, handling collections,
interactives

IDENTIFY STAKEHOLDERS ANDTHEIR NEEDS
REQUIREMENTS, USES & ACCESS
INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS EXTERNAL BODIES EXPERTS AUDIENCES
Policy making staff – USE Demonstration
to funding or organisational bodies of
impact
ACCESS - Internal, External (for publication)
QUALITY - Dependent on activity
Funding bodies – REQ described in
funding call, written into application
USE - demonstration of technological
advancements, evidence of work and
impact
ACCESS - may set license (more open)
QUALITY - High
Policy advisors In person – USE Touchscreen,
projections,VR/AR, videos, seen in
printed material, interpretation
ACCESS - External (public facing on
external & internal platforms)
QUALITY - High
Managerial staff – USE Designing
exhibitions, maintaining digital collections,
submitting to campaigns
ACCESS - Internal (archiving, publication,
exhibition design)
QUALITY - High
National bodies – REQ described in
action plans, campaigns
USE - inclusion in repositories,
demonstration of technological
advancements, tourism
QUALITY - High
Technical
advisors
Online and Offline – USE
Catalogues, repositories, social media,
mobile applications
ACCESS - External (public facing) and
internal platforms
QUALITY – High and scaled for online
Volunteers – USE
Working with digital collections,
engagement with in-person audiences
ACCESS - Internal, External (working with
collections, demonstration to visitors)
QUALITY - Dependent on activity
International bodies – REQ described
in actions plans, campaigns
USE - inclusion in repositories,
demonstration of technological
advancements, tourism
QUALITY - High
Volunteer
coordinators
andTechnical
advisors
Online – USE
Catalogues, repositories, social media,
mobile applications
ACCESS - External (Public facing)
QUALITY – Scaled to screen

PRACTICALITIES, CONSTRAINTS & ORGANISATIONAL
CAPACITY
• Organisational capacity - resources (people, time, budget, equipment, training)
○ Review in relation to proposed project timeline
• Potential constraints
○ Time and Budget
○ Number of objects/sites
○ Method of digitisation (budget)
○ Digital storage capacity
• Evaluate potential challenges
○ the difficulty of objects (access, handling, robustness),
○ access to sites (legal issues, time, travel)
○ physical requirements (e.g. for object handling), any legal issues or other potential constraints;
○ planning strategies needed to manage these (e.g. negotiating access, sourcing equipment or staff to handle objects
appropriately, scheduling seasonal work and so on),

DIGITAL SKILLS, HARDWARE & SOFTWARE REQUIRED
• Evaluate potential of digitisation in house or if an external expertise are required,
○ May be obvious after reviewing organisational capacity
○ External digitisation possibilities (contractors, university (possible co-funding))
• Review of digitisation methods
○ method selection in relation to types of objects prioritised, project objectives and outputs,
resources and skill sets available
○ What it contributes to sustainable practice (re-use of equipment, building capacity within
organisation and staff)

BUSINESS NEEDS AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES
• Develop a cost-benefit analysis
○ Identify business needs fulfilled by project,
○ Link project objectives to any funding goals (internal or external),
○ Communicate potential value of investment, access, engagement, research, digital collections
(current and future)
To help inform a cost-benefit
analysis and a project plan, a
SWOT analysis can help
develop a clear plan by
identifying positives and
challenges
Xhienne - SWOT pt.svg, CC BY-SA 2.5

PATHWAYSTO FUNDING
• Internal or external opportunities
○ Review use cases
○ Breakdown of justification of costs (exhibition, research, risk, access, audience, preservation)
○ Research broader external funding opportunities using sectorial, national, regional, thematic,
innovative, or research-driven enquiries
○ Opportunities for project partners with technological skills required for potential project (digitisation,
processing, dissemination, engagement)

OVERVIEW
• Next Steps
Callanais 4 Stone 5, OpenVirtual Worlds,
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/callanish-04-stone-05-bd04bb8a6c88418ca07311

You’ve got a great digitization project in mind
Things to remember

STANDARDS, METADATA AND ACCESS LICENSES ARE KEY
They help you to continue to
be able to access and re-use
your 3D data, and to share it
with others.
Specifying early avoids
problems later.
D4.3 Report on standards and guidelines
https://www.4ch-project.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/D4.3-Updated-report-on-standards-and-guidelines.pdf

UNLOCKING 3D FOR REUSE
Standards, metadata and access
licences are important for your own
future projects
They also enable other projects – for
research, education, creativity etc.
Here’s where FAIR data come in!
Courtesy The Discovery Programme, Ireland
Roisin Fitzpatrick

ARCHIVING
• Deposit your 3D dataset and its documentation with a
digital archive
• Look for a Trusted Digital Repository
• Institutional repositories exist but not all accept
3D for archiving
• Zenodo is a free, general-purpose repository
developed by CERN that accepts 3D
• License the 3D data for reuse
• Provide good quality metadata
Image: European Data Journalism Network
Try to find the repository you will use at the start of the project and check what standard file formats
they accept and what documentation is needed.

Metadata example
An example of
metadata for 3D using
CARARE’s Share3D
dashboard
The exported
metadata is in
Europeana’s EDM
format.

ACCESS AND RE-USE
Once you have completed your 3D project, the data can be used to publish models
online, to create interactives, to print objects for handline collections and in mobile
applications.

By Richard Kearton - With nature and a camera, Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5585164
Objects and stories digitised during a digital feis on North Uist
● link with archives, place names, mapping, exhibition,VR tour of
island walks and virtually reconstructed places
Courtesy of OpenVirtual Worlds, University of St Andrews, Scotland.

CASE STUDY OF 3D OUTPUTS -THE HUNT MUSEUM
3D digitisation results in more than one output for the
Hunt museum:
• 3D models published in Sketchfab, embedded in the
museum’s website and shared with Europeana
• Printed 3D objects to allow visitors to have a tactile
experience of objects behind glass
• Interactive gallery displays to explore
• CNC printing of objects for the museum
garden in central Limerick
• Re-uses in games and educational materials

● Capturing and processing 3D - 4/12/24
● Archiving, sharing and re-using 3D -
11/12/24
PART 2 AND 3 ARE COMING UP!
https://www.carare.eu/en/news/essential-guide-to-3d-digitised-heritage-webinar-series/

Catherine Anne Cassidy
Catherine.anne.cassidy@gmail.com
THANKYOU! https://www.carare.eu
Contact: info@carare.eu
Bluesky: @carare.eu
Training hub:
https://www.carare.eu/en/t
raining/
Webinars onVimeo:
https://vimeo.com/user124
611809

Essential guide to 3D digitised heritage: Introduction to 3D

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Essential guide to 3D digitised heritage: Introduction to 3D