As part of the larger research initiative, items from previous excavations at La Cotte de St Brelade are being re-examined and organized which includes a vast amount of lithics in addition to faunal material.  Over the course of the last couple of years, Dr Duffy has had the privilege of working with these collections, collaborating with specialists Drs Beccy Scott, Andrew Shaw, Marie-Anne Julien and Simon Parfitt in order to bring fresh light to these materials and  incorporate their digital record into the collections.

3D MODELLING OF THE COLLECTION

Although on a slightly smaller scale to the landscape and excavation modelling, Sarah has recorded several artefacts using a similar photogrammetric capture and processing method (e.g. example above: mammoth tibia excavated during 1960s fieldwork at La Cotte). In addition to their analytic potential, models such as this act as digital surrogates, protecting the original, sometimes very fragile material. These digital stand-ins provide specialists unlimited, remote access to artefacts held in the collections in Jersey as well as the ability to interactively rotate and re-position the objects.

Click on the image above to interactively view above model of the mammoth skull which is currently on display at the ‘Jersey: Ice Age Island’ exhibit in St Helier, Jersey CI (a Natural History Museum concept exhibition). Note that the model has been positioned with the pedestal upside down so that the skull is orientated right-side up.

INFORMED RTI

In many cases, it has also made sense to record objects using RTI in order to capture subtle surface relief. Such was the case with this mammoth scapula – note the surface details highlighted in the specialized RTI viewer.

ORTHO-IMAGERY  AND FILTERS

One of the many benefits of the photogram- metric proach that she uses is the option to export rectified imagery (i.e. perspective distortion has been eliminated).  With this example, an orthoimage of the tibia has been exported and Sarah has been experimenting with the use of filtering software to examine deterioration and possible surface modification of the artefact.

Click on the image to interactively view the model.

LOOKING FORWARD

It is planned that some of the digital records of the artefacts will be incorporated into both local and international museum exhibitions about La Cotte de St Brelade.