The 3D-photogrammetry documentation of the Mesolithic grave from Brunstad, Norway
Kristin Eriksen, Almut Schülke
Abstract In 2014 archaeologists from the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, found the remains of an inhumation burial with preserved human bone material on the Mesolithic site of Brunstad, Vestfold, Norway. Preserved bone material is seldom found in Norwegian Stone-Age contexts due to very acid soil conditions, and possible grave-finds that can be ascribed the Mesolithic period are rare. Thus the documentation of the grave was of special importance. The grave was unearthed in several blocks for excavation in the laboratory. 3D-photogrammetry was used to document the situation in the field, but also under later excavation in the laboratory, where each block was singularly documented. The aim was to later compile the different datasets to reconstruct the components of the burial. We used the software Agisoft Photoscan and ArcScene for 3D-modelling and processing. In the talk we will focus on the challenges of documenting this find and the search for practicable solutions. This involves the excavation, documentation and preservation work in the lab. We will describe the workstation that was used for a well-functioning co-operation and work-flow between the osteo-archaeologist, conservator, and the GIS-expert. Several challenges will be pointed out, like the poor condition of the skeletal material, and the fact that the burial due to several reasons had to be split into several blocks before it could put together again digitally. We will also show how 3D photogrammetric data can contribute to the understanding and interpretation of the burial.
