Lab Assignment 2: Reverse Engineering Virtual Angkor

The Virtual Angkor project was created in collaboration between archaeologists, historians, and virtual history specialists to model Angkor at the height of the Khmer empire in 1300 C.E. The project provides an immersive 3D experience for students and professionals to explore life in the Cambodian city and investigate the practices and structures that existed back then in one of history’s most developed civilizations.

Sources

For a complex project such as this, several sources were needed to ascertain enough information to make the model as accurate as possible. First, Sanskrit and Old Khmer inscriptions were used to study the economic, political, and social aspects of the city. Furthermore, the inscriptions supported the hypothesis of the existence of a mass variety of literature covering many disciplines. Second, French accounts of 19th-century Cambodia, which included sketches and photographs of the structures and wider environment of Angkor, were used as references for the landscape. Third, bas-reliefs at the Bayon in Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat provided additional visual descriptions of the ancient city. Fourth, eyewitness accounts of Zhou Daguan were used. Zhou was a Chinese official sent to Angkor who returned and gave accounts of the city and its people. Fifth, the collaborators used archaeological research done by the French School of the Far East (EFEO), which included airborne surveys and extensive mapping of Angkor. In addition to these five sources, the project draws from architectural surveys, botanical and palynological research, textile studies, and works of ethnomusicologists.  

Processes

Moving on, the collaborators took the data from the sources and essentially digitized them into online and virtual representations. Much of the process included creating 3D models of all the descriptions of the cities obtained. They started with modeling characters and animals and then expanded to the surrounding environment through scanning artifacts and digitizing them to eventually merge with the already-constructed 3D models. From there, efforts were then focused on animating the models through image rendering and sequence animation to mimic actual humans, animals, and environmental conditions.

Presentation

For this project there are three different presentations. The first is a simulation of what a normal day would look like in the city. Routine aspects of elites, residents, workers, and suppliers are featured in the simulation. The second representation is an interactive virtual map which displays the city layout and its environment in totality. Different natural features and buildings are displayed using information from various sources such as LiDAR, GIS, the University of Sydney, and the EFEO. The third representation is a virtual reality experience used with an accompanying VR headset. With this, users can see the 3D models and LiDAR technology come to life in an immersive simulation. Users can instantly transport to different places in the city and explore the environment at the ground level. Many details regarding the landscapes and soundscapes can be effectively experienced and evaluated using this representation.

Further Discussion

Given the recent introduction to Fusion 360 and 3D modeling in this course, I’m curious as to what software was used to model the different components seen in the simulations and VR experience. What software do professionals use for their work and how does it compare to the mechanics and features of Fusion 360?

In terms of target audience, some emphasis has already been put on using this on students in academic institutions. I believe that the tool can be used in certain history, political science, and Asian studies courses to learn about the cultures, practices, and structures of Angkor and similar civilizations.

Furthermore, I believe that even professional historians and scholars of related fields could use this technology for their own research in uncovering the mysteries behind the functioning of early societies.

Based off the website, I believe this project is open access in the sense that it can be obtained in a certain way, whether that be through an online portal or through purchase. In addition, resources providing information on Angkor and the Khmer empire are given. However, I believe the actual data and source code used to make the different components of the tool are not available to the public.