My group is working on creating a 3D model of this Neolithic Jar in the collection of Carleton’s Perlman Teaching Museum. The jar is from China in the 25th century BCE and we are using the process known as photogrammetry to create a digital 3D version of the beautiful artifact. The model, once complete, will be uploaded to Carleton’s digital collection on Omeka.
On Wednesday, myself and another member of my group went to photograph our assigned object from the collection. The software we are using for photogrammetry, Autodesk Recap Photo, requires around 80-100 high-quality images of the object. This is just one of the many images we took. Crucially, two bright lights we set up on either side of the object in order to provide consistent lighting and enough definition for a well-detailed model.
Working with the object in the context of photogrammetry, specifically in taking dozens of photos, I was forced to view the object in a different light. Had I not engaged with it in such a way, I would likely have not paid as much attention to the shape and form of the jar as I attempted to get images of the shadowed pieces. Getting close in for shots of the details emphasized for me the minute elements that show the human aspect of such an amazingly old object. I noticed in particular the texture on the pot which seems to have been created by a toothed comb of some sort.
In the role of the modeler, I have grown more excited about sharing historical items like this jar with the public. I really appreciated the opportunity that I had to interact with such an old, yet human, object, but the limited capacity of the Perlman means that not many others get that same chance. Through 3D modeling, we are able to provide that opportunity to a greater range of people.
