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FEATURE Digging for Truth: Archaeology Goes High Tech From drones to virtual reality, new technology is helping Connecticut archaeologists dig deeply into civilizations past and present. From analyzing DNA on cigarette butts left behind at crime scenes to using radio waves to locate the lost city of Atlantis, here’s how local researchers are making ground-breaking discoveries at home and abroad. What’s new in archaeology? It may seem like an odd question. Surely nothing can really be new in a study that involves sifting through tons of dirt, dusting off ancient relics, and learning about civilizations that are hundreds–if not thousands–of years old. But here in Connecticut, professors are using 3-D modeling in their archaeology classrooms. Forensic scholars are attaching infrared cameras to drones. Researchers are identifying the wines of forgotten bacchanals and using new methods to explore classical ruins. There’s even one local academic who, with the help of recent scientific advances, firmly believes he’s actually found the lost city of Atlantis. New technology is helping Connecticut archaeologists dig deeply into civilizations past and present, as they face challenges across the globe. Here is an overview of some of their ground-breaking discoveries. Tomb Grader Kate Birney, a Wesleyan professor with a PhD from Harvard, is using virtual reality (VR) in the field and recently began teaching a new type of archaeology class that combines classical research with modern design tools. “We’re using technology that has never been applied before,” she says, of her on-site excavations in locations like the Greek island of Crete. With x-ray fluorescence (XRF), for example, archaeologists can “figure out what kinds of metals swords are made from.” DNA analysis reveals new insights about human remains. “With new virtual reality technology, we can recreate the experience of being in ancient buildings and approaching these monuments,” she says. The tool suite the team is using is called Unreal Engine. Eventually, virtual reality will allow students anywhere in the world to step inside Cretan tombs and pick up artifacts. “The more familiar we get with this technology, the more we can teach students how to use it, as well,” she says. In the summer, students accompany her to sites in Israel and Crete to gain fieldwork experience and to see these archaeological innovations at work. Meanwhile, back in her Connecticut classroom, there’s also technical wizardry transforming the study of archaeology. Birney teaches an experimental course with professor Christopher Parslow: “Visualizing the Classical.” Students learn how to use laser scanning and photogrammetry to create 3-D images of artifacts like Etruscan vases; they build 3-D models of Crete’s Minoan palaces; they’re encouraged to ponder questions: What might the walls feel like? How does the light hit this area at different times of day? This tech makes the archeology field less rarefied, as students who can’t afford pricey trips around the world can still participate in the process via modeling. Birney also maps and records local archaeological sites on field trips with her students. Ruins in Glastonbury and 24 Seasons of West Hartford • SPRING 2017
Written by Mike Briotta REMAINS OF THE DAY: In Ashkelon, Israel, Kate Birney excavates a mysterious Hellenistic burial of a possible murder victim. Photo by Melissa Aja. Seasons of West Hartford • SPRING 2017 25
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