Presentation for the ITN-DCH 2016 Summer School (theme: “Cultural Heritage Simulations in Mixed Reality”) within the CGI 2016 conference in Heraklion, Greece

1. The role, the work, the needs
An insider’s point of view
Cultural Heritage
managed by the
Antiquities Ephorates
Michael Tsioumas
Rural and Surveying Engineer, MSc, BEng
Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports
Antiquities Ephorate of Kilkis / Department of archaeological works and studies

2. The Antiquities Ephorates
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A public service
(department within the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports)
responsible for the management and administration of
archaeological sites, monuments and cultural objects
within a regional unit
Greek éphoros / Latin ephorus :
overseer, guardian, ruler

3. The Antiquities Ephorates
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Prehistoric and Classical
Byzantine – Post-Byzantine
Antiquities

4. The Antiquities Ephorates
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Prehistoric and Classical
Byzantine – Post-Byzantine
Antiquities

5. The Antiquities Ephorates
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Antiquities Ephorate of Kilkis
ca 85x60km or 50x40mi
Archaeological sites or monuments:
• 63 Prehistoric and Classical
• 132 Byzantine and Post-Byzantine
1 small museum

6. The role of the Antiquities Ephorates
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Scientific
• Archaeology
• Engineering
• Conservation
Administrative
• Permissions
• Administration of
archaeological sites,
monuments and
facilities
• Protection
(from destruction,
smuggling etc.)
• Archives
Role

7. The administrative role
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Every work, study,
publication or use of
archaeological
sites, monuments or
cultural objects must
have the permission
of the Ephorate or
the Ministry
Cultural
heritage’s
main
administrator
/manager
• Setting the standards
• Providing the
initial/primary data
• Judging the outcomes
• Restricting the use
• Restricting the works
(even in the
surrounding area)
Permissions:

8. The administrative role
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Restrictions
especially in private
works e.g. house
building, investments,
real estate etc.
Unhappiness
Heritage considered as a
bad thing
especially when there isn’t
much to see and to understand
(ruins, some ceramic/pottery,
some stones etc.)

9. The administrative role
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Restrictions
especially in private
works e.g. house
building, investments,
real estate etc.
Unhappiness
Heritage considered as a
bad thing
especially when there isn’t
much to see and to understand
(ruins, some ceramic/pottery,
some stones etc.)
Visualization
Graphics,
MR/VR/AR
People understand
and support
Happiness
Protection and Preservation
is easier when people
know – understand - love - support

10. The administrative role
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Ephorate
Products
(e.g. Graphics)
as a customer
as a consumer
as a
provider
Public
consumer
Public
consumer
“Market” terms
New data
(data processing, research)
New products

11. The scientific role
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Archaeology
 Excavations
 Documentation
 Study - research
 Museums –
exhibitions –
museological
studies
 Development and
promotion of
sites/monuments
 Publications
Engineering
 Technical
documentation
 Works and
supervision
 Museographical
studies
 Surveying
 Restoration
Conservation
 Conservation and
aesthetic
restoration

12. The scientific role
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Interdisciplinary
 Excavations
 Documentation and Analysis
 Archaeological sites and monuments
 Restoration and Conservation
 Museums and Exhibitions

13. The scientific role
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Excavations
Unveiling the past
Findings

14. The scientific role
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Excavations
Unveiling the past
Findings

15. The scientific role
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Excavations
Unveiling the past
Findings

16. The scientific role
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Excavations
 Fieldwork notes taken by
hand
 On site rough sketches
drawn by hand
 Difficulty in describing the
3D position and the spatial
relation of objects
 Storing (till conservation,
studying, exhibiting)

17. The scientific role
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Excavations
 Fieldwork notes taken by
hand
 On site rough sketches
drawn by hand
 Difficulty in describing the
3D position and the spatial
relation of objects
 Storing (till conservation,
studying, exhibiting)
Graphics/VR/AR/MR
 Virtual excavation phases and
objects (with position information)
(see where objects where in relation
to the current excavation phase)
 Stromatography modeling
 Virtual notes (aging, bibliography)
 Automated soil color matching
 Pattern recognition
 Less storing
 Faster / on site documentation

18. The scientific role
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Documentation - Analysis
Archaeological
Technical
• Recording
• Identification
• Aging
• Photography

19. The scientific role
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Documentation - Analysis
Archaeological
Technical

20. The scientific role
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Documentation - Analysis
Archaeological
Technical

21. The scientific role
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Documentation - Analysis
 Object’s identification and
aging based on studier’s
criterion and knowledge
 Photos only from 2-4 angles
 Fixed photo illumination
 Predefined technical
designs (top/side views,
sections)
 Surveying minimum design-
depending points
 The need of the prototype
(damage danger)
Graphics/VR/AR/MR
 Studying/examining the virtual model
not the prototype
 Model’s automated analysis
 Pattern recognition
 Virtual notes (bibliography, aging)
 3D modeling providing designs of all
kinds and photos of all angles
 Virtual illumination unveils hidden
information
 Rapid prototyping (the whole or in
pieces/sections)

22. The scientific role
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Documentation - Analysis
Graphics/VR/AR/MR
 Studying/examining the virtual model
not the prototype
 Model’s automated analysis
 Pattern recognition
 Virtual notes (bibliography, aging)
 3D modeling providing designs of all
kinds and photos of all angles
 Virtual illumination unveils hidden
information
 Rapid prototyping (the whole or in
pieces/sections)

23. The scientific role
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Archaeological sites and monuments
Discovering - Locating
Administrating
Preserving,
developing and
promoting

24. The scientific role
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Archaeological sites and monuments
Discovering - Locating
Administrating
Preserving,
developing and
promoting

25. The scientific role
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Archaeological sites and monuments
Discovering - Locating
Administrating
Preserving,
developing and
promoting

26. The scientific role
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Archaeological sites and monuments
 Numerous, scattered, distant
 In bad condition due to lack
of funding and personnel
(workers, guards)
 Lack of information provided
(only some information
stands)
 Lack of visualization, which
drives to poor understanding
 Non-accessible antiquities
e.g. in basements, moved,
covered

27. The scientific role
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Archaeological sites and monuments
 Numerous, scattered, distant
 In bad condition due to lack
of funding and personnel
(workers, guards)
 Lack of information provided
(only some information
stands)
 Lack of visualization, which
drives to poor understanding
 Non accessible antiquities
e.g. in basements, moved,
covered
Graphics/VR/AR/MR
 More information
 Virtual representation
 Directions (enabling also GPS)
 Virtual tours
 Virtual non accessible antiquities
(even hidden cities)
 Attracting younger audience

28. The scientific role
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Restoration - Conservation
Monuments
Objects

29. The scientific role
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Restoration - Conservation
Monuments
Objects

30. The scientific role
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Restoration - Conservation
 Permanent
 Study never ends
 Expensive
 Lack of (regular) funding
 Lack of (specialized)
personnel
 Large “waiting” list
Graphics/VR/AR/MR
 Virtual recreation/restoration
 Documented visualization
 Research driven (regular) updates (it
can start with a rough model and
constantly evolve)
 Non permanent harm can be done
 Faster
 Cheaper

31. The scientific role
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Museums - Exhibitions
Small peripheral museums
Exhibitions

32. The scientific role
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Museums - Exhibitions
Small peripheral museums
Exhibitions

33. The scientific role
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Museums - Exhibitions
 Small museums > lack of
room for exhibitions /
storing / conserving)
 Scattered/distant museums
but with interesting artifacts
 Too much information in
small notes (only in two
languages)
 Lack of funding for
changes
Graphics/VR/AR/MR
 Exceeding the exhibition’s space
(creating more virtual room)
 Easy to understand information
 Changes can be done easily and
cheap
 Impressive presentation including
sound and video/animation
 Complete/thorough museological
study (artifacts shown in their exact
position)

34. Examples
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35. Epilogue
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More projects/jobs
Better understanding of
the market and it’s needs
Better products
Museums must be the center of interest
Infrastructure is ready
Younger generations are the future of the “past”
Graphics must be embedded in the Ephorate’s workflow

36. Epilogue
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37. The role, the work, the needs
An insider’s point of view
Cultural Heritage
managed by the
Antiquities Ephorates
Michael Tsioumas
Rural and Surveying Engineer, MSc, BEng
Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports
Antiquities Ephorate of Kilkis / Department of archaeological works and studies