Storyline
Archeology 2.0 explores the means by which modern
technologies are helping us to uncover the secrets of our
past like never before.
Northwest of Dublin, archeologists examine a series of tombs
that were first constructed thousands of years ago. Valuable
evidence of this ancient life lies deep underground.
Using a
wheeled apparatus adorned with highly sensitive magnetic
sensors, these explorers can cover a lot of ground, record
valuable geometric measurements and detect these buried
treasures with pinpoint accuracy.
Meanwhile, in Berlin, archeologists work alongside virtual
reality game designers to step through three-dimensional
replications of underground sites.
From
here, they can better understand spatial dimensions, decode
ancient languages and hieroglyphics, and preserve a model of
history for future generations.
In the Baltic Sea, researchers have uncovered a submerged
merchant ship from the 14th century. Using 3D cameras, they
can capture high-resolution imagery from this and other
ancient shipwrecks in the area.
Unfettered by underwater pollutants - the kind that obscure
human sight - these images allow them to reconstruct these
once glorious vessels with unparalleled detail and clarity.
Aerial archeology is also carried out digitally.
Drones
help researchers locate the grave of a Celtic prince and the
priceless headgear and jewels that adorn his remains. Small
commuter airplanes perform
lidar scans using laser beams.
These
ground penetrating radars unveil burial sites and other
structures that have long evaded discovery.
It's a brave new world for archeologists. No longer are they
limited to handheld dusters, shovels and pick axes.
Technology helps them unlock the mysteries that might lie
right under their feet, and makes their examination of
ancient sites and artifacts more efficient and revealing.
Technology has not only rendered the process of archeology
more fruitful. It also helped to make it more democratic.
These
images and 3D models can be shared with the masses through
the internet, allowing the lessons of our past to resound
far beyond the confines of an archeologist's laboratory.
Swift, entertaining and enlightening, Archeology 2.0
celebrates living history, our evolving interactions with
it, and what it might reveal about who we are and where we
came from.
It's a
fascinating take on how our present and future informs our
understanding of the past.
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