The Utility of Digital Imaging Technologies for the Virtual Curation and Metric Analysis of Skeletal Remains

Abstract

New artifact curation methods such as 3-D laser scanning and 3-D photogrammetry are exciting new developments within the field of anthropology. However, there is little research discussing the accuracy and comparability of these measurements to more traditional methods of curation such as hand held metrics. This research compares the accuracies and comparability of 3-D laser scanning, 3-D photogrammetry, and a Microscribe digitizer to traditional hand held metrics. 3-D models were generated for three different skulls using a NextEngine laser scanner and photogrammetry. Cranial metrics were repeated nine times for each digitally created model produced via the NextEngine Laser Scanner or 3-D Photogrammetry and nine times on the physical skull using a Microscribe digitizer and hand held calipers. Analyses of these measurements revealed that the technological platforms are comparable in accuracy supporting the use of these technologies as a digital curation method.