24 Mar 2026
Students at the 2026 Winter School gained hands-on experience in capturing lithic objects and producing highly detailed 3D models through advanced scanning techniques.
Munich, Germany – March 24, 2026 — As part of the 2026 Winter School on Museum Collections
Digitisation and Dissemination Methods, students and researchers from the Institute for Digital Cultural Heritage Studies took part in a practical training session focused on the 3D digitisation of lithic artefacts.
The session was led by Dr. Anastasia Eleftheriadou, who introduced participants to high-resolution object capture using the Artec Space Spider scanner. Known for its precision in recording fine surface details, the device enabled students to accurately document the complex geometries of stone tools.
The objects used in this session are part of an experimental lithic collection donated to the institute by the TraCEr (Laboratory for Traceology and Controlled Experiments) at the MONREPOS Archaeological Research Centre and Museum. The collection was created under the direction of Dr. João Marreiros and includes a diverse range of raw materials and artifact types, such as flakes, cores, and tools, providing an essential resource for experimental and analytical research. This donation is very much appreciated.
During the training, students were guided through the complete workflow, including data acquisition, optimal scanning strategies, and post-processing steps such as alignment, mesh generation, and refinement.
By the end of the session, participants successfully produced highly precise 3D models of the lithic artifacts, demonstrating both the accuracy of the technology and the technical skills they had developed. The activity provided valuable practical experience and highlighted the importance of high-resolution 3D documentation in archaeological research and analysis.