Drawing helps archaeologists understand the past

News | Posted on Wednesday 20 October 2021

New interdisciplinary project reveals knowledge production in archaeology

Dr James Taylor and Dr Catriona Cooper examine a tablet during the Elizabeth Castle Jersey excavation project.
Dr James Taylor and Dr Catriona Cooper examine a tablet during the Elizabeth Castle Jersey excavation project.

New publication from Dr Colleen Morgan, Dr Holly Wright and Dr James Taylor in the Department of Archaeology and Professor Helen Petrie from the Department of Computer Science at the University of York investigates how drawings help archaeologists understand the past.

The article, Drawing and Knowledge Construction in Archaeology: The Aide Mémoire Project, builds on extensive research into analog and digital methods of recording archaeological remains and proposes a new way to understand knowledge construction in archaeology. The authors used innovative methods including the NASA Task-Load Index to assess and compare the mental load while drawing digitally or by-hand. They conclude that there are significant pedagogical, academic, and professional implications to consider when removing or replacing by-hand drawing with digital recording in archaeological methodology.

Read the article online 

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