Cite this as: Derudas, P., Dell'Unto, N., Berggren, A., Campanaro, D.M., Svensson, A., Fauvelle, M., Larsson, J. and Dininno, D. 2026 Observing Reuse of 3D Data in Archaeological Excavations, Internet Archaeology 71. https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.71.5
This study focuses on understanding how archaeologists interact with and reuse 3D data during excavation, drawing on an ad-hoc experiment and a discourse analysis approach taken from socio-linguistic disciplines.
The experiment, conducted during the excavation of an Iron Age ‘central place’ in Sweden, reveals the multifaceted utility of 3D models in archaeological discussions. Our analysis shows that these models function as effective tools for visualisation and measurement, and they support interpretation, decision-making, and knowledge production in the field. The results demonstrate that when appropriate tools are available for accessing and working with digital data, including 3D models, instances of reuse increase significantly, improving communication, knowledge exchange, and interpretive reasoning during excavation.
These findings highlight the importance of continuing to explore how 3D models are reused within archaeological workflows, particularly to facilitate collaborative interpretation and field-based decision-making.
Corresponding author: Paola Derudas
[email protected]
Lund University
Nicolò Dell’Unto
Lund University
Åsa Berggren
Lund University
Danilo Marco Campanaro
Lund University
Andreas Svensson
Lund University, Sydvensk Arkeologi AB
Mikael Fauvelle
Lund University
Jens Larsson
Lund University
Domenica Dininno
Italian National Research Council
Figure 1: Map of Västra Vång displaying the location of the site in Southeastern Sweden (top-left), the areas investigated across the years (bottom-left), Trenches A (right) and B (left) excavated in 2023. Map by Paola Derudas and Danilo M. Campanaro, reproduced with permission.
Figure 2: Workflow of the 3D data reuse experiment. Data collection through audio-video recordings conducted before and after the field investigation to capture team discussions and the use of 3D data in interpretation. These recordings were later analysed to support the review and interpretation of results.
Figure 3: Summary of video acquisition (before and during the excavation) and analysis. The process involved reviewing recorded meetings, using ELAN to annotate conversations, and categorising them into distinct communicative functions. Verbal and non-verbal elements were aligned with 3D models, enabling a detailed analysis of the interactions and genres within the archaeological discussions. Courtesy of Paola Derudas.
Figure 4: The ELAN layout: on the top left is the movie frame, and on the top right is the annotation list. Here, an SA annotation and the linked 3D models are highlighted. At the bottom, there is the annotation panel, where it is possible to visualise the SA timeframe. Courtesy of Paola Derudas.
Figure 5: The chart shows SA genres in which archaeologists used and reused 3D models. The different colours are associated with the SA’s genres as described above (yellow for one-genre SA, green for two-genre SA, for three-genres SA, and grey for SAs with no use of 3D models)
Figure 6: The pre-excavation meeting. Participants could carry out their conversation either using the 3D models either on the big screen or using their personal laptops. Photo credit by Nicolò Dell’Unto
Figure 7: During the pre-excavation meeting, participants utilise 3D models to visually enhance their arguments by changing perspectives and zooming in.
Figure 8: In the after-dinner meeting, the participants engage in their conversations by taking advantage of the 3D models from the AIR platform: (1) the fish-eye view from the 360-degree camera encompasses all participants, where the operator handles the data in the laptop and the colleague point to the screen while describing the day excavation activities. (2-5) Various participants by the wall screen use 3D models in their speeches.
Figure 9: During the after-dinner meeting, archaeologists from Trench B (1) and Trench A (2) use 3D models on AIR to illustrate the excavation activities conducted during the day, convey interpretive hypotheses visually, and collaboratively decide how to proceed the next day.
Table 1: All SA genres identified in conversation analysis. Several conversations were characterised by more than one genre, and we represented them using colours: yellow represents one-genre SA, green represents two-genre SA, blue represents three-genres SA; and in white, the SA in which archaeologists did not use 3D models
Table 2: Analytical representation of archaeologists' reuse of 3D data in the pre-ex-conversations during the meeting held on 2023-04-24. The different colours (yellow, green, blue, and white) represent the frequency of the different genres used in the SA. The SA in yellow is a unique genre; in green the two-genre SA; in blue, the three-genre SA; and in white, the SA in which archaeologists did not use 3D models.
Table 3: Analytical representation of archaeologists' reuse of 3D data in the post-ex conversations during the meeting held on 2023-05-02
Table 4: Analytical representation of archaeologists' reuse of 3D data in the post-ex conversation during the meeting held on 2023-05-03
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