Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-11DOI: 10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00518
Chaganti Durga Prasad
Statistical analysis of the structural dimensions of human figure artefacts (n = 30) reveals that indigenous skills align with universal visual standards. This research connects the perilous traditional wood turning handicraft of Etikoppaka village, Andhra Pradesh, India, with sacred Western philosophies. The data indicate that 68.63% of the measured ratios fall within the Golden ratio band, 13.94% within the 2/3 ratio band, and 11.56% within the Platinum ratio band. Additionally, interviews with design experts and artisans (n = 9) suggest these geometric regularities stem from intuitive mastery and embodied conventional knowledge rather than explicit calculation.
The merging of quantitative data with qualitative cultural insights highlights the global aesthetic norms within this endangered rural legacy. Finally, the paper outlines strategies for heritage conservation, design education, and the sustainable promotion of Indian artisanal communities within international markets.
{"title":"Universal aesthetics in the rural handicrafts of Etikoppaka village in India","authors":"Chaganti Durga Prasad","doi":"10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00518","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00518","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Statistical analysis of the structural dimensions of human figure artefacts (n = 30) reveals that indigenous skills align with universal visual standards. This research connects the perilous traditional wood turning handicraft of Etikoppaka village, Andhra Pradesh, India, with sacred Western philosophies. The data indicate that 68.63% of the measured ratios fall within the Golden ratio band, 13.94% within the 2/3 ratio band, and 11.56% within the Platinum ratio band. Additionally, interviews with design experts and artisans (n = 9) suggest these geometric regularities stem from intuitive mastery and embodied conventional knowledge rather than explicit calculation.</div><div>The merging of quantitative data with qualitative cultural insights highlights the global aesthetic norms within this endangered rural legacy. Finally, the paper outlines strategies for heritage conservation, design education, and the sustainable promotion of Indian artisanal communities within international markets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38225,"journal":{"name":"Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article e00518"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-11-20DOI: 10.1016/j.daach.2025.e00480
Federica Vacatello, Alessandro Melega
This paper presents a comparative analysis of two Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry tools — Agisoft Metashape (desktop) and Polycam (mobile) — applied to the 3D documentation of architectural features and decorative elements at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Conducted within an ongoing archaeological investigation by Sapienza University of Rome, this study evaluates the effectiveness, accuracy, and workflow adaptability of both platforms in field conditions. Two wall sections (LW J32 and LW J76) and a decorated marble base (G72) were selected for detailed modeling using both tools. Results show that Metashape delivers high-resolution meshes suitable for advanced archaeological analysis, particularly under controlled lighting and with DSLR image sets. In contrast, Polycam enables rapid, on-site documentation in spatially constrained areas, producing geometrically accurate models with acceptable visual quality. The integration of Polycam and Metashape workflows also demonstrated potential for hybrid strategies, where mobile scanning complements high-end processing. This approach proved especially effective in documenting partially obstructed or hard-to-access features. The study confirms the value of using both tools in a complementary manner to enhance archaeological recording, visualization, and interpretation workflows in complex excavation settings.
{"title":"“The track seen with Polycam”: a comparative study of SfM-based 3D documentation applied to architectural structures and decorative motifs at the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem)","authors":"Federica Vacatello, Alessandro Melega","doi":"10.1016/j.daach.2025.e00480","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.daach.2025.e00480","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents a comparative analysis of two Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry tools — Agisoft Metashape (desktop) and Polycam (mobile) — applied to the 3D documentation of architectural features and decorative elements at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Conducted within an ongoing archaeological investigation by Sapienza University of Rome, this study evaluates the effectiveness, accuracy, and workflow adaptability of both platforms in field conditions. Two wall sections (LW J32 and LW J76) and a decorated marble base (G72) were selected for detailed modeling using both tools. Results show that Metashape delivers high-resolution meshes suitable for advanced archaeological analysis, particularly under controlled lighting and with DSLR image sets. In contrast, Polycam enables rapid, on-site documentation in spatially constrained areas, producing geometrically accurate models with acceptable visual quality. The integration of Polycam and Metashape workflows also demonstrated potential for hybrid strategies, where mobile scanning complements high-end processing. This approach proved especially effective in documenting partially obstructed or hard-to-access features. The study confirms the value of using both tools in a complementary manner to enhance archaeological recording, visualization, and interpretation workflows in complex excavation settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38225,"journal":{"name":"Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article e00480"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145610254","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-04DOI: 10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00516
Danilo Paolo Pavone , Sofia Ceccarelli , Chiara Florise Amadei , Bruno Fanini , Costanza Miliani , Graziano Ranocchia
Greek papyri are an important source of information about materials and manufacture of ancient bookrolls, and the texts they transmit contribute to our knowledge of classical literature and history. Nevertheless, access to their contents is not always effortless, such as in the case of carbonised Herculaneum papyri, where the black charred substrate is morphologically complex and the text on it is indistinguishable. Herculaneum papyri– the only classical library directly survived from antiquity – were preserved through carbonisation by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The capacity of reading the text, hidden between papyrus folds and overlapping layers, is crucial for their interpretation, representing, at the same time, a methodological challenge. In this paper, an experimental approach has been developed by using Near-Infrared Macro Focus-Stacking Photogrammetry aimed at enhancing our ability to read the text contained in unrolled papyri and gaining new information about the morphology of the papyrus substrate.
{"title":"Near-infrared focus-stacking photogrammetry for surface morphology analysis and text recovery in Herculaneum papyri","authors":"Danilo Paolo Pavone , Sofia Ceccarelli , Chiara Florise Amadei , Bruno Fanini , Costanza Miliani , Graziano Ranocchia","doi":"10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00516","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00516","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Greek papyri are an important source of information about materials and manufacture of ancient bookrolls, and the texts they transmit contribute to our knowledge of classical literature and history. Nevertheless, access to their contents is not always effortless, such as in the case of carbonised Herculaneum papyri, where the black charred substrate is morphologically complex and the text on it is indistinguishable. Herculaneum papyri– the only classical library directly survived from antiquity – were preserved through carbonisation by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The capacity of reading the text, hidden between papyrus folds and overlapping layers, is crucial for their interpretation, representing, at the same time, a methodological challenge. In this paper, an experimental approach has been developed by using Near-Infrared Macro Focus-Stacking Photogrammetry aimed at enhancing our ability to read the text contained in unrolled papyri and gaining new information about the morphology of the papyrus substrate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38225,"journal":{"name":"Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article e00516"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-07DOI: 10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00515
Erkan Gürçal , Yasin Cemre Derici , Burçin Erdoğu
The aim of this article is to understand the interactions between coastal Central-Western Anatolia, Greek Eastern Macedonia and the North Aegean regions by using social network analysis to examine the regional patterning in decorated Neolithic pottery. These regions were chosen due to their similar emergence and development of pottery styles. Networks were built during three periods: 6600–6200 cal. BC; 6200–6000/5900 cal. BC and 6000/5900–5500 cal. BC. The results of the network analysis show the presence of well-developed local interaction areas during these three periods. Additionally, the results demonstrate that the similarity of pottery decoration has changed over time, with some local features also emerging.
{"title":"Social network analyses of interactions between coastal Central-Western Anatolia, Greek Eastern Macedonia and the north Aegean based on Neolithic pottery decorations","authors":"Erkan Gürçal , Yasin Cemre Derici , Burçin Erdoğu","doi":"10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00515","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00515","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The aim of this article is to understand the interactions between coastal Central-<em>Western</em> Anatolia, Greek Eastern Macedonia and the North Aegean regions by using social network analysis to examine the regional patterning in decorated Neolithic pottery. These regions were chosen due to their similar emergence and development of pottery styles. Networks were built during three periods: 6600–6200 cal. BC; 6200–6000/5900 cal. BC and 6000/5900–5500 cal. BC. The results of the network analysis show the presence of well-developed local interaction areas during these three periods. Additionally, the results demonstrate that the similarity of pottery decoration has changed over time, with some local features also emerging.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38225,"journal":{"name":"Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article e00515"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-30DOI: 10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00509
Bapu D. Chendage , Rajivkumar S. Mente
This paper presents an inscription image database for the ancient Marathi inscription image enhancement system. The database was created from inscription images of carved ancient Marathi text of ancient time. Thus, the database provides the basis for developing algorithms for ancient Marathi inscription image enhancement system. The database contains 1000 inscription images; it consists of 10,000 characters from ancient times. Augmentation techniques play an important role in enhancing image processing models’ performance. Different traditional and Machine learning based augmentation techniques are applied on database. The experiments showed that common methods like flipping, rotating, and resizing resulted in PSNR values under 20 dB with moderate SSIM scores around 0.7, suggesting less improvements in inscription images. GAN-based and Style Transfer GAN methods greatly improved image quality, reaching PSNR values over 33 dB, SSIM scores above 0.9, and much lower perceptual distances measured by LPIPS and FID. Database is available on: https://rb.gy/lg78sk.
{"title":"Ancient Marathi Inscription Database: Evaluation of data augmentation techniques for ancient inscription enhancement system","authors":"Bapu D. Chendage , Rajivkumar S. Mente","doi":"10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00509","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00509","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents an inscription image database for the ancient Marathi inscription image enhancement system. The database was created from inscription images of carved ancient Marathi text of ancient time. Thus, the database provides the basis for developing algorithms for ancient Marathi inscription image enhancement system. The database contains 1000 inscription images; it consists of 10,000 characters from ancient times. Augmentation techniques play an important role in enhancing image processing models’ performance. Different traditional and Machine learning based augmentation techniques are applied on database. The experiments showed that common methods like flipping, rotating, and resizing resulted in PSNR values under 20 dB with moderate SSIM scores around 0.7, suggesting less improvements in inscription images. GAN-based and Style Transfer GAN methods greatly improved image quality, reaching PSNR values over 33 dB, SSIM scores above 0.9, and much lower perceptual distances measured by LPIPS and FID. Database is available on: <span><span>https://rb.gy/lg78sk</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38225,"journal":{"name":"Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article e00509"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00514
Enrique Priego de los Santos , José Herraez Boquera , José Luis Denia Rios , Jose Luis Regidor Ros
One of the main challenges faced during the final phases of the project to reintegrate the wall paintings assembly of the church of Santos Juanes in the city of Valencia (Spain) was achieving a three-dimensional fit of the pictorial program onto the irregular vault of the central nave. These frescoes, painted by the renowned artist Antonio Palomino at the end of the 17th century, were partially damaged by a fire in 1936. A subsequent and poorly executed restoration further damaged the works by removing them from the vault and dividing them into irregular panels, failing to preserve their original appearance and compositional balance.
In this new restoration project, digital techniques are being used to return the displaced paintings to their original positions. The virtual reintegration of the iconographic program through the digital processing of historical photographs has allowed for the recovery of the artwork and the enhancement of the few surviving original fragments.
The solution presented in this study is based on a methodology that constructs the optimal design so that the surface of each of the panels (parts into which the painting has been divided) adjusts to the curvature and irregular form of the vault. This ensures that the figures and allegorical characters of the paintings retain visual continuity, allowing the viewers to experience the restored paintings as closely as possible to how the painter originally intended.
To plan the restoration accurately, it was necessary to develop a detailed, textured 3D model of the architectural surfaces that housed the paintings, the barrel vault of the nave and the quarter-sphere vault of the chancel, onto which any available images from historical photographs taken before the fire were precisely adapted, enabling a virtual reconstruction of Antonio Palomino's original wall paintings.
{"title":"Digital reintegration of fragmented wall paintings: 3D texture mapping of historical photographs in the Santos Juanes church restoration","authors":"Enrique Priego de los Santos , José Herraez Boquera , José Luis Denia Rios , Jose Luis Regidor Ros","doi":"10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00514","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00514","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>One of the main challenges faced during the final phases of the project to reintegrate the wall paintings assembly of the church of Santos Juanes in the city of Valencia (Spain) was achieving a three-dimensional fit of the pictorial program onto the irregular vault of the central nave. These frescoes, painted by the renowned artist Antonio Palomino at the end of the 17th century, were partially damaged by a fire in 1936. A subsequent and poorly executed restoration further damaged the works by removing them from the vault and dividing them into irregular panels, failing to preserve their original appearance and compositional balance.</div><div>In this new restoration project, digital techniques are being used to return the displaced paintings to their original positions. The virtual reintegration of the iconographic program through the digital processing of historical photographs has allowed for the recovery of the artwork and the enhancement of the few surviving original fragments.</div><div>The solution presented in this study is based on a methodology that constructs the optimal design so that the surface of each of the panels (parts into which the painting has been divided) adjusts to the curvature and irregular form of the vault. This ensures that the figures and allegorical characters of the paintings retain visual continuity, allowing the viewers to experience the restored paintings as closely as possible to how the painter originally intended.</div><div>To plan the restoration accurately, it was necessary to develop a detailed, textured 3D model of the architectural surfaces that housed the paintings, the barrel vault of the nave and the quarter-sphere vault of the chancel, onto which any available images from historical photographs taken before the fire were precisely adapted, enabling a virtual reconstruction of Antonio Palomino's original wall paintings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38225,"journal":{"name":"Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article e00514"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00497
Luka Škerjanec , Saša Čaval , Žiga Kokalj
This study explores the medieval funerary phenomenon of stećci through advanced digital techniques. Employing photogrammetry and structured light scanning, we digitised a number of stećci to compare the effectiveness of these methods for accurate surface reconstruction. The comparisons have shown that both methods are capable of producing comparable models under optimal capturing conditions. A number of different smoothing and mesh refinement techniques were employed to remove surface deformations and make the carvings more visible. The use of surface-enhancing visualisations proved to be a prerequisite for accurate and reliable interpretation of the iconographic and epigraphic features on stećci. Among the tested visualisations, those based on Digital Elevation Models (DEM) were the most effective, with the Simple Local Relief Model (SLRM) combined with hillshading from three directions (HSMD) proving particularly reliable.
{"title":"Digitising stećci – 3D documentation and relief visualisation of medieval tombstones","authors":"Luka Škerjanec , Saša Čaval , Žiga Kokalj","doi":"10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00497","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00497","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the medieval funerary phenomenon of stećci through advanced digital techniques. Employing photogrammetry and structured light scanning, we digitised a number of stećci to compare the effectiveness of these methods for accurate surface reconstruction. The comparisons have shown that both methods are capable of producing comparable models under optimal capturing conditions. A number of different smoothing and mesh refinement techniques were employed to remove surface deformations and make the carvings more visible. The use of surface-enhancing visualisations proved to be a prerequisite for accurate and reliable interpretation of the iconographic and epigraphic features on stećci. Among the tested visualisations, those based on Digital Elevation Models (DEM) were the most effective, with the Simple Local Relief Model (SLRM) combined with hillshading from three directions (HSMD) proving particularly reliable.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38225,"journal":{"name":"Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article e00497"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146077574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.daach.2025.e00487
Aleksei Moskvin , Mariia Moskvina , Victor Kuzmichev
Digitisation of historical clothing through 3D modelling offers transformative opportunities for preserving and studying cultural heritage. However, the complexity of digital twins limits their practical application. This study introduces a data-driven optimisation framework balancing geometric accuracy and performance of models. The framework employs 200 high-polygonal models and 2000 simplified versions generated via the quadric-based edge collapse algorithm to measure approximation errors with the Hausdorff distance. Regression models were developed to predict these errors based on the number of triangles per unit area (TPC). A target TPC range of 26.22 … 2.40 triangles/cm2 was established and validated through out-of-sample testing on examples created via 3D scanning, photogrammetry, and CAD reconstruction. Results show the framework maintains acceptable geometric accuracy while significantly improving rendering speed, processing time and file size. This approach enhances the reliability and clarity of digital representations of historical clothing, supporting their use in virtual museums, education and research.
{"title":"Optimising 3D models of historical clothing: A data-driven framework for balancing accuracy and performance","authors":"Aleksei Moskvin , Mariia Moskvina , Victor Kuzmichev","doi":"10.1016/j.daach.2025.e00487","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.daach.2025.e00487","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Digitisation of historical clothing through 3D modelling offers transformative opportunities for preserving and studying cultural heritage. However, the complexity of digital twins limits their practical application. This study introduces a data-driven optimisation framework balancing geometric accuracy and performance of models. The framework employs 200 high-polygonal models and 2000 simplified versions generated via the quadric-based edge collapse algorithm to measure approximation errors with the Hausdorff distance. Regression models were developed to predict these errors based on the number of triangles per unit area (TPC). A target TPC range of 26.22 … 2.40 triangles/cm<sup>2</sup> was established and validated through out-of-sample testing on examples created via 3D scanning, photogrammetry, and CAD reconstruction. Results show the framework maintains acceptable geometric accuracy while significantly improving rendering speed, processing time and file size. This approach enhances the reliability and clarity of digital representations of historical clothing, supporting their use in virtual museums, education and research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38225,"journal":{"name":"Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article e00487"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145685168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-11-21DOI: 10.1016/j.daach.2025.e00476
Wenjie Xu
Objectives
This study evaluates the usability and impact of the "Hidden Stories" augmented reality (AR) application at the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, a cultural institution dedicated to preserving Chinese Canadian heritage. The research aimed to assess how AR storytelling enhances visitor engagement, emotional connection, and educational outcomes in a museum context.
Methods
A functional AR prototype was developed, allowing interactive exploration of artifacts and narratives through marker-based scanning and gamified challenges. The study involved 47 participants, primarily students and academics, who evaluated the prototype using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and Museum Experience Scale (MES). Factor analysis was also conducted to validate the MES dimensions, including an assessment of sampling adequacy and factor loadings, providing evidence of the structural validity of the scale.
Results
The AR prototype achieved an SUS score of 77.34 ± 8.21, suggesting an above-average evaluation of the system's usability and maturity. The response from the MES questionnaire supplied significantly higher scores for the AR-naïve participants on “engagement,” “knowledge/learning,” “experiential meaning,” and “emotional connection.” Participants without prior AR experience exhibited a stronger response across all measured dimensions of the experience compared to those with AR experience.
Conclusions
Overall, the use of AR at the Chinatown Storytelling Centre achieved the expected outcomes. Most participants found the AR experience engaging and educational, offering potential for deeper emotional connections with the content. These findings emphasize the significant potential of AR storytelling within art museums, inspiring further exploration of cultural narrative dissemination and educational approaches in the future. While the results suggest AR storytelling has strong potential for positive cultural learning outcomes, future studies should include a larger, more diverse sample to more fully capture the experiences of different demographic groups.
{"title":"Cultural narratives through Augmented Reality (AR): Hidden stories in the Chinatown Storytelling Centre","authors":"Wenjie Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.daach.2025.e00476","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.daach.2025.e00476","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study evaluates the usability and impact of the \"Hidden Stories\" augmented reality (AR) application at the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, a cultural institution dedicated to preserving Chinese Canadian heritage. The research aimed to assess how AR storytelling enhances visitor engagement, emotional connection, and educational outcomes in a museum context.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A functional AR prototype was developed, allowing interactive exploration of artifacts and narratives through marker-based scanning and gamified challenges. The study involved 47 participants, primarily students and academics, who evaluated the prototype using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and Museum Experience Scale (MES). Factor analysis was also conducted to validate the MES dimensions, including an assessment of sampling adequacy and factor loadings, providing evidence of the structural validity of the scale.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The AR prototype achieved an SUS score of 77.34 ± 8.21, suggesting an above-average evaluation of the system's usability and maturity. The response from the MES questionnaire supplied significantly higher scores for the AR-naïve participants on “engagement,” “knowledge/learning,” “experiential meaning,” and “emotional connection.” Participants without prior AR experience exhibited a stronger response across all measured dimensions of the experience compared to those with AR experience.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Overall, the use of AR at the Chinatown Storytelling Centre achieved the expected outcomes. Most participants found the AR experience engaging and educational, offering potential for deeper emotional connections with the content. These findings emphasize the significant potential of AR storytelling within art museums, inspiring further exploration of cultural narrative dissemination and educational approaches in the future. While the results suggest AR storytelling has strong potential for positive cultural learning outcomes, future studies should include a larger, more diverse sample to more fully capture the experiences of different demographic groups.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38225,"journal":{"name":"Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article e00476"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145685169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-28DOI: 10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00523
Cinzia Bettineschi , Stefan Reuter , Sebastian Gairhos , Natascha Sojc
Coins constitute an exceptional source of archaeological, chronological, and historical information. In this paper, we explore the potential of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for analyzing a selection of over 4000 Roman coins unearthed within the city of Augsburg (Germany). By integrating the numismatic database built by the local Stadtarchäologie in the existing AugustaGIS developed in cooperation with the University of Augsburg, we were able to visualize the density and distribution of the coins, offering new hints to interpret the urban development of the city. In particular, we present two case studies to showcase the relevance of the approach, the first related to the formative phase of the settlement in early Imperial times, and the second devoted to better understanding the extension of the city during the Late Roman period (4th to early 5th century AD).
{"title":"Coins as proxy for urban development: Rethinking Augusta Vindelicum via digital geonumismatics","authors":"Cinzia Bettineschi , Stefan Reuter , Sebastian Gairhos , Natascha Sojc","doi":"10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00523","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.daach.2026.e00523","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coins constitute an exceptional source of archaeological, chronological, and historical information. In this paper, we explore the potential of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for analyzing a selection of over 4000 Roman coins unearthed within the city of Augsburg (Germany). By integrating the numismatic database built by the local Stadtarchäologie in the existing AugustaGIS developed in cooperation with the University of Augsburg, we were able to visualize the density and distribution of the coins, offering new hints to interpret the urban development of the city. In particular, we present two case studies to showcase the relevance of the approach, the first related to the formative phase of the settlement in early Imperial times, and the second devoted to better understanding the extension of the city during the Late Roman period (4th to early 5th century AD).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38225,"journal":{"name":"Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article e00523"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147395165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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