Virtually Tangible: Digital Preservation and Accessibility of Heritage and History

Abstract

People’s identities are deeply connected to the objects and places that are part of their history and heritage. Many sources of tangible cultural heritage are inaccessible to the public at best and threatened by imminent eradication at worst. As with other problems, it is important to consider how technological advancements can be employed to address and mitigate the detrimental implications. By creating digital models of artifacts firsthand and consulting existing academic literature in numerous fields, it becomes evident that digitization can safeguard and disseminate knowledge of such key sites and artifacts, thereby maintaining and immortalizing integral aspects of various cultures. Primary examples include 2D scans of documents, digital and physical 3D models of artifacts, online tours of heritage sites, and virtual reality simulations that portray ruins prior to their state of disrepair. The widespread accessibility granted by such digital preservation methods promotes these virtual versions as instruments of preservation, museum engagement, classroom experience, and other settings. It also helps bridge the disconnect between people and objects of utmost importance to their heritage. As part of the Digital Epigraphy and Archaeology Project (DEA), a global initiative established by the University of Florida’s Digital Worlds Institute and the Department of Classics, this study provides key insights into how various digitization technologies can be utilized to advance education, access, and preservation of histories and heritages around the world.