Digital artefacts: possibilities and purpose

Developments in 3D scanning and recording technologies now mean that almost any level of accuracy is achievable in digitisation of historic artefacts. This capability poses challenges to cultural heritage professionals (archaeologist, historian, curator, etc.) who are now confronted with previously unimaginable opportunities and therefore must ask and answer questions of the underlying purpose of collecting digitized models of artefacts, archaeological contexts, historic monuments, buildings or ruins. As with many engineering challenges, there are significant issues of price/ performance in undertaking data capture and the range of solutions may lend themselves to addressing different heritage applications. In this discussion I will address some of the potential purposes for creating and using digital artefacts, ranging from analysis to public dissemination and pose more questions than answers in considering the fitness for purpose of data being collected and the challenges of re-purposing data collected for one purpose for use in a different context.