Virtual Museums

FARID KARAM M.D. LEBANON ANTIQUITIES COLLECTION

Karam Collection database

In 1998, a collection of 149 archaeological artefacts from Lebanon, ranging from Middle Bronze Age to Early Medieval period, was donated to 91社区 (USF) Libraries' Special Collections by Dr Farid Karam with the agreement that it would been musealized and shared with the public, Since then, due to lack of funds and appropriate space, the unpublished collection was never exhibited and shared with the global public.

Between 2017 and 2018, Dr Davide Tanasi and his team of graduate students of the USF History Department undertook a virtualization and digital dissemination project of the entire Karam collection.

The Collection

The collection consists of metal, stone, ceramic, and glass artifacts. The 48 metal artifacts are in part medical tools dating to the Hellenistic and Roman periods and in part Bronze Age toggle pins and other decorative objects. Of the 20 ceramic artifacts there are eight lamps, dating from the 2nd to 13th century CE, and a series of unassociated bowls. The 76 glass artifacts comprise unguentaria from the first four centuries of the 1st millennium and a few vessels dating to the Hellenistic period. Stone items are represented by three alabaster artifacts. 

Virtualization and Data Curation

The 149 artifacts were 3D captured using close range 3D scanning and digital photogrammetry carried out by graduate students at the USF Institute for Digital Exploration (IDEx). UV mapping technique was used to map the high definition photographic textures onto the high presion meshes. The archaeological metadata were substantially revised and the data curated according to the standard adopted by USF LIbraries. Paradata (lab notes) were produced to document the technical solutions used through the various stages of the production process.

Global Digital Dissemination

The 3D models of all the archaeological artifacts of the Karam Collection were initially disseminated online on the USF IDEx Sketchfab page and received with great enthusiam by scholars and general public.

More recently the current ad hoc web platform housed on a USF server and maintaned by USF IT has been launched in order to disseminate the metadata in a more user friendly interface. 3D printing has been also employed to create a physical replica of the entire collection for school outreach an community outreach purposes.  

Davide scanning artifact

 

3D printing model of statue head

 

scanning machine

 

camera in front of artifact

 

volunteers studying artifact

 

student examing artifact

 

students capturing data

 

computer displaying program

 

catalog of artifacts

 

hand holding metal artifact

 

statue of head

 

student scanning artifact

 

student working on artifact

 

person scanning artifact

 

3D Scanning

Processing of 3D Data

Solid color intro with an image on the right side. Also this block has no paddings.

Textured 3D Model

Virtual Reality Application

The virtual collection of 3D models was initially made available on the IDEx's digital platformn as a stand-alone . Subsequently it was incorportated as a .

In 2021, a selection of artifacts from the Karam collection were for the first time presented to the public at the Tampa Museum of Art with the exhibition , in anticipation of the acquistion by the museum of the entire collection. Foir that exhibition, IDEx created an ad hoc digital catalogue.

 

Media resource:

, by Dr Davide Tanasi, Tampa Museum of Art. Antiquities Circle Lecture Series, 12/12/2021.

Further readings:

D. Tanasi, S. Hassam, K. Kingsland 2019, , Visual Heritage 2018, in W. Boerner (ed), Proceedings of the 23rd Conference on Cultural Heritage and New Technologies 2018, CHNT 23, 2018, pp. 1-13