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Digital Scholarship & Publishing Studio

Author: myataung

May 13 2022

Digitally Reconstructing Ancient Architectural Spaces: Lessons Learned

Posted on May 13, 2022 by Myat Aung

Earlier in the semester, I had been thinking about the challenges of incorporating sensory research into 3D modeling with a goal in mind to complete a 3D digital model of an artificial cave in a Roman villa, one of my case studies for my dissertation. Throughout the semester, I had a different set of challenges, which I did not realize were all part of the process, and from these challenges, I learned three important lessons.

The first lesson is that my project would not come into fruition without my consultation with one of my dissertation committee members, who imparted me with his knowledge on architectural modeling of complex ancient structures. I recall spending 7 long hours on modeling a ribbed, half-dome and failing to do so after creating over 20 different models that appeared nothing like the ancient dome that I was attempting to replicate. I was able to create a half-dome close to the original structure after the discussion with my professor, which reminded me that collaboration and incorporation of a set of different voices into a project are critical to the success of the project.

My multiple attempts and failures to recreate the ancient half-dome also taught me a second lesson, which is the importance of learning from the process. By creating over 40 different models of the structure, I have gained a more intimate knowledge of the complexities in ancient architectural constructions than I would have just from studying the floor plans and/or cross-section plans of the structure. I also find comfort in learning—after reading a few journal articles—that several art and architectural historians as well as engineers have also been running into the same issues and trying to answer the same questions I had about the architecture of this complex dome through digital modeling.

The final lesson I learned is about setting realistic goals regarding large ambitious projects, taking into account technical obstacles that may potentially arise. While I was able to create a 3D model, I am still waiting for access to a rendering plug-in that I need to create my final product. I lost access to Adobe Suite for a few weeks, but thanks to the Digital Studio (cheers, Ethan!), I regained my access to create textures required for the model. I learned that no project is final, and I am grateful that I have a long-term support beyond this digital capstone course for continuing and completing this project for my dissertation.

Posted in PDH Certificate
Mar 07 2022

Digitally Reconstructing Ancient Architectural Spaces: Challenges and Goals

Posted on March 7, 2022March 15, 2022 by Myat Aung

My project for the PDH certificate capstone involves a 3D digital reconstruction of art, architecture, and hydraulic amenities in the manmade dining cave at the villa owned by Roman Emperor Hadrian, using AutoCAD and 3Ds Max. This 3D model makes up one of the four case studies in my dissertation, which uses 3D digital modeling to contextualize ancient sensory experiences in natural caves and manmade cave-like spaces with water features that elite Romans incorporated into their villas. I have dabbled with different digital approaches to my topic since my Master’s, including two 3D models, an Omeka site, and maps, but faithful replication of ancient spaces has always been a challenge. In fact, I have started contemplating on ethics and authenticity of digital reconstructions since my time as a Studio Fellow in Summer 2020 when I tackled the question of who ultimately decides what is authentic in a modern digital reconstruction of ancient architectural spaces that have long lost their embellishments. This question has now become more complicated when I am attempt to represent ancient senses that are lost to us today through a digital medium.

Many of us are fortunate enough to experience the world through all five canonical senses, and yet art historical discussions are predominantly focused on sight. Arguments surrounding senses beyond sight are often prematurely dismissed, even though museums in the recent decades are pushing the boundaries of art and visitor experience in their exhibitions. Reconstructing ancient senses, however, has its own complex challenges. Most of what we could gather about ancient sensory experiences came from writings of ancient elites—in my case, Roman authors like Pliny the Younger—and these descriptions provided only one aspect of the diverse sensory experiences of the ancient world. Scholars who engage in discussions of ancient senses turn to archaeological evidence to support ancient writings and to fill in the blanks.

Contextualizing ancient senses in modern terms is already a difficult feat, so what do I hope to achieve through these reconstructions? Firstly, I want to digitally interpret the ways in which elite Romans curated their natural and artificial caves, including bodily senses, emotional responses, and interactions of ancient visitors with their immediate environments. Secondly, I want to explore changes in light, sounds, movements, and temporality in these caves throughout the day and in different seasons and the possible effects of these changes on ancient visitor experience. For these two goals, I hope to conduct field research in the near future to gather quantitative sensory data, including measuring temperature, as well as light, sound, and humidity levels to paint a relatively more accurate picture of ancient sensory environments. Finally, I want to draw modern audience’s attention to the potentials of digital reconstructions in experiencing ancient architectural spaces whose multisensory stimuli are not fully attested today.

While I am eager to achieve these goals, I am well aware of the limitations of 3D reconstructions alone in interpreting ancient senses. I do not have easy access to advanced technology and equipment, such as haptic devices for 3D touch, or means to replicate smells in my 3Ds Max models, which could only replicate visual and auditory experiences. But as we know in digital humanities, we all work collaboratively, and so I hope to continue my project in some shape or form in my career down the road. As of now, I will have to be satisfied with the creation of 3D digital model of one artificial cave as the first of many steps towards my aforementioned goals. By the end of the semester, I hope to have completed a 3D reconstruction of the architecture and decorative program, as well as the artificial waterfall and river in the imperial dining cave of Hadrian in Tivoli.

-Myat Aung

Posted in PDH Certificate
Jul 28 2020

3D Modeling Project Thoughts and Reflection

Posted on July 28, 2020 by Myat Aung

In my initial blog post, I reflected on finding the balance between artistic and academic digital reconstructions, hoping to engage with the topic more closely throughout my project, and I am rather pleased with how it turned out.

It is nearly impossible to create strictly academic 3D models. The more I studied the archaeological drawings and measurements closely, the more discrepancies I found in the data. These discrepancies became more evident when using a precise drafting software like AutoCAD. I believe, however, that a more accurate measuring procedure (e.g. LiDAR scanning) would solve an issue like this. Archaeological drawings are a wonderful start, but they are not complete and most of them are in black and white. A lot of my reconstruction process thus involved making educated choices about the colors and placements of the paintings/mosaics/stucco since the exact arrangement of many of the decorative motifs was not recorded. However, thanks to the large number of preserved Roman wall paintings from the same era, I was able to take artistic (yet informed) liberties.

Despite some technical challenges, I would not be able to complete this project without the remote desktop access to a Windows OS computer that can run AutoCAD and 3Ds Max. Once I have completed the model, I plan to explore different lighting (day or night) and weather conditions to better understand the use of the building in 3Ds Max and V-Ray (Thank you, Ethan, for installing it for me). Participating in weekly fellowship meetings made me brainstorm ideas on how to present, share, and preserve my models long term. Now that I am at a near completion of my project, I hope I can find hosting sites that would best accommodate my research goals.

Moving forward, there are several possible directions my project can take, some of which I hope to complete as a capstone project for my Public Digital Humanities Certificate. I plan on incorporating GIS data to explore the topography and viewsheds in the model, which would potentially enhance the user experience. I would also like to develop a VR experience when creating virtual walkthroughs and to code in pop-ups in the VR, so that users can interact with the space as they move through it. Eventually I intend to feature my model on my website among other 3D reconstruction projects. I am thankful that the scholars at the Studio are more than willing to collaborate with the fellows even beyond this summer.

Being a Studio summer fellow has definitely helped me think more critically about my projects than before. Here is a video of me reflecting on the experience:

-Myat Aung

Posted in Studio Fellows
Jul 01 2020

Fine Line between Academic and Artistic 3D Reconstructions

Posted on July 1, 2020 by Myat Aung

My project as a Studio fellow this summer is to create a 3D model of an ancient Roman water fountain, commonly known as the “Auditorium of Maecenas,” with the goal to understand this space as a holistic, multisensorial environment.


I believe there is an interesting paradox in creating immersive, sensorially-rich digital reconstructions. As more and more people interact with their digital screens, there is a demand for virtual visits to ancient sites that are not readily accessible, and the proliferation of virtual and augmented reality technology has increased this demand. At the same time, digital sensory experiences distance us from physical engagement with the sites. Beyond this paradox, Ancient Art History and Archaeology have always had a love/hate relationship with 3D reconstructions of buildings like the Auditorium, especially when they are created by those without an academic background. More often than not these types of reconstructions are deemed “too flashy” and unworthy of academic consideration. The ubiquity of populist 3D visualizations with enticing colors, textures, and artistic imaginations filled with sensorial stimuli unfortunately divides scholars and lay audiences, who have different educational backgrounds and approaches to archaeological sites.

If the accuracy is what scholars cherish, how do we reconcile the differences between academic models and flamboyant artistic reimaginations? The early stages of my project directly engage with this question as I reconstruct the faded colors and figures in the wall paintings that are over 2000 years old. Excavation reports and remaining fragments provide basic ideas about what the paintings would have looked like, but in order to replicate their rich and evocative nature, I have to take some informed artistic liberties if I want to recreate a sensory-rich environment that is both educational and experiential. This is currently being done through cross-referencing similar subject matter in contemporary Roman paintings. (This process is long and arduous, which makes me wonder if a database of ancient Roman wall paintings could be developed to create a digital version of picture books that the Roman painters might have used.) Once I have determined the correct color scheme of the paintings, I reconstruct the paintings—or drawings of these paintings if they are now lost—in Photoshop. Eventually, I will be using these reconstructed wall paintings and textures to decorate a 3D model in 3Ds Max.


Even with the technological advancements in 3D modeling and the wide array of software options available, access to these tools like 3Ds Max during a pandemic would not have been possible without the remote access to a powerful desktop computer in the Studio (I am grateful for my point of contact Ethan DeGross for suggesting this option). I am quite excited to see how the project would unfold in the coming weeks.

Overall, sensorial explorations are just as important as archaeological data when creating 3D models as operative tools for understanding historical spaces. I would like to conclude my thoughts with the quote from the co-director of the UCLA Experiential Technologies Center Diane Favro, “If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is a sound worth? Or a smell? Or a texture? Or a movement? Or a feeling? Or a space? For me the human reactions to time, space, and architecture are worth 1000 rebirthings.” [1]

-Myat Aung

[1] Favro, D. 2010. “From Pleasure, to ‘Guilty Pleasure,’ to Simulation: Rebirthing the Villa of the Papyri.” In The Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum: Archaeology, Reception, and Digital Reconstruction, edited by M. Zarmakoupi, 155-180. New York: De Gruyter.

Posted in Studio Fellows

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