創新考古學：港大學者利用沉浸式 3D 技術記錄和研究人類的過去

香港大學文學院的 Peter J. Cobb 教授在比較虛擬陶片的 3D 模型與真實陶片。
小圖是他透過 MR 裝備看到的影像。（照片來源：香港大學文學院）
HKU Faculty of Arts Professor Peter J. Cobb compares the 3D model of a virtual pottery sherd with an adjoining real sherd. The small photo is what he sees in the MR headset. (Photo credit: HKU Faculty of Arts)

香港大學（港大）文學院的考古學家利用尖端的 3D 沉浸式技術，徹底改變了挖掘和記錄古代遺址的方式。

考古學通過挖掘數千年前人們製造和使用的物品（如陶碗和食物中的動物骨頭），從建築到物品來研究人類的過去。許多考古發掘項目會為發現的空間和物品創建數碼 3D 模型，有些研究項目會與公眾分享 3D 模型作為旅遊推廣和教學工具，博物館也展示 3D展品。然而，要在實地考察和研究中有意義地利用這些數據，充分利用這些3D模型，考古學家需要採用全新的方法。

港大團隊通過在挖掘過程中佩戴混合和擴增實境（MR/AR）設備，創新地利用數碼3D科學數據在考古遺址中進行互動。利用混合實境（MR）眼鏡，使用者能輕鬆查看3D 模型數據，把模型與現實世界互動比較。相關設備包括 Microsoft HoloLens 2 和 Meta Quest Pro。擴增實境 (AR) 智能眼鏡在鏡片的小螢幕上顯示訊息，並配有攝影機和麥克風，方便免提數據收集。

考古學一直被視爲「破壞性科學」，因為數據收集涉及挖掘和清除文物，使其他人無法再次在同一個地點進行挖掘。  這些先進設備對於創新考古學研究至為重要。

港大的考古團隊在南高加索國家亞美尼亞的實地考察計劃中，創新地應用了這些科技。在這項目中，團隊經常要拆除古老的石牆和陶器，以揭示埋藏在地下的早期遺跡。

香港大學文學院考古學家 Peter J. Cobb 教授強調了使用創新科技的優勢：「在挖掘過程中戴上MR設備，我可以在原始位置看到虛擬的拆除牆壁，這有助於我決定下一步的挖掘方向。我還可以在同一位置比較不同時期被拆除的古建築的多個部分。」

研究團隊使用 AR 智能眼鏡​記錄​基本數據，透過拍照和語音辨識來做筆記。Cobb教授指出：「在挖掘時，我們需要握住鏟子和刷子。考古學家在記錄數據時必須保持雙手空閒。」

帶領這項創新研究、來自亞美尼亞的港大文學院博士生Hayk Azizbekyan解釋說：「任何的團隊從未在實際的考古發掘項目中使用MR 和AR 設備進行挖掘工作，這是我們的創新成果!  我很高興能夠以未來的方式來研究古物並保護文化遺產。我們將這個項目稱為『未來願景』，因為科技讓我們能夠以嶄新的方式『觀看』過去。 」

團隊還利用 MR 設備將 3D 掃描的古代陶片與實際陶片進行對比，有助於研究博物館展出的難以接近的文物。團隊預計未來借助人工智能，可根據陶瓷碎片的形狀來促進它們的配對！

這項具突破性的創新成果已在Journal of Computer Applications in Archaeology (JCAA) 發表。該期刊在 Scopus 的全球 350 多本考古學期刊中排名第八位。

Cobb教授特別指出：「有趣的是，由於我們的方法非常新穎，期刊在尋找同行評審時遇到了不少挑戰。」

Cobb教授於11 月 13 日在紐約大學（NYU） 古代世界研究所（ISAW） 主持了一場討論，介紹這些創新發展。

這項跨學科研究合作縮小了人文學科和工程學之間的差距。出於對推進考古學的熱情，港大文學院團隊與港大的工程師建立了獨特的藝術與科技合作夥伴關係。港大工程學院的譚榮芬創科翼為項目提供設備和專業知識。由於最新的 MR/AR 設備也有其局限性，跨學科團隊正在開發自己的客製化智能眼鏡，以應用於未來的實地考察。

有關亞拉拉平原東南考古計劃 Ararat Plain Southeast Archaeological Project (APSAP)
考古項目與亞美尼亞共和國國家科學院、考古學和民族誌研究所（IAE, NAS RA）合作進行。計劃的核心任務是在考古工作中試驗應用不同的科技。

APSAP 的研究地點位於古代近東的亞美尼亞韋迪河谷，這裡是世界上最早出現農業、國家、城市和文字的地區。APSAP 挖掘了擁有 3500 年歷史的韋迪堡壘，並採用先進技術來發現新的考古遺址。為了支持 APSAP 先進的數位記錄，港大建築學院的 Guillaume Othenin-Girard 教授設計了一座創新的實驗室大樓，他將其描述為「將尖端的記錄技術要求與亞美尼亞富歷史的建築文化遺產相結合。」APSAP也為港大學生提供前往南高加索地區學習的獨特機會，同時獲得港大教育學院Juuso H. Nieminen教授以尖端教育研究為主題的港大課程學分。

請參閱公開取用的​​ Journal of Computer Applications in Archaeology：https://doi.org/10.5334/jcaa.140

請觀看由港大知識交流辦公室拍攝有關這項研究的影片：https://youtu.be/YMKJR1b94Z4

傳媒查詢，請聯絡香港大學文學院人文學院 Peter J. Cobb 教授（電郵：pcobb@hku.hk）

新聞稿網上版及照片，請瀏覽 : http://www.hku.hk/press/c_news_detail_27899.html

Innovating Archaeology: HKU Scholars Utilise Immersive 3D Tech to Document and Study the Human Past

Archaeologists from the Faculty of Arts at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) are revolutionising the excavation and documentation of ancient sites with cutting-edge 3D immersive technologies. 

Archaeology studies the human past through the excavation of things people made and used thousands of years ago – from architecture to objects like pottery bowls and animal bones from meals.  Although many excavation projects create digital 3D models of what they uncover, archaeologists need new ways to meaningfully use those data.  Some projects share 3D models with the public as tourism and teaching tools – one may have recently seen 3D displays at museums.  However, archaeologists themselves have not yet taken full advantage of these models in their own fieldwork and research.  That is about to change!

By wearing Mixed and Augmented Reality (MR/AR) headsets while actively digging, the HKU team is pioneering the interactive application of digital 3D scientific data at archaeological sites. MR headsets enable users to effortlessly view and interact with both the real world and 3D models integrated within it, using devices such as the Microsoft HoloLens 2 and the Meta Quest Pro. On the other hand, AR smart glasses display information on a small screen within the lenses and are equipped with cameras and microphones for hands-free data collection.

These technologies play a crucial role in the field of archaeology, often regarded as a 'destructive science', where data collection involves the excavation and removal of artifacts, preventing anyone else from digging the same place again.

The HKU team innovatively applied the technologies in their fieldwork project in the South Caucasus country of Armenia, where the team often removes ancient stone walls and pottery vessels to uncover earlier remains beneath.  Professor Peter J. Cobb, an archaeologist at the HKU Faculty of Arts, emphasised the benefits of the new technology, stating: “By wearing an MR device while I dig, I can virtually see a removed wall at its original location.  This helps me decide where to dig next, and I can compare, in situ, multiple sections of ancient architecture that were removed at different times.”

Additionally, the team uses AR smart glasses for basic data recording such as capturing photographs and using voice recognition for notetaking.  Professor Cobb pointed out that “Archaeologists must have their hands free while recording data, since we need to hold our trowels and brushes while digging.”

HKU Faculty of Arts PhD candidate Mr Hayk Azizbekyan, who leads this research and is from Armenia himself, explained: “MR and AR headsets have never been used before at an actual archaeological excavation project to support the digging work of a team, this is our game-changing innovation!  I'm excited to experiment with future ways of studying old things and preserving cultural heritage.  We call this project our ‘vision for the future’, since the technology enables new ways of ‘viewing’ the past’”.

The team also employs an MR headset to compare 3D scanned ancient pottery sherds with physical ones, aiding in the analysis of inaccessible artifacts displayed in museums.  They anticipate that in the future, AI will facilitate the matching of these sherds based on their shapes.

These groundbreaking achievements were recently published in the Journal of Computer Applications in Archaeology (JCAA), ranked 8th out of over 350 archaeology journals in the world, by Scopus. 

Professor Cobb noted: “It was interesting, the journal faced a challenge finding peer reviewers since our approach was so novel.”  He also led a discussion on these innovations at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (ISAW) of New York University (NYU) on November 13, 2024.

This interdisciplinary research collaboration bridges the gap between humanities and engineering, driven by the team's passion for advancing the field of archaeology through a unique Arts-Tech partnership with HKU engineers. The Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing of the HKU Faculty of Engineering provided equipment and know-how.  Recognizing the limitations of existing MR/AR headsets, the interdisciplinary team is now developing custom smart glasses for future fieldwork seasons.

About the Ararat Plain Southeast Archaeological Project (APSAP)
Technological experimentation is central to HKU’s fieldwork project in Armenia, conducted in collaboration with the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, National Academy of Sciences, Republic of Armenia (IAE, NAS, RA). APSAP researches the Vedi River Valley of Armenia, situated within the Ancient Near East – the area of the world that saw the first agriculture, states, cities, and writing.  APSAP excavates the 3500-year-old Vedi Fortress and deploys advanced technologies to discover new archaeological sites.  In support of APSAP's advanced digital documentation efforts, HKU Faculty of Architecture Professor Guillaume Othenin-Girard has designed an innovative laboratory building, which he describes as “integrating the requirements of cutting-edge recording technologies with the historical architectural heritage of Armenia”. APSAP also offers a unique educational opportunity for HKU students to travel to the South Caucasus, earning academic credit from an HKU course that is the subject of pioneering educational research by Professor Juuso H. Nieminen of HKU’s Faculty of Education.

To view the article from the open access Journal of Computer Applications in Archaeology (JCAA): https://doi.org/10.5334/jcaa.140

To view a video, produced by the HKU Knowledge Exchange Office, about the APSAP project’s work with 3D archaeology, architectural innovation, and educational research: https://youtu.be/YMKJR1b94Z4

For media enquiries, please contact Professor Peter J. Cobb, School of Humanities, Faculty of Arts, HKU (E-mail: pcobb@hku.hk).

For the online press release and photos, please visit: http://www.hku.hk/press/news_detail_27899.html