When
3 September 2022
What
Within Session 284 – Visualizing, Interpreting, and Presenting Archaeological Sites to the Public, organised by Ben Thomas and Sofia Fonseca, I presented the paper Lasting impressions: presenting archaeological sites of the Xeros River Valley (Cyprus) through 3D models and augmented reality, co-authored with Giorgos Papantoniou, Athanasios Vionis, Andreas Lanitis, and Eleftherios Ioannou.
The presentation focuses on the evaluation of the UnSaLa-CY app, developed within the framework of the Unlocking the Sacred Landscapes of Cyprus research project. The app narrates the evolution of the surrounding landscape and the fate of pre-modern monuments and archaeological sites in the Xeros River valley (Larnaca District), serving as a guided tour for visitors of the area. The evaluation was very helpful in identifying the perks of the app (such as usability and informative text), the bugs and improvements on the technical side.
Where
Budapest, European Association of Archaeologists Annual Meeting
Why
This session focusing on interpretation and presentation at the European Association of Archaeologists Annual Meeting was the perfect venue where to present the evaluation of the UnSaLa-CY app as the first experiment of this kind in Cyprus. It was a very good opportunity to situate the app within the post-Covid scenario in digital archaeology and get feedback about the work done.
Specifics
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of digital technologies in facilitating access to cultural heritage sites from home has been under the spotlight. Now that the social distancing measures are starting to be lifted and tourists can safely travel again, further reflection is needed on how to blend in-situ experiences with the opportunities offered by digital experiences – as they are not mutually exclusive. What do visitors expect from using technology while visiting heritage sites? Can digital experiences support the fruition of heritage in the long-term? What are the main challenges for archaeologists? This paper will address these and other questions through case-study research from Cyprus.
Developed within the framework of the “Unlocking the Sacred Landscapes of Cyprus” research project, the UnSaLa-CY app narrates the evolution of the surrounding landscape and the fate of pre-modern monuments and archaeological sites in the Xeros River valley (Larnaca District), serving as a guided tour for visitors of the area. Through QR codes, the users get access to historical information about the corresponding monument and, in selected cases, to a 3D reconstruction of monumental features part of the sacred landscape – partially browsable with augmented reality.
Over 2021, an evaluation process investigated the functionality, the user experience, and the educational impact of the app through mixed methods research – such as participant observation and surveys. Building on these newly collected data, this paper will discuss the outcomes of the evaluation process. The visitors’ remarks, requests and priorities will be presented, to inform a reflection on the archaeologists’ responsibility in the decision-making process behind the app design and implementation.
