How can 3D publishing programs work hand-in-hand to augment traditional 2D print publications?
Can one publish a descriptive volume in a modular format that is both visually cohesive and functional and that doesn’t require all of the other component parts to be there first?
The effort to answer these questions – a series of ongoing conversations and collaboration between colleagues - has resulted in this open source web-based experimental viewer. It presents a platform for presenting contextual geospatial relationships (in 3D) and examination of their surface details (in 2D).
This prototype tool marries 2D imagery and 3D models with available linked data. It is built around the open source IIIF format, using OpenSeaDragon and SketchFab API, integrating current best practice documentation techniques with archival imagery from the Epigraphic Survey’s Photo Archive, Large Format Collection & OIP 136 Medinet Habu IX. The Eighteenth Dynasty Temple, Part I: The Inner Sanctuaries With Translations of Texts, Commentary, and Glossary
This is the latest iteration, whose origins can be read about here . Past incarnations experiment with content from the tomb of Qar and Idu, and a digital publication can be found here.
This remains an early concept piece, and has not been widely tested nor is it yet optimized for mobile and accessibility standards.
All code is open source but any textual and image data presented remains the copyright of Epigraphic Survey & The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
The interface is built with BootStrap 5.0; 3D interactions are derived from the SketchFab API as well as customized code. This demo uses OpenSeaDragon version.2.4.2 with a modified version of the excellent openseadragon-curtain-sync along with code adapted from:
https://openseadragon.github.io/examples/viewport-coordinates
The code presented here is very much a work in progress and will be made freely available through github .
Laser scans by Luke Hollis; Photogrammetry, archive and model preparation by Owen Murray; translation, transliteration and description by Ariel Singer & Brett McClain; epigraphic line drawings by Margaret DeJong, Sue Osgood & Jay Heidel; custom code by Alexis Pantos.
Interested in joining the conversation? Help us answer questions and improve this digital publication prototype by providing your feedback. We’d love to hear your thoughts, input and insights.