Modelling the excavation

For over ten years, it has been tried to develop a working method for integrating plans and cross-sections of excavations, into a virtual representation of the site. Nowadays the technical (and often financial) problems have largely been overcome. So this enables archaeology to focus on way graphical information is documented on plans and cross-sections and how this information can be used for 3d modelling.
As an example the subterranean complex of the tomb of Meryneith (Sakkara, Egypt) will be used. This complex consists of many corridors, doorways with blockings, burial chambers and niches, at different levels, making it a very complicated three-dimensional site. It was drawn in a traditional way, using modern equipment like a total station only to ensure an accurate co-ordinate system. Each afternoon, new drawings were digitised into a simple laptop. Then each part was placed in its correct 3d position.
The process of the actual modelling involved common techniques. One is the extrusion of polygons into a solid, then to be united with other solids or having parts subtracted of it by other solids. It could be compared with putting together pieces of Styrofoam that have to be cut into shape. The other is called "lofting", in which technique multiple views of a shape are automatically transformed into a 3d object.
The method as described proved to be very swift and was certainly a good and cheap alternative for high-tech 3d scanning or stereo photography. It also made two things very clear. Organic shapes, like most archaeological features tend to be, are difficult to "capture" with only a few drawings. And from a certain level of accuracy, any further improvement will exponentially increase time and costs. These two aspects will provide interesting material for discussion.