APPLICATION OF A LOW COST LASER SCANNER FOR ARCHAEOLOGY IN JAPAN.

In order to use three-dimension data collection in archaeological studies, it is necessary to establish realistic and feasible methods. This report presents our recent trial in Japanese archaeology. Three-dimensional documentation methods have begun to be used in Japanese archaeology. However, these methods are generally expensive. Three-dimensional documentation for archeological studies needs not so much use a highly technical or expensive technology as a realistic and feasible method for documenting artefacts. Therefore, we have experimented in low-cost three-dimension documentation methods for archaeology. Several photogrammetric and laser-scanning tools were tested. The NextEngine Desktop 3D Scanner Model 2020i (NextEngine, Inc.) yielded particularly good results for pottery and roof-tile artefacts. Point clouds data are able to transform and delete easily. These data export a three dimensional drawing with a traditional information. These works show several effects and problems with scanning archaeological artefacts. Most archaeologists in Japan are unable to use three-dimensional data effectively. We have to grope for how to use such data to classify and analyze artefacts. Furthermore, three-dimensional models of archaeological artefacts should be made accessible to the public on-line, and in museums.