Engaging Place: a Framework for the Integration and Realisation of Virtual-Reality Approaches in Archaeology

As archaeologists have embraced and welcomed developments in information technology and visualisation, they have found themselves working increasingly under the auspices of Virtual-Reality. Despite this enthusiastic uptake, it can be argued that as of yet, archaeology has failed to realise that as a defining term, Virtual-Reality is far from unproblematic. As a direct result, questions as to what we mean by Virtual-Reality, and what our expensively assembled models represent have been left largely unexplored.The present discussion aims to address precisely these questions, by taking a critical look at the term Virtual-Reality. Current dominant conceptualisations and definitions of Virtual-Reality will be characterised, along with the frameworks and attitudes they foster, and the notional Virtual-archaeology they imply. Following on from this, an alternative developmental trajectory will be suggested that better exploits the unique capabilities of such systems in helping to facilitate archaeological interpretation. Issues such as authenticity, the representation as fake and role of Virtual-model as static end-product will be investigated, and an alternative definition will be offered and explored which has enormous significance for the future realisation of the technology within the broad context of archaeological research.