Analyzing fracture patterns in theran wall paintings

Shin H, Doumas C, Funkhouser T, Rusinkiewicz S, Steiglitz K, Vlachopoulos A, Weyrich T (2010)

Publication Type: Conference contribution

Publication year: 2010

Publisher: Eurographics Association

Pages Range: 71-78

Conference Proceedings Title: VAST 2010 - 11th International Symposium on Virtual Reality, Archaeology and Intelligent Cultural Heritage

Event location: Paris, FRA

ISBN: 3905674297

DOI: 10.2312/VAST/VAST10/071-078

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze the fracture patterns observed in wall paintings excavated from Akrotiri, a Bronze Age Aegean city destroyed by earthquakes preceding a volcanic eruption on Thera (modern Santorini) around 1630 BC. We use interactive programs to trace detailed fragment boundaries in images of manually reconstructed wall paintings. Then, we use geometric analysis algorithms to study the shapes and contacts of those fragment boundaries, producing statistical distributions of lengths, angles, areas, and adjacencies found in assembled paintings. The result is a statistical model that suggests a hierarchical fracture pattern, where fragments break into two pieces recursively along cracks nearly orthogonal to previous ones. This model could be useful for predicting fracture patterns of other wall paintings and/or for guiding future computer-assisted reconstruction algorithms.

Authors with CRIS profile

Tim Weyrich

Involved external institutions

Princeton University US United States (USA) (US) National and Kapodistrian University of Athens GR Greece (GR) University College London (UCL) GB United Kingdom (GB)

How to cite

APA:

Shin, H., Doumas, C., Funkhouser, T., Rusinkiewicz, S., Steiglitz, K., Vlachopoulos, A., & Weyrich, T. (2010). Analyzing fracture patterns in theran wall paintings. In Alessandro Artusi, Alessandro Artusi, Morwena Joly, Genevieve Lucet, Denis Pitzalis, Alejandro Ribes (Eds.), VAST 2010 - 11th International Symposium on Virtual Reality, Archaeology and Intelligent Cultural Heritage (pp. 71-78). Paris, FRA: Eurographics Association.

MLA:

Shin, H., et al. "Analyzing fracture patterns in theran wall paintings." Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Virtual Reality, Archaeology and Intelligent Cultural Heritage, VAST 2010, Paris, FRA Ed. Alessandro Artusi, Alessandro Artusi, Morwena Joly, Genevieve Lucet, Denis Pitzalis, Alejandro Ribes, Eurographics Association, 2010. 71-78.

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