Virtual & Other Simulation Critique

Many simulations parallel the Longueuil, Quebec, Canada municipal simulation programme that used an unrealistic sandbox loose matrix and does not seem to emphasise the professional excavation procedure of excavating by controlled horizontal levels. As a result, this approach places the focus on unprofessional 'treasure hunting.' It is unclear whether this exact kind of activity continues in 2021 at https://tockify.com/moisarcheo/detail/106/1620568800000 .

Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) web site provided several examples of excavation simulations using various loose aggregate materials to simulate stratigraphy. Museum interpreters need to consider the problematic "muss and fuss"—that AIA itself recommends be avoided—required to repeatedly replicate such excavation simulations. Separating the different coloured materials would be rather tedious and time consuming. The psycho-motor experience of participants also is rather distanced from the reality that is the target for this activity. Due to the small scale of this "shoebox" activity, the 'artifacts' used in this approach cannot be real. AIA continues to recommend this activity in 2021 at https://www.archaeological.org/pdfs/education/digs/Digs_shoebox_photos.pdf .

In addition, the very young 'excavators' pictured on the left using mason's trowels seem simply to be practising 'treasure hunting'. Dr. William Green, now Adjunct Research Associate, Office of the State Archaeologist, University of Iowa, wrote to the creator of this web site in 2011: "the trowel-in-sandbox approach emphasizes two activities—digging and finding—that are not the core things we need to emphasize to kids about doing archaeology” [emphasis added]. Although playing in a sandbox might be 'age-appropriate' play for the participants pictured, it remains an activity that— archaeologically—is clearly miseducational.

Museum of Ontario Archaeology Diggin' Your Birthday programme "Dig It" activity choice described by MOA as: "(all ages) Follow in the footsteps of a real life archaeologist. Take part in a simulated dig, study & identify artifacts to uncover the mysteries of the past." However, this activity apparently misses some central archaeological concepts (such as excavation by controlled levels) in lieu of a more 'treasure hunt'-like approach. See http://archaeologymuseum.ca/programs/diggin-your-birthday/ (accessed 19 August 2021).

In the author's view, it is sad that The Sam Waller Museum, The Pas, MB by 1999 had gone back to the sandbox approach :-( . OK, I get that these are rather young participants, but are the learning outcomes here actually miseducational? Are the information sources & learning process "valid" and/or reliably related to the reality of the science? I think not.

Colonial Williamsburg formerly sold a product that is rather far removed from reality. It seemingly was based on measuring pictures of artifacts on a paper map. Most museums do have education collections or unprovenanced archaeological materials that are ideal for use in this web site's method of simulation to allow experiences with real artifacts. The irreplaceable value of real objects is analysed in Elizabeth Pye ed., The Power of Touch: Handling Objects in Museum and Heritage Contexts (Left Coast, 2007), pp. 19-24, 224-25, passim.

Virtual excavation simulations such formerly found on Second Life apparently provided 'interactivity'. The one pictured at the left no longer exists on the Second Life web site in 2021 and no others on excavation were located in my search of Second Life on 9 August 2021.

Although apparently 'interactive' and recommended by some archaeologists, the Second Life simulations located in 2011 [but apparently none remain in 2021] were rather highly grained pixelated images. Also see the related critical discussions "Dear Archaeologists, Simulation Doesn’t Equal Game" and "Meaningful Play in Archaeology" by Kathy Meyers (2011) at http://www.playthepast.org/?p=1970 and http://www.playthepast.org/?p=1657 .

Surely, the computer game MineSweeper is a rather insignificant platform for archaeological excavation simulation as originally located on the Kalamazoo College Computer Science web site in 2011. It no longer appears there in 2021.

"Virtual" Definition: 1. Almost or nearly as described, but not completely or according to strict definition [emphasis added.

"Virutal Reality" OED Definition: "The computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by a person using special electronic equipment, such as a helmet with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors" [emphasis added].

"Computer haptics is an emerging technology that provides force-feedback and tactile sensations to users as they interact with a virtual object. "

The IT firm promoting this mode admits it is best for visually impaired people.

Apparently, this participant shown on another IT firm's web site wearing some rather complicated equipment is imagining handling an object held with thumbs and forefingers that he sees via his VR goggles as shown in the next image. Note that this is a live video on this web site creator's Narrated PowerPoint Presentation for OAS page below.

Is this technology accurate or useful enough to give realistic sensations—or even any direct knowledge whatsoever—anything like the complexities sensed in the lithic artifact handled by this web site's creator in the image below?

Why bother going to all of the technological time, trouble, and expense to pursue the highly unreal counterfeit experience of handling an imaginary cube wearing opaque goggles and hockey gloves as opposed to feeling an actual archaeological artifact with one's bare fingers and hands?

There is a much simpler, more physically direct, and in many respects entirely accurate simulation method employing the simulated 'excavation' outlined on this web site detailed in the above pages, the JME article link on the Home page, and the following Narrated PowerPoint Presentation for OAS page!

Would any museums wish to pay for a class set of haptic hockey gloves, virtual reality headsets, and software to permit visitors to 'excavate' a simulated archaeological site?

Instead, I strongly recommend budgeting for one sheet of quarter inch plywood, some ½ x ½ inch wood stock, white glue, string, newsprint, fire ash, rotten wood, cardboard, & picnic site waste to be able to use your unprovenanced artifacts to offer this highly realistic simulated 'excavation' programme that gives participants the experience of doing exactly what professional archaeologists do on a stratified site in the field & learn in the lab.