Photogrammetry Work

So what is photogrammetry and why do we use it?

The Public Heritage Lab's primary goal is to create 3D models of artifacts from around South Carolina for education purposes. Photogrammetry involves using overlapping photographs to make 3D models. Photogrammetry allows archaeologists, historians, and other heritage practitioners the abilitiy to not just document but explore objects and places remotely, as if they were still there and could measure things in person.

Below are a couple of examples of our photogrammetry work from our collection on:

Colonial Dorchester Excavation Unit

This model shows the completed archaeological excavation of an 18th-century outbuilding located within the colonial town of Dorchester in Summerville, SC. Artifacts recovered from the site indicate it was likely used as a kitchen house.

Brick with Finger Impressions from Rose Hill Plantation

This brick is from Rose Hill Plantation in Union, SC. The impressions are from an enslaved person tasked with flipping the wet clay bricks as they dried in the sun. The small size of the impressions could suggest that a child or younger person made this.Â