FROM THE GREEN
JONATHAN WALZ
Progressive Education and Practical
Field Studies Create Digital Content According to Robert Vander Poppen, assistant professor of classical art and archaeology, well-known archaeological sites in Pompeii are incredibly difficult to identify and learn about—both from an archeologist’s and tourist’s perspective—because there’s a lack of information onsite. “You could be standing in the midst of an incredible archaeological site like the early palace complex at Poggio Civitate in Tuscany and literally see only shrubs and dirt,” Vander Poppen said. “With little if any signage, you need access to data to interpret these kinds of experiences.” With that in mind, he and Jonathan Walz, assistant professor of anthropology and archaeology, led a team of nine Rollins students on a field-study course in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, where they captured images and used 3-D software tools like Google SketchUp 8
to construct realistic models of sites where ancient buildings once stood. The collection of visuals and information is being used to create an interactive, open-source blog. The eventual goal is to allow tourists access to it from their smartphones, so they can take a virtually guided tour as they walk through the remains of the ancient buildings in Pompeii. In addition, the tool will enable professors and students to learn more about these sites in a classroom setting. Dubbed the “Pausanias Project,” after a Greek traveler and writer who lived in the 2nd century AD, this collaborative resource tool will eventually incorporate visual, textual, and audio data related to archaeology sites of cultural significance from all over the world. ■ social.rollins.edu/wpsites/pausanias
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