Modelling Megalithic Sites

Abstract

In this paper, we present the MegaFormes project which deals with the modelling of megalithic sites. The goal is to enable virtual visits of megalithic sites and to help archaeologists in picturing the evolution of a monument. A megalithic site is made of a set of elements that can be: fogous, dolmens, chamber tombs, stone alignments or circles. The description of such a site is done in two stages: during the first stage, a draft of the site is drawn, each stone being represented by its bounding box. The second stage allows the user to describe the content of the boxes (the stones).To describe fogous and chamber tombs, basic models of these monuments are used. These basic types are simplified representations of the monuments (walls only). The models can be modified by changing the dimensions and locations of the walls and by cutting the initial walls into individual stones. The definition of stone alignments or circles calls for the use of a one-dimensional position vocabulary (along simple geometric primitives or curves). The different elements (alignments, circles, fogous, and chamber tombs) are then combined to obtain the draft of the site. A two-dimensional vocabulary allowing to position the elements in the site is used. The paper is illustrated with examples obtained with the developed software.