High Resolution Object Scanning: Anglo-Saxon Cross Base
Laser scanners are used for in a range of applications, and no single scanning solution covers all aspects of 3D recording. In order to capture very small details in fine resolution, AOC Archaeology use a range of object scanning systems that are capable of producing 3D models at resolutions of fractions of a millimetre. These techniques are ideally suited to recording carved stones and artefacts with complex or intricate details.
Examples of high-resolution object scans have included the base of an Anglo-Saxon high cross, located in the grounds of Queen Mary’s House in Jedburgh. The carvings on this large stone block were so eroded that it was very difficult to establish their character, and photographs showed very little detail. By scanning the faces of the stone in high resolution and removing all colour information from the resulting model and adding virtual lighting, the contrast of the carvings could be enhanced, allowing the identification of opposed figures and decoration that had previously been unseen.
The technique is also of value in recording fine details of wooden objects prior to conservation treatment which might reduce their clarity, and for the presentation of objects that cannot easily be represented by a photograph or drawing.