Pop-up: Photo Masking Loop Bracelets

This application enables the creation of a high quality 3D model of an archaeological artefact via process known as photo-masking. There has been a revolution in 3D modelling in recent years and it is now relatively easy to construct such models from ordinary digital photographs. Isolating the object depicted in these photographs, and masking out the background, is an important first step to achieving high quality results. The final 3D model will be made publicly available and is useful not only for basic documentation purposes, but also for graphical displays in museums, for inclusion in gaming and virtual reality environments, or for identifing different sub-styles in otherwise similar types of artefact (that might tell us about the date of the artefact, where it was made, or by whom).

This particular photo-masking application is dedicated to Sussex Loop ‘bracelets’ of Middle Bronze Age date (c.1500-1100 BC). These examples were found around 1896. They were said to be found at a depth of 5 ft (c.1.5m) about one mile south east of Hollingbury Castle, Sussex. If the depth is correct they were possibly found in a chalk-cut pit. Sussex Loops are so called because the majority have been found within a 16 mile radius of Brighton in Sussex. They are a distinctive bracelet type that forms part of a much wider distribution of ornaments found in Southern England during this period. They probably relate to a particular regional identity. The fact that they are often deposited in pairs suggests they were worn on each arm but the evidence for ornaments of this period is primarily from hoard deposits rather than graves so it is not possibly to be confident regarding how they were worn.

We would like people to draw a polygon around the bracelets that they see in each photograph in order to identify their outline and exclude the image background. This allows the 3D modelling process to concentrate on the object itself and ignore irrelevant background information.

If you are interested in what a 3D completed model looks like, please have a look at the example here for a MicroPasts palstave model.

**Thank you!

** Jeff Okazaki, Dina Fathalla, Nina Sharman, Jane Fellows, Denis Antoine, Raest Wylde, Maragkaki Froso, Maria Christakou, Van C. Vives, Holly Peterson, Lisa Cardy, Jennifer Kirkpatrick and other anonymous contributors for completing this application.

This project is on behalf of:

Find the code on GitHub