Models and Metadata: The Ethics of Sharing Bioarchaeological 3D Models Online

Abstract

Digital 3D modelling is increasingly common in archaeological recording, but building the models is only part of the story. Sharing and interacting with these digital representations is essential in fostering engagement and ensuring that research is relevant to the broader community. Projects and institutions understand that much of their communication and outreach now take place via digital platforms. However, archaeologists are faced with a variety of challenges when sharing 3D models of human remains online, including metadata curation, accessibility, openness, copyright as well as the ethical implications of sharing digital bioarchaeological data and longterm storage requirements. In this research, metadata from a collection of 3D models of human remains were extracted from SketchFab and analysed to understand how users share 3D models of human remains via online social platforms. The results were contrasted with a critical review of current ethical and technical guidelines, indicating potentially ethically compromising practices, particularly the lack of contextualising metadata for some models. This article proposes and discusses recommendations for developing more strategic approaches to the sharing of 3D data on human remains online, such as assessing and agreeing hosting, licensing and metadata management during project design. Frameworks are provided to support these approaches and make decisions on how to share data openly. ________________________________________________________________ Resumen: La creació n de modelos digitales en 3D es cada vez más comú n en la documentació n arqueoló gica, pero construir los modelos es só lo una parte de la historia. Compartir e interactuar con estas representaciones digitales es esencial para fomentar la participació n y garantizar que la investigació n sea pertinente a la comunidad en general. Los proyectos y las instituciones ahora entienden que gran parte de su comunicació n y difusió n en el futuro se llevarán a cabo a través de plataformas digitales. Sin

Digital Modeling for Bioarchaeologists

“…A primary reason for this seeming lack of attention relates to ethical considerations of the display of human remains. A thoughtful discussion comparing and contrasting the different positions on this issue taken by various stakeholders is well beyond the scope of this paper (though see Hassett 2018a, 2018b; Ulguim 2018). However, bioarchaeologists working in different areas of the world and in various institutions should make an effort to familiarize themselves with local cultural and political issues that they need to consider when trying to balance the often-conflicting perspectives related to research, access, and the wishes of descendant communities.…”

Archaeometry’s Role in Cultural Heritage Sustainability and Development

“…Increasingly, institutions are also understanding that much of their public engagement will now take place digitally, with platforms acting as a "medium through which information is published or exchanged" [68] though bio-archaeological data are contrasted with a critical review of current ethical and technical guidelines, indicating potentially ethically compromising practices, particularly the lack of contextualising metadata for some models [69].…”

“…The Antikythera mechanism is the world's first analogical computer, used by ancient Greeks to chart the movement of the sun, moon and planets, predict lunar and solar eclipses and even signal the next Olympic Games and bearing inscriptions [69] (Figure 6). The 2000-year-old astronomical calculator is a small size metal device.…”

Digital Remains Made Public: Sharing the dead online and our future digital mortuary landscape

“…In both cases, clear contextualizing data with scientific justification can provide mitigation in circumstances where obtaining consent is unfeasible (Antoine 2014). However, in a recent review of bioarchaeological data shared on SketchFab, a public 3D platform, Ulguim (2018) found that many models had almost no contextualizing data: a compromising situation for the publishers and researchers working with such types of data. Furthermore, some of these 3D images had thousands of views and were available for reuse, modification and public download, meaning they could be modified, reused, or 3D printed at will.…”

“…A new set of ethical principles can span both the investigation of digital data and the publication of digitized ancient remains. Recent guidance on the display of digital human remains notes that requirements for justification and consultation are just as applicable to the creation and sharing of imagery of human remains in a virtual setting (Ulguim 2018), and that the addition of contextualizing data is a crucial factor in mitigating ethical issues of display (Perry 2011;Williams and Atkin 2015).…”