Archaeologists, architects, anthropologists, urbanists and historians face the enormous task of understanding cities in time and space, including the ways in which they have evolved over time. The mental reconstruction of ancient cities elicits an aesthetic experience when observers engage in multisensorial interactions with archeological ruins. The same or similar aesthetic experiences may also happen when ruins are virtually visited and represented with new media and emerging technology. 

The project team recorded eye-tracking and visual thinking data to study human behavior and visual perception in and around ancient ruins in Italy. They used state-of-the-art devices to track eye movements of both tourists and scholars to create heatmaps indicating visual interest. Analysis revealed differences in fixation patterns based on archaeological background.

The team also created an IRB-approved protocol for studying visual cognition and EEG activities during virtual experiences of Vulci at Duke's Dig@Lab, aiming to evaluate the embodied aesthetic experience of encountering archaeological sites in a virtual setting.

Read more about this team’s work by reading their team profile.

Timing

Summer 2023 – Summer 2024

Team Outputs

Embodied Experiences of Ancient Ruins (2024 Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Virtual Showcase)

Neurocities and Ruinscapes (Interactive display; 2024 Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Showcase)

This Team in the News

A Peek Into the Past, With the Help of AI

AI Time Travel: Reimagining Ancient Landscapes

Sidney Jordan: Neurocities and Ruinscapes Bass Connections Project

Duke Diary Dispatch: In Italy, A Peek Into the Past

Duke Diary Dispatch: In Italy, High-Tech Tools and Ancient Civilizations 

Duke Diary Dispatch: Presenting in Montalto di Castro

Duke Diary Dispatch: Successful Last Days in Vulci

See related Data+ summer project, Neurocities and Ruinscapes (2023).

Image: Team members Sidney Jordan and Srinjoy Lahiri prepare to capture eye tracking data at the Vulci dig site in Italy. (Photo: Courtesy of the Neurocities and Ruinscapes project team)