Motion capture and textile experimental archaeology, a possible combination

Published in Origini n. XL/2017. Rivista annuale del Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Antichità – “Sapienza” Università di Roma | Preistoria e protostoria delle civiltà antiche – Prehistory and protohistory of ancient civilizations | Understanding craft and craft processes in ancient societies is crucial; textiles must be seen as dynamic objects representing past actions and processes. Important is the way we can illuminate how the body and mind are involved in the production processes behind ancient technology and the creation of objects. A combination of craft knowledge with experimental archaeology has already proved to be a significant method enabling new interpretations and perspectives on the archaeologically invisible parts of ancient societies. Experimental archaeology has a long and solid tradition in Denmark and tests have given new information and insights into textile tool function and made invisible textile production visible. However, new and innovative methods are still necessary in order to come closer to both ancient societies and the people themselves. Computer applications in archaeology can enhance our knowledge of the complexity and variety of artefacts, their production, and how various craft traditions develop over time, yielding new insights and perspectives applicable to ancient societies as well as to traditional craft today. In this article, we demonstrate how motion capture (MoCap) can be applicable on textile experimental archaeology research.