• January 9, 2026 | 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
• Continental 8/9, Ballroom Level

6E: Archaeology and Accessibility in the Digital Age (Workshop)

Click or tap here to join the meeting virtually

Sponsored by:
AIA Digital Archaeology Interest Group and AIA Women in Archaeology Interest Group

Organizers:
David M. Wheeler, UC Davis

Overview Statement:
This workshop explores how digital approaches to archaeology (photogrammetry, LiDAR, 3D modeling, etc.) not only play a crucial role in preserving and documenting archaeological contexts and materials for future generations, but also offer critical opportunities to curate more equitable access to cultural heritage. Together we will consider how digital approaches can break down barriers in the field, museum, and classroom to empower a larger, more diverse community to take an active role in shaping narratives of the past. Topics we will explore include: defining and measuring accessibility in digital archaeology, strategies for designing inclusive digital projects, target audiences, decolonization and digital archaeology, hurdles/limitations, and more.

This workshop will take place as a forum. After an introduction, panelists will briefly present their own work using digital archaeology to curate a more inclusive discipline and then will briefly answer questions from the audience. Once all the panelists have presented, our discussants will provide some preliminary observations before moving to a group discussion (2 hours).

Presenters 1 & 2 will discuss Cultural Heritage Imaging’s work training Albanians and Native American tribes to digitally document their heritage and preserve what remains of their cultural legacies using photogrammetry.

Presenters 3 & 4 will present their work with The Southern Etruscan Tomb Survey and how they have used LiDAR to create opportunities in the field for women and team members with physical disabilities.

Presenter 5 will share the work of The Spatial History of Charleston (SHOC) project, which is creating a historical spatial database infrastructure and deep map of African-American descendant communities in Charleston to preserve their history and increases accessibility to all stakeholders.

Presenter 6 will explore how CyArk uses interactive storytelling through the Tapestry platform to support community-driven heritage preservation and amplify underrepresented voices in Ukraine and the American Southwest by documenting and digitally sharing artifacts and sites while also highlighting local/Indigenous perspectives on archaeological landscapes.

Presenter 7 will present the work of the International [Digital] Dura-Europos Archive, which uses the Wikimedia ecosystem to bridge accessibility gaps and knowledge silos that track back to the site’s Mandate-era excavations.

Presenter 8 will explore the use of digital interventions such as accessibility/tactile mapping, 3D models, and sensory maps in creating accessible content for the disabled public and employees at sites and museums.