Virtual Theater District of Pompeii
We have reconstructed the Grand Theater, the Triangular Forum, and the connecting areas of the Theater District in the Roman city of Pompeii as an interactive three-dimensional model. The model is the central reference tool of the information we are compiling on the archeological site. Our goal is to produce an online (web) site which will integrate the model, original photographs, historical photos and drawings, written materials, and more. Our scholarly goals are: (1) Demonstrate how the connecting areas of the theater district functioned in the larger architctural space. (2) Illustrate the evolution of this popular long-uncovered site, as a physical and cultural artifact. We are interested in how it has changed in the popular and scholarly imagination over the years. (3) Demonstrate best practices in information access and presentation. (4) Provide all software and source materials to the public.
The most recent version (4.0) of the model exists in 3D Studio Maxx format and will be web-delivered using Unity. The web site and other materials are still under construction. Click on the image above to see more screenshots and a fly-through movie of the model.
We built Version 3.0 of the Theater District Model as an intermediate step. Click the image above to see screenshots and to download the model itself. As you can see, it is more developed (i.e. detailed textures) but also less complete and less accurate than the 4.0 model.
Version 2.0 of the Theater District is very similar to the original Pompeii Project (version 1.0) developed at Carnegie Mellon's Studio for Creative Inquiry in 1995-1996. It was technically advanced for its day, but lacked supporting materials. PublicVR sponsored conversion of the original model to VRML format and made some improvements to the artwork. Version 2.0 was incorporated into a larger exhbit, "a day in Pompeii." Details of that project and access to the models are available at
http://publicvr.org/PompeiiVRML/
Credits
Anne Weis, Ph.D. is leading our efforts at historical accuracy for the Pompeii Theater District Project 4.0. Michael Darnell worked closely with us, building the 3D model over the course of three and a half years. Jeffrey Jacobson sets the technical and overall specifications for the project, managing it, mediating all technical issues, and maintaining libraries of project information. We also thank Jane Vadnal for her assistance in building an early version of the image database.
Currently, Andrew Twigg is designing the new website, while Susan McM. Tucker is doing the website database, HTML, and PHP programming, with expert assistance from Derek Wahila. Jacobson and Weis are working closely with the programmers on website requirements and proper functioning. In our most recent contributions, first Denis Loubet then Brian Relay updated the internal architecture of the model. Relay also translated the model to Unity format, developed better lighting, and did the camera work for the fly-through.
The credits for Theater District 2.0 and 1.0 are very long, and contained within its own website.