Exploring Virtual Archaeology: Highlights from the 2025 International Spring School in Bonn

This year, the International Spring School Virtual Worlds in Teaching Archaeology took place in the splendid setting of the historic city of Bonn, Germany, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The University of Bonn hosted the event, which saw participation from the University of Amsterdam, the Open University, and the University of Oslo, from March 31st to April 5th (see program here)

The iconic Bonner Münster, standing at the heart of Bonn's historic center

After arriving on Monday and familiarizing ourselves with the vibrant city of Bonn and its culture, the Spring School officially kicked off on Tuesday, April 1st. This first day was dedicated to introducing the school, its students, its faculty, and experts from the Norwegian, Dutch, and German institutions. This allowed participants to connect with students from other institutions and strengthen collaborative relationships in a friendly environment. Moreover, it was the perfect occasion to gain practical insights into ongoing VR and 3D projects from the different universities, presented by their respective teams, including the Bifrost project developed by the University of Oslo. The day ended with a group assignment for the upcoming sessions, followed by a guided tour of the LVR-Landesmuseum, offering a deeper connection to German cultural heritage.

On Wednesday, each group focused on their respective 3D recording sessions. Two groups concentrated on 3D recording of historical architecture, such as the Georgskapelle at Alter Friedhof in Bonn which is situated directly next to the city center. Another group explored the Römervilla in Ahrweiler, a Roman villa complex in the vicinity of Bonn over which a museum has been built. Two groups worked on objects exhibited in the Academic Art Museum focusing on the methods of photogrammetry and scanning with the structured light scanner.

The group of Römervilla Ahrweiler caputred at work on SWR Aktuell

Data collection was carried out with the support of experts from the University of Bonn, and through hands-on use of specific 3D recording technologies (e.g. Artec Leo, Artec Spider). It was very interesting to see how the local newspapers were keen to follow and document our activities, especially the group at the Römervilla in Ahrweiler, led by Dr. Matthias Lang, becoming the real stars of this spring school.

Work continued on Thursday with a session dedicated to post-processing and using specialized software to finalize the various projects, which were then presented on the following Friday. The application of different recording methods on objects and architecture from various epochs and cultures—ranging from Roman statues and Ancient Greek artifacts to Medieval and Roman architecture—provided a broad and dynamic perspective, enabling a deeper understanding of the most effective approaches in virtual archaeology. 

Photogrammetry team at work with Greek artefacts from Academic Art Museum

The school concluded on Friday with a preparatory session for the presentations, which covered the entire morning. This session was crucial for refining the various projects, leading to a constructive debate in the afternoon.  The discussion highlighted the core technical aspects of the spring school, such as the drawbacks and advantages of laser scanning and photogrammetry. While both are non-destructive and ideal for digital sharing and reconstruction, photogrammetry stood out for its flexibility and low cost, despite requiring more experience and controlled conditions. The debate was also extended to the other approaches and involvements of digital techniques in teaching, which is still a debated topic.

Overall, this spring school was a key milestone in our education, representing an opportunity not only to grow together through experimentation, learning, and improvement, but also sharing great moments with colleagues.

This marked the end of an intense week of learning but also opened the door to future challenges and potential applications of 3D and VR technologies.