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Peter Dawson

University of Calgary, Archaeology, Faculty Member

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I work in the Province of Alberta and the Canadian Arctic where my research focuses on using reality capture technologies to digitally capture heritage sites - especially those at risk due to the impacts of climate change and human-caused destruction. I am the creator and director the the Alberta Digital Heritage Archive - a digital heritage preservation initiative focusing largely on grass roots heritage sites. I have also conducted digital heritage preservation work in the Canadian Arctic (Herschel Island and Ellesmere Island).
Phone: 403 220-4855
Address: Department of Archaeology,
University of Calgary.
2500 University Dr. NW
Calgary, Alberta.
T2N1N4

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Papers by Peter Dawson

Documenter par la 3D un site en contexte arctique, entre recherche archéologique et changements environnementaux : Kuukpak, Territoires du Nord-Ouest, Canada

Dans l'Arctique canadien, comme dans l'ensemble du monde septentrional, les recents chang... more Dans l'Arctique canadien, comme dans l'ensemble du monde septentrional, les recents changements climatiques ont grandement affecte l'environnement. Les sous-sols geles fondent, le niveau moyen des mers augmente et l'erosion est accrue un peu plus chaque annee. Dans ce contexte sensible, le projet Arctic CHAR a pour mission de sauvegarder au mieux le patrimoine inuvialuit du delta du Mackenzie. Parallelement au monitorat des cotes et a la prospection, le site de Kuukpak fait l'objet de fouilles depuis l'ete 2014. La structure fouillee, une maison principalement composee de bois, est fragile, le bois commencant a se decomposer des sa mise au jour, et complexe, l'effondrement de la charpente ayant abouti a l'amalgame de ces pieces structurelles. Deux methodes de releve 3D ont ete utilisees pour soutenir cette operation de fouille, la lasergrammetrie et la photogrammetrie. La premiere, dans le but de conserver le plus fidelement possible ce patrimoine vou...

Structural Analysis: A Tool for Testing 3D Computer Reconstructions of Thule Whalebone Houses

One criticism of computer modeling in archaeology is that the visual products suggest a higher de... more One criticism of computer modeling in archaeology is that the visual products suggest a higher degree of knowledge of the structure or site than the data warrant, and that they represent only one of several possible outcomes. This paper discusses the benefits of structural analysis as a means of testing 3D computer reconstructions based on limited archaeological data. Thule Inuit whalebone houses will be used as case studies for testing structural behavior. The Thule people are the cultural and biological ancestors of contemporary Inuit societies of the North American arctic. Thule culture developed in the Bering Strait region, and its presence in the Canadian Arctic was established via migration by AD 1300 (M athiassen 1927; Mcc ullough 1989). The use of whalebone as a construction material by Thule families, in part, represents an adaptation to life in driftwood-poor regions of the Arctic Archipelago (M athiassen 1927). Structural analysis led us to consider the premise that certa...

Documenter par la 3D un site en contexte arctique, entre recherche archéologique et changements environnementaux : Kuukpak, Territoires du Nord-Ouest, Canada

Dans l'Arctique canadien, comme dans l'ensemble du monde septentrional, les recents chang... more Dans l'Arctique canadien, comme dans l'ensemble du monde septentrional, les recents changements climatiques ont grandement affecte l'environnement. Les sous-sols geles fondent, le niveau moyen des mers augmente et l'erosion est accrue un peu plus chaque annee. Dans ce contexte sensible, le projet Arctic CHAR a pour mission de sauvegarder au mieux le patrimoine inuvialuit du delta du Mackenzie. Parallelement au monitorat des cotes et a la prospection, le site de Kuukpak fait l'objet de fouilles depuis l'ete 2014. La structure fouillee, une maison principalement composee de bois, est fragile, le bois commencant a se decomposer des sa mise au jour, et complexe, l'effondrement de la charpente ayant abouti a l'amalgame de ces pieces structurelles. Deux methodes de releve 3D ont ete utilisees pour soutenir cette operation de fouille, la lasergrammetrie et la photogrammetrie. La premiere, dans le but de conserver le plus fidelement possible ce patrimoine vou...

Terrestrial laser scanning for the documentation of an at-risk buffalo jump (EgPp-26) in south-central Alberta

This paper reports on the use of ground-based LiDAR (terrestrial laser scanning—TLS) to digitally... more This paper reports on the use of ground-based LiDAR (terrestrial laser scanning—TLS) to digitally capture a buffalo jump site located in south-central Alberta (EgPp-26). We discuss how the resulting digital data can be used to create accurate 3D reconstructions and how the application of these high-resolution geospatial datasets can be used for quantifying analyses. Accurate measurements can be taken directly from TLS datasets for use in mapping, as well as 3D visualization of geoarchaeological data. Furthermore, the acquisition of multiple TLS datasets over time can be used to quantify morphometric change and erosional processes impacting archaeological sites. Analytical data from TLS scans can help document often understudied aspects of geoarchaeological processes and facilitate new interpretations at archaeological sites. This technology was rapidly deployed at the Wearmouth Buffalo Jump for the purposes of documentation, monitoring, and digital preservation. The resulting datasets provide a lasting digital record of the site, as it appeared in September of 2016 and 2017. As natural disasters such as flooding and wildfire increase in frequency, we conclude that reality-capture technologies, such as terrestrial laser scanning, are effective tools for monitoring, managing, and preserving heritage resources.

Interactive Worlds as Educational Tools for Understanding Arctic Life

Pastplay

This paper is published in the book "Pastplay: Teaching and Learning History with Technology... more

Structural Analysis: A Tool for Testing 3D Computer Reconstructions of Thule Whalebone Houses

One criticism of computer modeling in archaeology is that the visual products suggest a higher de... more One criticism of computer modeling in archaeology is that the visual products suggest a higher degree of knowledge of the structure or site than the data warrant, and that they represent only one of several possible outcomes. This paper discusses the benefits of structural analysis as a means of testing 3D computer reconstructions based on limited archaeological data. Thule Inuit whalebone houses will be used as case studies for testing structural behavior. The Thule people are the cultural and biological ancestors of contemporary Inuit societies of the North American arctic. Thule culture developed in the Bering Strait region, and its presence in the Canadian Arctic was established via migration by AD 1300 (M athiassen 1927; Mcc ullough 1989). The use of whalebone as a construction material by Thule families, in part, represents an adaptation to life in driftwood-poor regions of the Arctic Archipelago (M athiassen 1927). Structural analysis led us to consider the premise that certa...

Terrestrial laser scanning for the documentation of an at-risk buffalo jump (EgPp-26) in south-central Alberta

This paper reports on the use of ground-based LiDAR (terrestrial laser scanning—TLS) to digitally... more This paper reports on the use of ground-based LiDAR (terrestrial laser scanning—TLS) to digitally capture a buffalo jump site located in south-central Alberta (EgPp-26). We discuss how the resulting digital data can be used to create accurate 3D reconstructions and how the application of these high-resolution geospatial datasets can be used for quantifying analyses. Accurate measurements can be taken directly from TLS datasets for use in mapping, as well as 3D visualization of geoarchaeological data. Furthermore, the acquisition of multiple TLS datasets over time can be used to quantify morphometric change and erosional processes impacting archaeological sites. Analytical data from TLS scans can help document often understudied aspects of geoarchaeological processes and facilitate new interpretations at archaeological sites. This technology was rapidly deployed at the Wearmouth Buffalo Jump for the purposes of documentation, monitoring, and digital preservation. The resulting datasets provide a lasting digital record of the site, as it appeared in September of 2016 and 2017. As natural disasters such as flooding and wildfire increase in frequency, we conclude that reality-capture technologies, such as terrestrial laser scanning, are effective tools for monitoring, managing, and preserving heritage resources.

Automated Storey Separation and Door and Window Extraction for Building Models from Complete Laser Scans

Remote Sensing, 2021

Heritage buildings are often lost without being adequately documented. Significant research has g... more Heritage buildings are often lost without being adequately documented. Significant research has gone into automated building modelling from point clouds, challenged by irregularities in building design and the presence of occlusion-causing clutter and non-Manhattan World features. Previous work has been largely focused on the extraction and representation of walls, floors, and ceilings from either interior or exterior single storey scans. Significantly less effort has been concentrated on the automated extraction of smaller features such as windows and doors from complete (interior and exterior) scans. In addition, the majority of the work done on automated building reconstruction pertains to the new-build and construction industries, rather than for heritage buildings. This work presents a novel multi-level storey separation technique as well as a novel door and window detection strategy within an end-to-end modelling software for the automated creation of 2D floor plans and 3D bui...

Interactive Worlds as Educational Tools for Understanding Arctic Life

Pastplay

This paper is published in the book "Pastplay: Teaching and Learning History with Technology... more

“Some Account of an Extraordinary Traveller”: Using Virtual Tours to Access Remote Heritage Sites of Inuit Cultural Knowledge

Études/Inuit/Studies, 2018

Ce document est protégé par la loi sur le droit d'auteur. L'utilisation des services d'Érudit (y ... more

Automated Storey Separation and Door and Window Extraction for Building Models from Complete Laser Scans

Remote Sensing, 2021

Heritage buildings are often lost without being adequately documented. Significant research has g... more Heritage buildings are often lost without being adequately documented. Significant research has gone into automated building modelling from point clouds, challenged by irregularities in building design and the presence of occlusion-causing clutter and non-Manhattan World features. Previous work has been largely focused on the extraction and representation of walls, floors, and ceilings from either interior or exterior single storey scans. Significantly less effort has been concentrated on the automated extraction of smaller features such as windows and doors from complete (interior and exterior) scans. In addition, the majority of the work done on automated building reconstruction pertains to the new-build and construction industries, rather than for heritage buildings. This work presents a novel multi-level storey separation technique as well as a novel door and window detection strategy within an end-to-end modelling software for the automated creation of 2D floor plans and 3D bui...

Digital preservation, social history, and the Quon Sang Lung Laundry building: a case study from Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada

Applied Geomatics, 2018

Social history focuses on understanding the everyday lives of ordinary people (Richardson 2011, S... more Social history focuses on understanding the everyday lives of ordinary people (Richardson 2011, Social history, local history, and historiography: collected essays). The ethnic minorities that made up immigrant communities in North American towns and cities during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries have been of particular interest to social historians (Tosh 2017, From the 'cape of despair' to the Cape of Good Hope: letters of the emigrant poor in early nineteenth-century England. Social History 42:480-500). However, language barriers and low rates of literacy often limit the number of first person accounts written by people who belonged to such communities. This paper explores how terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and 3D reconstructive modeling of heritage buildings can provide new insights into the social history of Chinese immigrants in Alberta during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These technologies were used to rapidly and accurately document the Quon Sang Lung Laundry shop in Fort Macleod, Alberta, prior to its scheduled demolition. The resulting digital data sets were used to construct detailed architectural plans of the building, as well as photorealistic 3D reconstructions of the shop, as it would have appeared at different points in history. The resulting point clouds were further explored to detect and extract evidence of the lived experiences of its occupants. For example, the conflicts and tensions surrounding Chinese laundries, and the discriminatory bylaws that resulted, may be subtly reflected in specific architectural details of the laundry shop, such as evidence for the presence of walls no longer standing. The ability to return to accurate digital models, over and over again, provides unique opportunities to construct social histories of buildings long after they are gone.

“Some Account of an Extraordinary Traveller”: Using Virtual Tours to Access Remote Heritage Sites of Inuit Cultural Knowledge

Études/Inuit/Studies, 2018

Ce document est protégé par la loi sur le droit d'auteur. L'utilisation des services d'Érudit (y ... more

Digital Preservation of the Quon Sang Lung Laundry Building, Fort Macleod, Alberta

ISPRS Annals of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2017

This paper describes the results of an emergency recording and archiving of a historic structure ... more This paper describes the results of an emergency recording and archiving of a historic structure in Southern Alberta and explores the lessons learned. Digital recording of the Quon Sang Lung Laundry building in Fort Macleod, Alberta, was a joint initiative between Alberta Culture and Tourism and the University of Calgary. The Quon Sang Lung Laundry was a boomtown-style wood structure situated in the Fort Macleod Provincial Historic Area, Alberta. Built in the mid-1800s, the structure was one of the four buildings comprising Fort Macleod’s Chinatown. Its association with Chinese immigration, settlement, and emergence of Chinese-owned businesses in early twentieth-century Alberta, made the Quon Sang Lung Laundry a unique and very significant historic resource. In recent years, a condition assessment of the structure indicated that the building was not safe and that the extent of the instability could lead to a sudden collapse. In response, Alberta Culture and Tourism engaged the Depar...

Digital preservation, social history, and the Quon Sang Lung Laundry building: a case study from Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada

Applied Geomatics, 2018

Social history focuses on understanding the everyday lives of ordinary people (Richardson 2011, S... more Social history focuses on understanding the everyday lives of ordinary people (Richardson 2011, Social history, local history, and historiography: collected essays). The ethnic minorities that made up immigrant communities in North American towns and cities during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries have been of particular interest to social historians (Tosh 2017, From the 'cape of despair' to the Cape of Good Hope: letters of the emigrant poor in early nineteenth-century England. Social History 42:480-500). However, language barriers and low rates of literacy often limit the number of first person accounts written by people who belonged to such communities. This paper explores how terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and 3D reconstructive modeling of heritage buildings can provide new insights into the social history of Chinese immigrants in Alberta during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These technologies were used to rapidly and accurately document the Quon Sang Lung Laundry shop in Fort Macleod, Alberta, prior to its scheduled demolition. The resulting digital data sets were used to construct detailed architectural plans of the building, as well as photorealistic 3D reconstructions of the shop, as it would have appeared at different points in history. The resulting point clouds were further explored to detect and extract evidence of the lived experiences of its occupants. For example, the conflicts and tensions surrounding Chinese laundries, and the discriminatory bylaws that resulted, may be subtly reflected in specific architectural details of the laundry shop, such as evidence for the presence of walls no longer standing. The ability to return to accurate digital models, over and over again, provides unique opportunities to construct social histories of buildings long after they are gone.

From Science to Survival: Using Virtual Exhibits to Communicate the Significance of Polar Heritage Sites in the Canadian Arctic

Open Archaeology, 2016

Many of Canada’s non-Indigenous polar heritage sites exist as memorials to the Heroic Age of arct... more Many of Canada’s non-Indigenous polar heritage sites exist as memorials to the Heroic Age of arctic and Antarctic Exploration which is associated with such events as the First International Polar Year, the search for the Northwest Passage, and the race to the Poles. However, these and other key messages of significance are often challenging to communicate because the remote locations of such sites severely limit opportunities for visitor experience. This lack of awareness can make it difficult to rally support for costly heritage preservation projects in arctic and Antarctic regions. Given that many polar heritage sites are being severely impacted by human activity and a variety of climate change processes, this raises concerns. In this paper, we discuss how virtual heritage exhibits can provide a solution to this problem. Specifically, we discuss a recent project completed for the Virtual Museum of Canada at Fort Conger, a polar heritage site located in Quttinirpaaq National Park o...

Digital Preservation of the Quon Sang Lung Laundry Building, Fort Macleod, Alberta

ISPRS Annals of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2017

This paper describes the results of an emergency recording and archiving of a historic structure ... more This paper describes the results of an emergency recording and archiving of a historic structure in Southern Alberta and explores the lessons learned. Digital recording of the Quon Sang Lung Laundry building in Fort Macleod, Alberta, was a joint initiative between Alberta Culture and Tourism and the University of Calgary. The Quon Sang Lung Laundry was a boomtown-style wood structure situated in the Fort Macleod Provincial Historic Area, Alberta. Built in the mid-1800s, the structure was one of the four buildings comprising Fort Macleod’s Chinatown. Its association with Chinese immigration, settlement, and emergence of Chinese-owned businesses in early twentieth-century Alberta, made the Quon Sang Lung Laundry a unique and very significant historic resource. In recent years, a condition assessment of the structure indicated that the building was not safe and that the extent of the instability could lead to a sudden collapse. In response, Alberta Culture and Tourism engaged the Depar...

Multi-element and biomolecular analyses of soils as a means of sustainable site structure research on hunter–gatherer sites: A case study from the Canadian Arctic

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2015

Analyses of large open-air spaces on northern hunter-gatherer sites face many difficulties. A cen... more Analyses of large open-air spaces on northern hunter-gatherer sites face many difficulties. A central concern is that open-air tasks such as large scale animal processing may leave behind little or no macro evidence. Many tasks did, however, introduce chemical residues into underlying soils. Chemical surveys of these soils offer a minimally invasive, sustainable means of investigating large open-air spaces, which can provide evidence for the structured use of such spaces. Defining structuring in the use of space, in turn, contributes to clarifying site functions, seasonality, and residential mobility. Exemplifying this approach, we present results from ongoing soil chemistry studies at a 2000 year old Taltheilei hunter-gatherer encampment in the Canadian Arctic. Samples were analyzed using X-ray florescence spectroscopy (XRF), inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Patterning in the data was highlighted using principal component analysis (PCA) and inverse distance weighted interpolation (IDW). Anomalous concentrations of CaO, MnO, P 2 O 5 , and Cu were discovered adjacent to dwellings, representing hearth cleaning episodes. Along with these, enrichments in K 2 O, MgO, Fe 2 O 3 , Sr, Sc, Y, Cr, Ni, and Pb provide support for the presence of open-air animal processing facilities. We have also identified several peaks in our FTIR spectra that reasonably indicate trans-fat derived from ruminant tissue. At this stage of research, anomalies are attributed to caribou processing and refuse disposal during late fall occupations. While we are hopeful that FTIR will continue to develop as a valuable means of identifying fats in archaeological contexts, additional work will strengthen our current argument for the presence of trans-fats in our samples.

From Science to Survival: Using Virtual Exhibits to Communicate the Significance of Polar Heritage Sites in the Canadian Arctic

Open Archaeology, 2016

Many of Canada’s non-Indigenous polar heritage sites exist as memorials to the Heroic Age of arct... more Many of Canada’s non-Indigenous polar heritage sites exist as memorials to the Heroic Age of arctic and Antarctic Exploration which is associated with such events as the First International Polar Year, the search for the Northwest Passage, and the race to the Poles. However, these and other key messages of significance are often challenging to communicate because the remote locations of such sites severely limit opportunities for visitor experience. This lack of awareness can make it difficult to rally support for costly heritage preservation projects in arctic and Antarctic regions. Given that many polar heritage sites are being severely impacted by human activity and a variety of climate change processes, this raises concerns. In this paper, we discuss how virtual heritage exhibits can provide a solution to this problem. Specifically, we discuss a recent project completed for the Virtual Museum of Canada at Fort Conger, a polar heritage site located in Quttinirpaaq National Park o...

The Dynamic Maya City: Methods for Modelling Pedestrian Movement in Ancient Civic-Ceremonial Centres" (Draft, In Press) Proceedings of the 17th European Maya Conference, Helsinki, December 2012