  This paper presents an application of photogrammetry on ceramic fragments
from two excavation sites located north-west of France. The restitution by
photogrammetry of these different fragments allowed reconstructions of the
potteries in their original state or at least to get to as close as possible.
We used the 3D reconstructions to compute some metrics and to generate a
presentation support by using a 3D printer. This work is based on affordable
tools and illustrates how 3D technologies can be quite easily integrated in
archaeology process with limited financial resources. 1. INTRODUCTION Today,
photogrammetry and 3D modelling are an integral part of the methods used in
archeology and heritage management. They provide answers to scientific needs in
the fields of conservation, preservation, restoration and mediation of
architectural, archaeological and cultural heritage [2] [6] [7] [9].
Photogrammetry on ceramic fragments was one of the first applications
contemporary of the development of this technique applied in the archaeological
community [3]. More recently and due to its democratization, it was applied
more generally to artifacts [5]. Finally joined today by the rise of 3D
printing [8] [10], it can restore fragmented artifacts [1] [12]. These examples
target one or several particular objects and use different types of equipment
that can be expensive. These aspects can put off uninitiated archaeologists. So
it would be appropriate to see if these techniques could be generalized to a
whole class of geometrically simple and common artifacts, such as ceramics.
From these observations, associated to ceramics specialists with fragments of
broken ceramics, we aimed at arranging different tools and methods, including
photogrammetry, to explore opportunities for a cheap and attainable
reconstruction methodology and its possible applications. Our first objective
was to establish a protocol for scanning fragments with photogrammetry, and for
reconstruction of original ceramics. We used the digital reconstitutions of the
ceramics we got following our process to calculate some metrics and to design
and 3D print a display for the remaining fragments of one pottery.
