A
UMAX scanner in your lab will redefine how you record your scientific
specimens
|
|
 |
|
Scanning
a Mayan vase on a UMAX scanner
|
It
comes as a surprise to many people that you can record 3-dimensional
objects on a flatbed scanner. Yes, there are specialized scanners
for 3D objects, but those cost a fortune, outside the reach of any
archaeology research project.
But
a good quality flatbed scanner can do the job just fine. This is
our trusty UMAX
Power Look, one of the original issues (before the Power Look
2 existed). Now the Power Look 3 is out, and that can record sherds
even more precisely.
Botanists
can scan their botanical specimens a lot more accurately, in color.
Geologists can scan their rock samples and get all the details of
the crystal structure, the minute color changes, and everything
else they need to record. Today, a flatbed scanner is as crucial
for any research lab, museum, or professional person as a basic
camera has always been.
Obviously
you have to place the painted side down on the glass, but this picture
is just to reveal how fully three-dimensional these sherds are.
They are thick, and quite curved, yet the scanner was able to capture
all the archaeological detail marvelously.
Since FLAAR itself does not own or otherwise have any ceramic artifacts,
we borrowed these from a research center to record them. These images
are part of a long range program (twenty years so far and over a
million dollars) to photograph all extant Maya art and artifacts
and to use the photographs to understand Maya civilization. Presently
we have 40,000 images.
These
particular sherds are part of a special project to record the ceramic
history of the Motagua River drainage of central Guatemala. FLAAR
recently had a symposium on this subject with Dr Gary Rex Walters
and Dr Guillermo Mata each speaking on their archaeological research
in the middle Motagua area. The Motagua people of the Classic period
were mining jadeite in their local area. This gave them enough wealth
to be able to import fancy polychromes from the Highlands. So far,
more Chama and Highland God D style polychrome vases have been recorded
for the Motagua area than for the entire Highland homelands for
these styles.
|
|
|
Comparing
the actual 8th century Maya sherd with 21st century technology
from ENCAD and EFI.
|
Where
can you get a scanner like this?
We
just call up DTP and ask for Scott Olson, 1 (800) 311-7385, ext
347 or 1 (800) 395 7778, ext 347.
Two
other models have come out since, indeed you can no longer obtain
this "model 1."
The
photography department at our community college liked the quality
of our scanner so much that they ordered a UMAX for themselves (Power
Look 2). The
PowerLook 2 is good enough to create large
size posters.
Where
to buy your UMAX scanner? The advantage
of CDW is the wider range of computer products they offer (over
40,000 products such as flatbed scanners, 35mm slide scanners, color
laser printers, etc.)
|
|
FLAAR offers for you more information about this subject |
|
|
