DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS OF WEST AFRICA

2019 SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL IN GHANA

MAY 26 – JUNE 29

FORT ELMINA, GHANA

Comprehensive Presentation
University of Rochester
6/24/2019
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS OF WEST AFRICA

2019 SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL IN GHANA

MAY 26 – JUNE 29

EXCAVATIONS OF G.0.7. UNIT 1E

Gaia Saetermoe-Howard and Josh Narey

Archaeological Excavations
University of Rochester
6/24/2019
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Goals of Excavation in G.0.7.

• Determine uses of room in Portuguese, Dutch, and British periods

• No maps of early Portuguese castle
• Mapped as staircase during Dutch period, dated 1786 (likely earlier)
• No known uses during British period, police school
• likely sealed: evidence of later destruction of door sealing by AW
Lawrence

• Investigate structural foundations

• Resting on bedrock or soft soil?
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Archaeological Protocols and Theory

• Excavations in natural stratigraphic layers

• Law of Superposition
• 14 contexts entirely excavated within loci
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Context 1

• Dirt floor leveled to threshold, with stairs built along opening

• Most recent context shows modern plastic, brick fragments
• Dates to after unsealing of room in 20th Century
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Context 5

• Red brick floor with mortar wash and brown dirt between bricks
• Dated through analysis of Context 6
• contains 19th Century artifacts
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Context 9

• Feature of loose light gray sand across southern half of unit

• Excavation reveals previously unknown wall bisecting room
• Earliest maps from Dutch conquest
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Context 12

• Reddish brown compact silty dirt between many flagstones; potentially an early
floor
• Excavations date context to period of Portuguese occupation
• Dutch vs. Portuguese brick
9
UR – ARCHAEOLOGY, TECHNOLOGY, AND HISTORICAL STRUCTURES 2017 SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL
UG – ARCHAEOLOGY AND HERITAGE STUDIES GHANA – 28 May – July 1

UR contact: PROF. R. PERUCCHIO – rlp@me.rochester.edu

 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Interpretation of Findings

• Discovery of earlier wall indicates multiple iterations of construction

• Southern wall also of earlier construction, shows small .7 m wide room of
unknown use
• Evidence of use in four periods
• Ghanaian, British, Dutch, Portuguese
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Further Questions

• Context 15 remains partially excavated

• Yet to discover foundation: bedrock or soft soil?
• excavations of J.0.5. adjacent to “condemned cell” on western wall
show western foundation rests on bedrock
• Purpose and use of room during Portuguese period
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS OF WEST AFRICA

2019 SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL IN GHANA

MAY 26 – JUNE 29

ENGINEERING COMPONENT
Anna Remus, Robert Cecil, and Diwas Gautam

Student Researchers
• Various Modes of Survey (Manual/Total Station/Photogrammetry/Laser Scan)
➢ Modeling
• Finite Element Analysis
➢ Character of Behavior of Structures under gravity load
• Multi-Body Dynamics
➢ Large scale behavior of structures with fractures

Graduate/Undergraduate Project work 1615, 1636, 1862, 1924, 1939

• Simulation of earthquake response
➢ Possible guidance of fortification
• Simulation of castle
➢ Insight into reasoning behind modifications and unusual features
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Finite Element Analysis

 xx =
E (1 − ) exx +  ( eyy + ezz )  − E T
(1 + )(1 − 2 )   (1 − 2 )
Common uses in Mechanical and Civil Engineering E E T
 yy = (1 − ) eyy +  ( exx + ezz )  −
• Body is divided into small simple elements (1 + )(1 − 2 )  (1 − 2 )
E (1 − ) ezz + ( exx + eyy )  − E T
• Behavior of each element is simple  zz =
(1 + )(1 − 2 )   (1 − 2 )

• Total behavior is combined response  xy =

E
2 (1 + )
exy dz
 xy +
 xy
dx
x

E  xz
 yz = eyz  xx +
 xx

2 (1 + )
dx
dy x
 xx
 xy  xz
 xz + dx
x
E
 xz = exz
2 (1 + ) dx
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Multi-Body Dynamics
Common uses in Mechanical
• Large scale behavior of structure is of interest
• Local forces and present and required
• Time scales, stability can be studied
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS OF WEST AFRICA

2019 SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL IN GHANA

MAY 26 – JUNE 29

MODELING
Anna Remus
University of Rochester
6/24/2019
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Manual Survey

3D CAD* Models in NX

Total Station

Photography Photogrammetry Model

 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

CAD Models
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

CAD Models
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

CAD Models
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Manual Survey vs. Total Station

 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Photogrammetry
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Photogrammetry
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Linear Elastic Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

Diwas Gautam
What is FEA?

Basic Size, Units:

6x5x1m

Material type and relevant data:

Material used: Roman Concrete
Young’s Modulus (E): 3370 MPa
Poisson’s Ratio (n): 0.2
Density: 1800 kg/m^3

Element/Analysis Type: FEA

Loads: Gravity 9.8 m/s^2 Fixed Contacts,

load of gravity
Boundary Conditions: Fixed contact with
the ground, load of gravity Fig: Stress development in an arch due to load of gravity
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Linear Elastic Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

Analysis Type: Comparison of stress

development on the same arch
with buttressing

Material type and relevant data:

Material used: Roman Concrete
Young’s Modulus (E): 3370 MPa
Poisson’s Ratio (n): 0.2
Density: 1800 kg/m^3

Loads: Gravity 9.8 m/s^2

Boundary Conditions: Fixed contact with

the ground, load of gravity Fig 1: Stress development in a Fig 2: Stress development in a
Sample arch Sample arch with buttressing
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Dynamic Mechanism Analysis

Robert Cecil
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Animation

Undermining of Soil:

• Could occur because of

erosion from wind and rain

• Gravity acts on the structure.

1G
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Animation

Applying a Lateral Force:

• Could occur because of an

earthquake

• Gravity acts AND a sideways

force act on the structure.

0.2 G

1G
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS OF WEST AFRICA

2019 SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL IN GHANA

MAY 26 – JUNE 29

FURTHER ENGINEERING RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Louisa Anderson
Marcos dos Santos
Jiacheng Sun

University of Rochester

6/21/2019
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Objectives

➢ Evaluation of the stability of structural changes of the western curtain wall

throughout its 500 year history
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Visual Documentation

1645 Drawing by Frans Post

Fort of Calecute (India) built by the Portuguese in 1513

1572 Atlas drawing of Elmina Castle by Georg Braun

Hans Propheet on 1625 Dutch attack
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

First Hypothesis

1. Considers the early Portuguese curtain wall with the hypothetical tower
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Second Hypothesis

2. Considers the early Portuguese curtain wall without the tower

 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Third Hypothesis

3. Considers the Dutch-period thickening of the curtain wall and the addition of a vaulted two-story

building along side the wall

 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Fourth Hypothesis

4. Considers the addition of two stories on the Northern section of the wall
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Initial Testing
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Initial Testing
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Structural Analysis of Eastern Wall Construction

Sequence of Elmina Castle’s Eastern Wall

Jiacheng Sun,
University of Rochester
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Hypothesized time sequence

 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Hypothesis 1
Late Portuguese East Curtain Wall
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Hypothesis 2
Dutch have likely thickened and extended east curtain wall to the bay level
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Hypothesis 3
During or after construction of vaulted rooms along east wall, the Dutch have identified problems
Imposed by the foundation therefore they have built the eastern buttresses.
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Possible Area of Structural Problems

Soil Pocket/Loose Material

 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Added Eastern Buttress

 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Loose Material
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS OF
WEST AFRICA

2019 SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL IN GHANA

MAY 26 – JUNE 29

Visualizing Consequence: Tours of Elmina Castle

Evan Binkley
Tourism and Heritage Considerations

University of Michigan
6/24/2019
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Scope of Research

● Overview of Research Interests (Left): An

examination of
○ Expand upon engineering and archaeological research by
original and
arriving at a more nuanced understanding of Elmina Castle reproduction
○ Investigate the role of Elmina Castle tours in negotiating bars within the
heritage dynamics female slave
dungeon, June
● Outline of Preliminary Research 22, 2019
○ Observed participation in tours between June 20 and 23
● Identification of tour duration, audience, and
stopping points
○ Exploration of visitor interaction within a space of shared
heritage
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Preliminary Findings

● The Activation of History and Memory (Left):

Visitors
○ Engagement through guided tours
beginning
their tour
● Opportunity for Further Contemplation of Elmina
○ Connection of architecture to points of trauma, Castle
departure, and return within the
museum
● Inter-group discussion space, June
○ Diverse nature of audience background 22, 2019

● The Role of the Museum Exhibition

○ Opportunity to situate oneself within historical and
cultural practice
 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGY OF HERITAGE BUILDINGS
OF WEST AFRICA – SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL MAY 26- JUNE 29

Final Considerations
(Left):
● The Benefits of Elmina Castle Tours Photograph
○ Direct engagement with a site of consequence and with two
visiting
revision
schoolchildre
○ Opportunity to promote shared knowledge and discussion n, June 23,
2019
● Opportunities for Further Engagement
○ Computerized structural and architectural models
○ Shared platforms for dissemination and collaborative
partnerships