Balancing the Digital and Physical Worlds in Archaeology
Exploring the ongoing debate on technology’s role in uncovering the past
—By Nour Alzerjawi
The past, rooted in an old oak
As a child, Dr. Lisa Young would observe the growing branches of an old oak tree near her home, tracing the rough grooves in its bark with curious fingers. Her mother would ask her to observe and to look closely at the tree to feel and understand how long it has been there. “It was a lesson in patience and observation,” Dr. Young recalls. “That tree taught me that history isn’t just something you read about; it’s something you can feel, touch, and experience.”
Decades later, as an archaeologist and educator, that lesson is carried within her. Her mother’s influence and that oak tree’s beautiful wisdom and age continue to guide her in uncovering the past. For Dr. Young, archaeology has always been about more than artifacts or excavation sites; it’s about those stories that are embedded within the surfaces of simple artifacts that once belonged to real people with real lives. Just like us and the tree branches that preserve the story of many ages ago, archaeology preserves the stories and lives of human history, a balance Dr. Young believes is important in today’s tech-driven field.
As technology pressures the field of archaeology to reform to digital tools, Dr. Young finds herself asking a familiar question: How much of the digital world should be involved in archaeology, and where should the line be drawn?
The rise of digital archaeology
Advancements in digital technology have made archaeological research easier than ever. 3D scanning with high resolution allows researchers to analyze artifacts in more detail. For example, morphological analysis software allows the examination of surface properties beyond human ability. A case study demonstrating how digital tools have transformed the study of ancient cultures, published in The Ancient World Goes Digital, highlights how digital tools have transformed archaeology, offering capabilities that extend beyond human ability.
Museums have also embraced this shift. Virtual museum exhibits bring ancient history to people who may never set foot in a gallery, while technology has improved that immersive museum experience. The Australian Museum has embodied this technological shift in a recent exhibit, Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru. As Kim McKay, director of the exhibit, said to The Guardian magazine, “Museums have to evolve. Like everything else, you can’t just be fixed in the past, we have to utilize the new technology as it’s evolving.”
The personal impact of physical interaction
Despite these innovations, Dr. Young argues that something essential is lost when we rely too heavily on screens. “We can learn a lot from seeing things digitally,” she explains, “but when students are physically with an artifact, they pause, observe, and ask different questions.” She finds that deep learning occurs when students engage with physical objects, not when scrolling through digital representations.
This sentiment is echoed by Ashley Glabicki, a junior at U of M studying Design and Information Technology. Reflecting on her own experience with museum skeletons, “I remember going to the museum multiple times to draw the skeletons. It was part of an assignment, but it became more than that. Sitting with those artifacts, you start to appreciate the weight of what you’re looking at. These aren’t just objects, they’re real pieces of history that carry stories with them.”
She adds, “When you’re drawing from something real, especially something ancient, you learn more than just its form. You see the flaws, the textures, the parts that wouldn’t show up in an artificial model.”
Dr. Young’s first experience engaging with physical artifacts was during a high school program with a Native American expert. In the program, she collected clay to make pots, learned how to form them, and then collected wood to fire the pots. She even went out on the landscape and harvested food for a feast that they had. “That experience taught me that archaeology isn’t about the objects; it’s about the stories of people and the lands they live in,” she says. Today, she uses similar hands-on methods in her University of Michigan classrooms, combining physical learning with digital tools.
Learning from the pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted both the advantages and limitations of digital archaeology. When in-person visits were impossible, Dr. Young helped design a virtual exhibit on Native American basket-making for the University of Michigan’s Natural History Museum. The digital version of the exhibit allowed people to explore Native American basket-making techniques through embedded videos, audio, and detailed images.
However, she noticed a clear difference when visitors engaged with the physical exhibit. “Seeing the baskets in person, understanding their texture, weight, and intricate craftsmanship are experiences that a screen can never fully replicate.”
The debate over digital vs. physical exhibits
As digital technology plays a greater role than ever before in archaeology, debate continues about whether new technology like 3D scanning will reduce the need for physical museum collections. Dr. Young, however, remains unconvinced: “I could get the Michigan relics 3D-printed for my students, but they would still be plastic. They wouldn’t have the poorly fired clay or the same interactive experience that allows students to analyze them up close.”
While digital tools make the work of archaeologists easier and more convenient, they also pose challenges regarding the originality of artifacts, with the concern that digital reliance may make students and the public less appreciative of hands-on engagement. Dr. Young emphasizes that interacting with objects physically fosters deeper learning and critical thinking. “When students work with artifacts directly, they notice fine details that could be overlooked in a digital scan. This type of engagement leads to stronger, more meaningful observations.”
The interpretive nature of archaeology
Archaeology is more than uncovering artifacts; it involves interpreting the past through material evidence. As a British anthropologist, archaeologist, and educator at the University of Oxford, Dr. Dan Hick notes in his “Letter to a Young Archaeologist,” “Archaeology can alter the past by shaping what we remember.” While digital tools enhance this interpretive work, the human element remains essential. Dr. Young sees this balance firsthand when her students examine historical scrapbooks. Digital scans provide broad information, but the physical artifacts spark deeper observations and curiosity—an experience that highlights archaeology is about connection as it is about discovery.
This connection is evident in her first-year seminar on food at the University of Michigan. During this course, she takes students to the Bentley Library to explore century-old student scrapbooks. Before visiting, students review digital scans and reflect on what might feel different when encountering the physical items. During the visit, they often express surprise at the textures, faded ink, and personal touches that digital copies can’t fully convey. For Dr. Young, this hands-on experience illustrates archaeology’s core lesson: the past becomes most vivid when we engage with it beyond the screen.
Finding the balance
Dr. Young believes the future of archaeology lies in a balance. “The digital environment is great for accessibility and introduction, but for deeper engagement, physical artifacts play an important role.” She suggests “combining” both techniques in her teaching, by using digital resources to provide background information before students handle real objects. This method ensures that students gain both general knowledge and hands-on experience.
As the digital era embeds itself into our lives, the challenge of how to embrace the benefits of digital tools without losing the valuable lessons that come from holding history in our hands needs to be addressed. Perhaps the enduring oak tree near Dr. Young’s childhood home serves as a reminder. Technology may offer a glimpse into history’s branches, but the roots—like the artifacts we unearth—remain best understood through direct, physical connection.
Likewise, Dr. Young advises aspiring archaeologists, “Go out and do it. Digital tools help us share information and analyze data, but excavation and fieldwork are irreplaceable. Hands-on experience is key.”
Feature photo, Dr. Lisa Young conducting fieldwork; Photo Credit, Courtesy of Dr. Lisa Young