Abstract
Mobile applications are presently at the forefront of interpreting outdoor historical and archaeological sites. This chapter discusses the methodological approach adopted in the Rock art mobile project (RAMP) which addresses the challenge of designing and delivering mobile interpretation at three Neolithic and Early Bronze Age rock art areas in Northumberland, UK. RAMP proposes a departure from the more traditional design approaches of delivering scientific content in the form of an archaeological mobile guide. It acknowledges that rock art interpretation requires a ‘design space’, which facilitates empathy between users and designers, and allows the existing archaeological content, the public’s fascination with the ‘cryptic’ meaning of the rock art sites and the technological, environmental and personal situation of the user to be explored and to inspire technological development.
Note
A previous version of this article was published in: Galani A et al. (2011) Situating cultural technologies outdoors: Designing for mobile interpretation of Rock Art in rural Britain. In Trant J and Bearman D (eds). Museums and the Web 2011: Proceedings. Toronto: Archives & Museum Informatics. Published March 31, 2011. Available at: http://www.museumsandtheweb.com/mw2011/papers/situating_cultural_technologies_outdoors_desig The content of the RAMP web application and additional information about this research is available on: http://rockartmob.ncl.ac.uk/
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Notes
- 1.
Since January 2013 access to Weetwood Moor requires the landowners’ permission.
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Acknowledgments
RAMP was supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), UK, AH/H037608/1. We would like to thank all participants who attended our workshops, and the local services in Wooler and Rothbury for their hospitality. Figure 10.2 is included courtesy of England’s Rock Art.
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Galani, A., Mazel, A., Maxwell, D., Sharpe, K. (2013). Situating Cultural Technologies Outdoors: Empathy in the Design of Mobile Interpretation of Rock Art in Rural Britain. In: Ch'ng, E., Gaffney, V., Chapman, H. (eds) Visual Heritage in the Digital Age. Springer Series on Cultural Computing. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5535-5_10
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