XOCHICALCO
Derived from the agreement signed between the National University Autonomous of Mexico through the School of Higher Studies Aragon and the National Institute of Anthropology and History, has been initiated with the virtual reality three-dimensional reconstruction of the Archaeological Zone of Xochicalco.
Site which is located in the State of Morelos 426 ft . of high approximately.
This new project will include the reconstruction of the next areas:
- Square the wake of the two glyphs
- Main square
- Acropolis
- North Ballgame
- South Ballgame
Just as groups that INAH researchers assigned to this area have named as mentioned below:
- Set I-10
- Sector E
- Sector K
- Sector L
Each one of them is shown in the following image, which represents the area to be developed:
To date (March/2011) has carried out the first step of the virtual reconstruction, comprising each of the sites mentioned
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ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS
From the year 1984 the Archeologists Norberto Gonzalez and Silvia Garza, together with an equipment of investigators, initiated the works of exploration in Xochicalco. The initial aim was to obtain the major possible information across the excavations, it brings over of one of the principal accesses to the pre-Hispanic city. From these first works, it was possible to determine the constructive system that would dictate the line of construction in the future explorations to the interior of the city. The works in the Hill South, where the entry to Xochicalco is located one worked area in the seasons 1984-1985 and 1986 (Gonzalez et to. 1995).
Later, in the year 1991 the archaeological works focused in the consolidation of the big walls of containment that are located in the area of the Observatory. The intervention that was seeking to facilitate the access to the visitor to this space, allowed to understand the composition and conformation of the big walls of containment that worked so much to contain the terraces of the hill, as well as to generate a system of defense with the high walls.
The major archaeological intervention in Xochicalco was given between the years 1993-1994 during the Megaprojects arranged by the Federal Government. In this Project there appeared the liberation of the spaces constructed in the high part of the city with the aim to integrate to Xochicalco's urban order, the buildings explored in the decades of 1950 and 1960 by the Archeologists Noguera and Sáenz, same that were isolated and out of any architectural context.
It was so under the direction of the Archeologist Gonzalez, there was liberated and consolidated the great majority of the buildings and constructed spaces that today are visited. Following a methodology of excavation, I am employed at the exploration of buildings, squares, spaces of housing, administrative and religious that allowed to realize of the brilliance and the greatness of the inhabitants of this city Epiclásica that was founded about 600 A.D. and which was destroyed near the year 1100 A.D.
It was with this project that defined the social organization of the site, the spatial distribution of the architectural groups and, the systems and materials used for the construction of the city (Heron and Mayer 2005). On the basis of these works, the Arqlga. Claudia Alvarado has devoted herself to the study of the architecture of the city, being employed principally at the Acropolis (Alvarado in press to; in press b).
In the later years, from 2005 until 2009, the works of exploration in Xochicalco continued. In this last year, 2009, we focus in the exploration of other one from the income to the city from the side orientate. These works allowed to reaffirm the information obtained from the first seasons in 1984-1986, understanding the space as an area of control that was giving an access restricted to the city, across causeways, pits and porticoes (Alvarado and Garza 2010).
To the date, the works directed by the Archeologists Gonzalez and Garza, they have allowed to generate an urban development integration to Xochicalco's city, across the exploration of diverse architectural elements that gave form and function to Xochicalco.
Alvarado León, Claudia
En prensa a “El espacio construido y los procesos de cambio en la Acrópolis de Xochicalco” En Revista Cuicuilco.
En prensa b “Los sistemas de circulación en Xochicalco, Morelos”
Alvarado L., Claudia y Silvia Garza
2010 “El Carácter defensivo de Xochicalco (650-1100 d.C.)”, en Arqueología vol. 43,
pp.136-154.
Garza, Silvia y Pablo Mayer
2005 "Materiales de construcción y sistemas constructivos en Xochicalco." En IV Coloquio Pedro Bosch Gimpera. El occidente y centro de México, pp. 349-383. Instituto de Investigaciones Antropológicas, UNAM, México.
González, Norberto, Silvia Garza, Hortensia De Vega, Pablo Mayer y Giselle Canto
1995 “Archaeological Investigations at Xochicalco, Morelos 1984 and 1986”. En Ancient
Mesoamerica 6:223-236.
PROGRESS AS OF NOVEMBER 2011
The project has presented a considerable advance from the construction of architectural spaces and site topography. Of architectural spaces their progress includes walls, columns, slabs, slopes, stairs, etc., all these objects still have reviews that allow us to edit elements to keep details that do not match respect to the structures it is possible to visit, such as the hypothesis generated by INAH researchers who are participating. From topography, it has the construction site where is located the archaeological zone, based on uprisings conducted with INAH. Here it is pertinent to mention that the integration of the architectural structures with the topography has a challenge because of the complexity of the site, forcing us to perform various computational tests for a proper virtual "setting".
To achieve a better understanding of the above lines are presented descriptive images of project progress.
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| This image is of a general presentation of the progress of the reconstruction project of the archaeological zone (November 2011). |
ANTECEDENT OF THE PROJECT "VIRTUAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL ZONE OF XOCHICALCO.”
The virtual reconstruction of the archaeological zone of Xochicalco, is part of a general project that gave beginning in October 2007, where the UNAM through the School of Higher Studies Aragon
In this instrument, it was agreed to develop models reconstructive of the major archaeological sites of Mexico , starting with Teotihuacan
PURPOSE OF THE SPECIFIC AGREEMENT OF COLLABORATION
The so-called "Xochicalco Project", aims to support research activities, academics and about difusión.
In the first on the one hand, is directed toward the construction of models showing the hypothesis that the INAH researchers has on the archaeological zone and start off from the site excavations and analysis of the elements have been found, whether architectural, funeral, ceramic, etc.
On the other hand, aims to develop computational tests with specialized programs in modeling and virtual reality, with the support of the Directorate General of Computer and Information Technology and Communication of the UNAM.
The second activity is aimed at the Academy, where teachers and students for careers as Architecture, Pedagogy, Industrial Design, Communication and Journalism, Archaeology and Anthropology, will be able to participate in the project through activities or "derived" from it. These may take place in classrooms and / or in the virtual observatory "ixtli" of the UNAM in matters relating to prehispanic architecture with social, cultural and educational aspects, with the use of advanced computer programs, philosophy of education, history of education, funeral customs, among many others, or in social service delivery, "building virtually" different architectural spaces, burials found, some of the most representative pieces, etc.
PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROJECT
To carry out the virtual reconstruction work has been necessary to involve a multidisciplinary team initially comprised archaeologists, physical anthropologists and architects, students as well as social service providers.
For the Delegation of INAH-Morelos are participating the archaeologists Norberto Garza García Crespo and Silvia Taracena, researchers attached to the archaeological site of Xochicalco. By the National Coordination of Archaeology, the archaeologist Ignacio Rodriguez Garcia and Antrop. Phys. Luis Alfonso Gonzalez Miranda, who will serve as advisors because they participated in the virtual reconstruction of the archaeological site of Teotihuacan
For the National University Autonomous of Mexico Dr. Roberto Pliego Martínez, Head of Academic Section of Division of Humanities and Arts at the School of Higher Studies Aragon, this being the second virtual reconstruction project that coordinates (the first was the Teotihuacan Project). In its time, specialists of other disciplines will join, depending on the progress and emerging needs. The participation of UNAM-FES Aragon, Indicates the work done by the students in social services, who at this stage, are responsible for building three-dimensional models, for which, receives a prior training in the Division of Humanities and Arts on the use of computer programs.
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND PROGRESS TO NOVEMBER 2011
Overall, progress in the development of the reconstruction project to November 2012, includes the next aspects: Define initial scope of the project, selection of the necessary information, three-dimensional model building architectural, construction of three-dimensional topographic model, adjustments to the models developed, testing virtual reality and virtual tours.
About the definition of the scope of the projec, was considered the architectural reconstruction of the site including the square of the wake of the glyphs, the main square, the Acropolis, the North set: where are located structures as the Temazcal, the northern ballgame, "House of the Dolls", the ballgame south, the east and set ballgame this including contiguous structures.
To this purpose it has been necessary to make visits to the archaeological site and recognize deeply, take photographs, receive from the archaeologists Norberto Garza García and Silvia Garza, descriptions of the place, the most nearest assumptions held about the activities which were carried out, of different eras constructive and research papers that have been made. These visits have been conducive for lifting structure elements as embankments, slopes, heights, longitudinal and transverse dimensions, thickness of walls, tracks, risers and number of echelons, etc.
Until November 2011, have made five visits to the archaeological zone.
SELECTION OF INFORMATION
To develop the project in general, has benefited primarily from information provided by INAH, which in turn has been generated by research conducted by specialists working in this institution.
It has been used digital information and graphics made by archaeologists Garza and Gonzalez, who directed the excavations at the archaeological site. It has also had official publications such as the work "Xochicalco and Tula
CONSTRUCTION OF ORIGINAL ARCHITECTURAL MODEL
The construction of architectural structures was carried out with the Architectural Desktop program in collaboration with Viridiana Rojas Jimenez, José Luis Lorenzo Camargo, José Adrián Castro Yáñez, Mayté Alejandra Adán Rodríguez y Susana Liseth Peñaloza Contreras, students social service providers of Architecture Career FES Aragon.
This process is based on two-dimensional CAD files, which in turn were provided by the INAH, from where they were "raised" structures located in the square of the wake of the two glyphs, the main square, the Acropolis, in the north, east and south, emphasizing the ball games, the Temazcal, the building "of architects ", ramp of animals, etc.
Such construction includes items like basements, stairs, slopes, walls, slabs, auctions, etc., of which, some of them had to be revised and measuring and others considering the hypothesis of researchers affiliated with the archaeological zone.
In the specific case of the temple of the feathered serpent, the lateral engravings were also reconstructed in the third dimension, initially making his bidimensional trace and then subsequently giving volumetry, so that in this way, to be placed as textures.
MODELING AND FIRST TEST OF MAPPING
The construction of the original model, has derived in a new model imported from 3d studio max program, creating new files where have been made settings for more detailed by the possibilities this program provides.
At this stage platforms were developed which allow for a better idea of the conformation of the whole, because due to their magnitude, has dificulties for their understanding. Work in 3d studio max program has included a series of adjustments in the levels of sown of each architectural element and has permitted apply colors and / or textures initial (mapping) files that were created by type tga (targa) editing them in Corel Draw, which, despite are not those that had the archaeological zone, neither, which will have at the end of the project, achieve for the technical work much clearer idea of the site and of the changes or adjustments required.
4 lamps Omni type were placed, distributed in four exterior extremes of the set (one of these activandole the effect of creating shadows), which in addition to illuminate the model, providing the formation of shadows, coupled with fifth type lamp with Vray renderer give greater realism and technical working facilities.
DETAILED AND MODIFICATIONS OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODEL
As a later stage to the construction and the set modeling have been necessary sessions of review of progress, where archaeologists Norberto Gonzalez and Silvia Garza participated because they are by the INAH, the specialists charge of this project.
These sessions have been carried out both in the archaeological zone, as in the installations of the FES Aragon (as seen in the image above).They will make adjustments in areas such as modifications to the structures built, adjustments to these elements that require it, modeling elements that are not included (such as staircases, openings in slabs to be "covering" a courtyard, adjustments in dimensions of walls or columns, among other things).
TOPOGRAPHIC MODEL CONSTRUCTION
As part of the modeling work, the site has been constructed in which sits the Xochicalco archaeological zone, working the topographical conformation as from line of level curves which was conducted prior to the start of the project. This information was provided by the Directorate for the Archaeological Zone and of the archaeologists Garcia and Garza.
The trace of the lines that define the different levels was performed on CAD scale 1:1 (just like architectural files provided), forcing it to scale them to with greater precision to handle all dimensions and levels, both architectural like topographical thus allowing to have a general model "scaling", that for work in three dimensions is much more convenient and accurate.
To perform the topographic model for elsewhere and because the CAD file showed level curves every five meters high, only were considered the main or "master", that determine levels every ten meters. In this way the program 3d Studio Max applying opción "Terrain", was transformed was transformed the outline bidimensional on a three-dimensional element.
MODELING TOPOGRAPHIC
The topographic model it was modeling in parallel with levels adjustments architectural structures, in order to settle these to the conformation of the contour lines.
Then applied a texture from a file of type tga (targa) to give a preliminary sense of vegetation, which subsequently changed to retaking the contour, as will be seen in the image below.
TERRACES AND SLOPES
An important part of Xochicalco were its terraces and slopes that allowed him to to adapt to the conditions that at the time were presented with their builders for choosing elevations (hills) to found the ceremonial center.
The large slopes that are characteristic for this archaeological site, gave a sense of security to their inhabitants, as well as an enormous settlement character. Therefore, these elements are the main part in the virtual reconstruction already which will give us the idea to the architectural solution naturally raised and adaptation to the medium achieved in that period.
The modeling process is conducted in the application 3d studiomax with tool Edith Mesh, mainly adjusting the slopes of the slopes from the vertices of each of the lines that make up the topography, on which it has been necessary to apply vegetation materials, floor textures or flattened to get your understanding.
MODELING WORK SETTINGS
In order that the project expose it an entirely identified model with the characteristics of the archaeological zone, are being bringing out new review sessions that will result in a very close work to constructive reality of Xochicalco.
Aspects such as stairs design, heights allowing refresh interiors of the rooms, finials in the high part of the walls, big slopes on the mount, big slopes on the mount, slopes at the bottom of some of the walls, stairs that gave access to the interiors from the rooftops, among other features, are cause for a detailed visual analysis by the work team, both in office and in the archaeological site.
VIRTUAL TOURS
The first stage of this project is primarily aimed at the construction of virtual reality reconstructive models, which include the structures discovered to date in the archaeological zone. Each of them individually and collectively, will have a virtual reality model with the properties necessary to achieve them the feeling of immersion.
This feature will allow the observer to penetrate virtually in the architectural space practically in real scale and time, relevant programs and the use of 3D glasses in theaters or virtual visualization, such as the Observatory vitual Ixtli of UNAM, with this will be achieved a breakthrough in the academic, research and outreach.
Moreover, the elaboration of the different files provide the ability to create lineal virtual tours that will show this archaeological site in AVI videos or QUICK TIME type and thereby will have reached the first stage, which has to November 2011 has with the description presented in the previous images.
ADVANCES OF MAY, 2013
The virtual reconstruction has been completed, was conducted hypothetical reconstruction of the area that has been excavated by staff at the INAH and that has access to the general public. At this stage it boasts exclusively on architectural structures and with the reconstruction of the "Porch of the Hanged", place where were found human skeletal remains that because of the conditions in which they were apparently were hung on the porch slab.
In addition to architectural structures, was rebuilt the topography of the site, adjusting the three-dimensional model to the conditions of the "terrain" and vice versa, retaking features xochicalcas system constructive, something that can be seen in the picture below:
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| Image. - Virtual reconstruction of the archaeological site of Xochicalco. View from the southeast of the archaeological site, where you can observe in the foreground, the Plaza of the Stele of the two glyphs and The Big Pyramid, on the right, the called "Set L", to the left two platforms with porticoed structures access to the main square, where they are the feathered serpent pyramid and the Acropolis, at the top, the ball game north and down to the left, the ball game south. |
Each of the structures presented different conditions of development, either by its location on the topographical context or relationship to contiguous structures. By the deteriorating conditions in which they are, in spite of the efforts to keep them in an acceptable state by the personnel assigned to the archaeological site, was necessary to carry out various working sessions dedicated to the review and analysis of the materials developed in the computer, achieving a fine detail that show structural characteristics as given on the sides of the rafters of the stairs, tucking on the facades between other elements.
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Image. - Virtual reconstruction of the sectors E, K and L.
At the center of the image, it is observed that sector E has a large courtyard bounded by porticoed structures, as well as a temple at its left end. Top is denoted "the roof" and the porticoed courtyard of another structure called "of the architects", for having found working tools (related to construction) during excavations conducted by INAH specialists. To the left of the image, is located The Ball Game East (Sector K)
and part of the Sector L.
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Virtual Image of reconstruction of the main square (ceremonial center).
The main space of the archaeological zone corresponds to the square, which in addition to having The Acropolis (not observed in the picture), concentrated the following structures: access porticoes (center-below the picture), above these two twin structures, of which highlighted (lower right of both) pyramid of the plumed serpent (which was the occasion of his special reconstruction in this project) and finally to the right, the set where is located the contrails pyramid. |
The architectonic set reconstructed, is possible "live it" through immersion processes in three dimensions (virtual worlds) in the virtual observatory "Ixtli" of the UNAM, upon application to the School of Higher Studies Aragon Teotihuacan
ADVANCES TO OCTOBER / 2013.
The process of reconstruction practically has concluded, it was achieved to develop the totality of the set that during decades has been excavated by investigators of the INAH assigned to this archaeological zone. To October one possesses the totality of the architectural structures of the sectors that are specified later:
- The Sectors A, B, C, and D (that between other structures include the “temazcal”, the container of water and the game of north ball.
- The Sector E (that includes the building called of the architects, the “patio porticado”, the central temple of the latter and both lateral temples)
- The Sector F (that includes the great pyramid)
- The Sector G or principal square (that includes the central structures, of which one of them has been named a temple of the adorned with feathers serpents, the set "porticado" of the extreme east and the pyramid of the “estelas”)
- The Sector H or square of the “estela” of the two "glifos" (that includes the architectural structures located in the ends orientate and west, the central structure in which the “estela” of the two was found "glifos", as well as two structures located in the south end and the stairs of access.
- Sector L (that is constituted by the principal pyramid, the architectural structures that form his square, of which, some of them are porticados. From this moment, it has been given the beginning of the didactic material, which will include products multimedia particularly.
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