Digitally rebuilding the Late Chalcolithic cultural heritage of Kissonerga village, Cyprus

In common with many prehistoric sites worldwide, it can be difficult for non-expert and specialist audiences alike to visualise the original appearance, ambience and use of the often much-truncated and confusingly multi-period Chalcolithic settlements in Western Cyprus. Photorealistic digital 3D reconstructions, when created with reference to the fullest possible range of archaeological data, can work to bridge this gap between excavated remains and interpretation, providing a powerful and accessible means for modern audiences to better understand prehistoric life and the relationships between people and the buildings they inhabited. As part of a larger project to elucidate and present the cultural heritage of Kissonerga village, directed by Dr Lindy Crewe, the author digitally reconstructed the architecture and artefacts of the Late Chalcolithic ‘Pithos House’ at Kissonerga-Mosphilia—a site excavated by Professor Edgar Peltenburg of the University of Edinburgh between 1979-1992. This paper will demonstrate the methodologies used to create this reconstruction and explore the potentials for presenting this Late Chalcolithic built heritage to different audiences through a variety of media.