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Why digital enhancement of rock paintings works: rescaling and saturating colours

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Bruno David ,
John Brayer ,
Ian J. McNiven  and
Alan Watchman
Bruno David
Affiliation:
Department of Geography and Environmental Science, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia. [email protected]
John Brayer
Affiliation:
Department of Computer Science, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-1386, USA. [email protected]
Ian J. McNiven
Affiliation:
School of Fine Arts, Classical Studies and Archaeology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia. [email protected]
Alan Watchman
Affiliation:
School of Anthropology, Archaeology and Sociology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia. [email protected]
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Abstract

With the advent of relatively inexpensive image-handling computer programmes, digital image enhancement is more readily available to archaeologists. This paper describes the principles behind image enhancement and its application to rock-art in particular. Its use at a site in Torres Strait shows how it can be used successfully to reveal faded rock paintings.

Keywords

rock-artdigital image enhancementcolour sciencedigital photographyTorres Strait
Type
Papers
Information
Antiquity , Volume 75 , Issue 290 , December 2001 , pp. 781 - 792
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 2001

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