[in-depth review of the current state of Virtual Archaeology--the theories, the goals, the methods, and the projects; from special sessions on the subject at the Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology conference in Barcelona, Spain, 1998]

for other works by Forte, see also: Forte
for other works by Sanders, see also: Dabney, Wright, and Sanders; Kornfeld and Sanders; Paley and Sanders; Sanders

[review of the current state of virtual archaeology, with examples and discussion by leading practioners around the world, including Donald H. Sanders, president of Learning Sites, with images from our work and the allied Inst. for the Visualization of History, Inc.]

Calliope Magazine
2004     The Assyrians.  vol.15.1. September.

[review of increasing integration of virtual reality re-creations into museums, schools, and other venues; includes mention of successful installations and projects by Learning Sites]

Coté, François
2004     "Patrimoine et nouvelles technologies: quelques repères," Continuité: le magazine du patrimoine au Québec, #99:21-23. winter 2003-2004.

[discussion of Learning Sites^TM innovative electronic excvation report which will publish the complete results of the Bryn Mawr College work at Tsoungiza, including all photographs, drawings, notebook pages, analyses, and database records accessed through virtual reality as the visual index and a Java-based search engine for the database and its links to the virtual re-creations of the trenches and reconstructions of buildings and artifacts]

for other works by Sanders, see also: Barcelo, Forte, and Sanders; Kornfeld and Sanders; Paley and Sanders; Sanders

Donovan, Patricia 
2002     "Digital Archaeology," UBtoday, winter issue, pp.18-21.  Also online at http://www.buffalo.edu/UBT/features/features_3.html

[an example of the new field of digitial archaeology; a review of Learning Sites collaboration with the University at Buffalo Department of Classics, the Virtual Reality Laboratory in the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the UB Center for Computational Research, and the New York State Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation to re-create the ancient Assyrian palace of King Ashur-nasir-pal II at Nimrud using advanced computer graphics techniques]

2001     "Palace Unearthed with Digital Tools," University at Buffalo Reporter, vol.33, #3, Sept., p.4. also online at: "Using Digital Tools, Buffalo Archaeologists and Engineers Change the Face of Archaeological Reconstruction," State University of New York at Buffalo, UB NewsDirect, online Newspaper, May 29. http://www.buffalo.edu/news/fast-execute.cgi/article-page.html?article=52160009

[review of Learning Sites collaboration with the University at Buffalo Department of Classics, the Virtual Reality Laboratory in the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the UB Center for Computational Research, and the New York State Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation to create new educational and research tools using virtual reconstructions of ancient monuments; the new tools will have intelligent agents acting as virtual tour guides and be available on very high-end systems and also on small portable units; examples from the Northwest Palace of Ashur-nasir-pal II, Nimrud]

[a new analysis of the evidence leads to the conclusion that the Archaic temple of Athena, set afire by the Persian sack of Athens, was neither destroyed in the assault nor taken down at a later date, but remained standing into the Roman period, and possibly well beyond; with several images from Learning Sites' virtual reality re-creation of part of the Acropolis with a hypothetical digital reconstruction of the Archaic temple in ruins.]

Forte, Maurizio
1999     Guide: professione, archeologo, trend, Mondadori: Milan.

[detailed guide to the most current methods and techniques of the archaeological profession for fieldwork, analysis, and publication using new computer and multimedia technologies; with numerous examples from Learning Sites regarding our use of the Internet, virtual reality, and interactive educational materials]

[review of how new 3D visualizations are becoming crucial for the study of ancient history; with examples of current projects, including Learning Sites]

for other works by Forte, see also: Barcelo, Forte, and Sanders

[review of the Buhen Project, the beginnings of Learning Sites, and the advantages of using of virtual reality for cultural heritage projects]

[brief history of Learning Sites and description of early projects; synopsis of paper presented at Virtual Heritage'95 Conference, Bath, England]

for other works by Gay, see also: Sanders and Gay

[discussion of the field and applications of virtual reality, including Learning Sites educational initiatives]

[review of how CAD technology, normally used for contemporary architecture, is being used by Learning Sites for accurately studying the past; with discussion of and illustrations from our work on Gebel Barkal and the Nothwest Palace at Nimrud] 

[the CD accompanying this issue highlights the work of Learning Sites, including many of our recent projects with interactive virtual reality demos, high-resolution renderings, and text describing our goals and methods]

Kalbag, Asha
1999   Computer Graphics & Animation. Usborne Publishing: London.

[introduction to the field of computer graphics, from how to create them to how they are used in medicine, movies, and cultural heritage preservation; images from Learning Sites projects as examples of virtual reality used for reconstructions of historical sites for education]

[digital modeling of an historically accurate ancient character and the simulation of 3D human--avatar--and cloth movement in a real-time, complex virtual re-creation of the Northwest Palace of Nimrud, Assyria]

for other works by Kesavadas, see also: Kim, Youngseok; T. Kesavadas; and Samuel M. Paley
for other works by Paley, see also: Kim, Youngseok; T. Kesavadas; and Samuel M. Paley;  Paley, Samuel M. and Donald H. Sanders
for other works by Sanders, see also: Barcelo, Forte, and Sanders; Kornfeld and Sanders; Paley and Sanders; Sanders

[description and example of how Learning Sites creates interactive site or trench period or phase plans combining traditional hand-drawn plans with orthographically corrected site photographs and Javascript programming]

for other works by Sanders, see also: Barcelo, Forte, and Sanders; Dabney, Wright, and Sanders; Paley and Sanders; Sanders

[review of some current projects in virtual archaeology, including those by Learning Sites, and brief overview of the process of creating a virtual reconstruction]

Levine, Oren
1995     "History Repeats Itself," Zombit v.14 December, p.21 (in Hebrew).

[synopsis of demonstrations at the Virtual Museum Gallery booth at Virtual Reality World '95 exhibition, Boston, Massachusetts, which included Learning Sites' Gebel Barkal and Nemrud Dagi virtual worlds]

[virtual reality examples, definition, applications, and challenges for the classroom]

[discussion about how virtual reality computer technologies are providing new insight into ancient sites and challenging traditional beliefs; featuring images from and comments about Learning Sites' Northwest Palace, Nimrud, project]

[review of the benefits of virtual archaeology, generating new insight into the past not possible with traditional visualization methods; featuring the Learning Sites' Northwest Palace of Ashur-nasir-pal II, Nimrud, project as an example]

[review of Learning Sites methods and techniques, with images and descriptions from the Northwest Palace of Ashur-nasir-pal II, Nimrud, project]

for other Computer Graphics World articles about Learning Sites, see also: Moltenbrey

[illustrated review of Learning Sites projects, goals, and objectives]

[examples of projects, including Learning Sites, using virtual reality to help archaeologists understand the past and how such digital technologies can change the discipline]

[review of virtual cultural heritage, the new discipline focusing on using digital technologies, especially virtual reality, to help preserve the past; Learning Sites projects and goals are discussed among some of the leading proponents of the discipline; includes images from two of our recent projects]

for other Computer Graphics World articles about Learning Sites, see also: Mahoney.

[interview with Donald H. Sanders, founder of Learning Sites, Inc., about the history of the company and the future of virtual archaeology; published in the quarterly journal of the Innovation Group of The Rensselaerville Institute]

[proceedings of an international conference on virtual archaeology held in Arezzo, Italy, covering topics related to the use of interactive 3D computer models, databases, GIS applications, and other virtual-reality-based visualizations to the study of the past; Donald H. Sanders was an invited speaker]

[exploring the rise of computer graphics visualizations to study and teach about buildings that have no intention of being built or that no longer exist; examples from architecture and archaeology, including a highly illustrated chapter on Learning Sites Vari House and discussion of Learning Sites Palace of Ashur-nasir-pal project]

[a nonlinear review and explanation of the cultural, social, and psychological implications of new media; many examples, including a description of Learning Sites and images from our Gebel Barkal virtual world]

[short review of virtual heritage projects, goals, and techniques, with sample images and discussion of Learning Sites' projects, especially the Northwest Palace, Nimrud]

Read, Brock
2001    "Archaeology Project Will Recreate an Ancient Assyrian Palace Electronically," The Chronicle of Higher Education, Information Technology section, Sept. 12. http://chronicle.com/free/2001/09/2001091201t.htm

[a review of Learning Sites' work with the University at Buffalo to create an interactive digital re-creation and publication of the Northwest Palace of Ashur-nasir-pal II at Nimrud, Assyria]

[archaeological analysis, publication, and education using cutting-edge 3D computer graphics; the top virtual ancient worlds are reviewed, including Learning Sites' Vari House educational package]

2008 "Why Do Virtual Heritage? Case studies from the portfolio of a long-time practitioner," Archaeology Magazine online at: http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/virtualheritage/

[using several projects from Learning Sites and the Institute for the Visualization of History as examples, the article explores how new insight into the past gained through the methods of virtual heritage; insight that could not have been obtained through the use of traditional 2D or paper-based illustration media]

2005      "Imagine That: just how do they make computer pictures?" DIG 7.6: 28-31.

[discussing the reasons why museums with collections of art, architecture, and archaeological artifacts seem reluctant to install VR-based exhibit displays despite their many advantages for the museum and the visiting public; solutions to each perceived problem is presented]

[description of how new interactive 3D computer graphics are changing the way archaeologists study, publish, and teach about their excavated evidence; with images and descriptions of various Learning Sites projects.]

2001     "Persuade or Perish: moving virtual heritage beyond pretty pictures of the past," pp.236-245 in Hal Thwaites and Lon Addison, eds., Enhanced Realities: augmented and unplugged -- Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Virtual Systems and Multimedia, 25-27 October, 2001, IEEE Computer Society: Los Alamitos, California.

[the creation of virtual worlds based on our cultural heritage is an endeavor that although no longer in its infacy is still struggling to generate worthy content; as drawing and then photography were adopted to document historical places, objects, and cultures, so today virtual heritage products are beginning to serve those functions; but is VR content really taking advantage of the digital medium; who is creating the content; who is the audience; and are the creators and the audiences working together in fruitful ways?]

2001     "Modern Technology Deciphers Ancient Architecture," Indian Architect & Builder, Mar., pp.24-26.

[how software once used primarily by architects, construction professionals, and graphic artists has found alternative applications by archaeologists trying to understand and visualize the ancient monuments; with examples from Learning Sites' projects]

[in an increasingly electronic world, archeological data are appearing in new types of publications and are finding new avenues for dissemination; the definitions of author, publisher, and content creator have become blurred, and entities other than the original excavation team are playing important roles;  new  collaborations are required between the excavators and the digital designer and publisher to produce text, graphics and organizational layouts; the resulting new formats and presentations are so different from traditional print-based publishing that new techniques must emerge for crediting authors and illustrators, for peer review, and for bibliographic citations; some of the changes that digital media bring to the process of archeological publishing are discussed]

[a review of the company, the software we use to construct our 3D models, the new insight into the past that interactive computer models provide, some recent projects, and our view of a digital archaeology and virtual-reality-based education of the future]

[a brief history of virtual reality; how virtual reality has been used by archaeologists; how virtual reality can be better integrated into archaeological excavation, data analysis, publication, teaching, and site preservation; with examples from current Learning Sites projects] 

[the long history of virtual reality but only recent use of it for public education, how to move virtual reality from adjunct audiovisual aid to complete curriculum framework, with archaeological content as an example]

for other works by Sanders, see also: Barcelo, Forte, and Sanders; Dabney, Wright, and Sanders; Kornfeld and Sanders; Paley and Sanders

[our Vari House Virtual World package for public school education, its hyperlinked and virtual reality components, and a vision of the future classroom]

[how virtual reality-based education, the Internet, and emerging technologies for multi-user interaction and customized database access could affect education]

[the benefits and pitfalls of designing virtual worlds using the emerging VRML standard]

for other works by Gay, see also: Gay

[special issue devoted to archaeology, reviewing new excavations, new analyses, and new techniques for understanding and visualizing "lost" or destroyed ancient buildings and sites; article discusses examples from several projects using virtual reality, including those by Learning Sites]

[review of some of the latest digital techniques used for archaeological research and interpretation, including the virtual reality efforts of Learning Sites; liberally illustrated with examples from Learning Sites projects]

[how Learning Sites uses CAD and virtual reality technology to create educational packages; they have a high-degree of accuracy and integrate abundant teaching aids; our educational project based on data from the Northwest Palace of Ashur-nasir-pal II, Nimrud, is featured]

[this year's program of events focused on advanced multimedia technologies as applied to cultural heritage, including new methds for assessing and enjoying our cultural heritage and looking for ways to use these methods for education; display of several Learning Sites projects; description, objectives, and innovations of our Northwest Palace of Ashur-nasir-pal II, Nimrud, project is featured in the catalogue]

[a copiously illustrated encyclopedic review of ancient Egyptian temples, covering such topics as temple origins, construction techniques, the various spaces of the temple, the religious functions of temples, and examples of the major buildings all along the Nile from the Delta to Nubia; included in the discussion of the Nubian site of Gebel Barkal, are renderings from Learning Sites' 3D model of the site]

[review and evaluation of current efforts at developing, evaluating, or using VR technology for education; research indicates potential of VR-based educational packages to enhance constructivist and collaborative learning at all levels of teaching; Learning Sites' education efforts are highlighted throughout]