Virtual skeletons and digital muscles: an experimental bioarchaeological approach to the pre-Hispanic production of millstones (Tenerife, Canary Islands)

Highlights: • The combination of biomechanical analysis and open-access Kinovea software enables the study of musculoskeletal and articular wear of experimentally reproduced tasks. • The repeated use of the right arm during indirect percussion and abrasion in lithic production could increase the...

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Main Authors: Jared Carballo-Pérez, Norberto Marrero-Gordillo, Alberto Lacave-Hernández, Matilde Arnay-de-la-Rosa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitat Politècnica de València 2022-08-01
Series:Virtual Archaeology Review
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Online Access:http://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/var/article/view/17781
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author Jared Carballo-Pérez
Norberto Marrero-Gordillo
Alberto Lacave-Hernández
Matilde Arnay-de-la-Rosa
author_facet Jared Carballo-Pérez
Norberto Marrero-Gordillo
Alberto Lacave-Hernández
Matilde Arnay-de-la-Rosa
author_sort Jared Carballo-Pérez
collection DOAJ
description Highlights: • The combination of biomechanical analysis and open-access Kinovea software enables the study of musculoskeletal and articular wear of experimentally reproduced tasks. • The repeated use of the right arm during indirect percussion and abrasion in lithic production could increase the changes in bone robusticity of specific muscle attachments observed in the osteoarchaeological record. • Motion ranges and postural angles analysis can generate more accurate representations of "virtual humans" in their archaeological context. Abstract: Understanding the physical impact of ancient labours has become an important experimental bioarchaeology area. Complex motion capture systems and digital tools have been used in biomechanical analysis during the reproduction of manual tasks. However, these systems are costly, so the researchers have explored alternative digital solutions. Therefore, the open-access Kinovea software was checked to confirm its reliability in characterizing the physical loads associated with particular works of ancient times. In this case study, the authors have analyzed the central postural angles and muscle chains involved in the indigenous manufacturing process of rotary stone mills, in the high mountains of Tenerife. The study included a virtual motion capture analysis carried out during the different phases of the experimental reproduction of this process; it was defined from the archaeological record of the quarries-workshops of Las Cañadas del Teide National Park (Canary Islands, Spain) volcanic millstones. The results of this study have demonstrated the software's effectiveness to virtually analyze the significant differences in posture between work techniques, observing a predominance of the use of m. biceps brachii, the m. brachioradialis, and the elbow joint during the manufacture of stone mills. On the other hand, Kinovea also has excellent potential in virtual archaeology, giving users tools to generate the average postural angles. As a result, building "virtual skeletons" in more precise work postures has been possible. This may serve as the base element to create complete body representations in virtual environments.
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spelling doaj-art-542338eaf72f438e95f82ea8171aeb792025-08-20T02:56:39ZengUniversitat Politècnica de ValènciaVirtual Archaeology Review1989-99472022-08-011428193710.4995/var.2023.1778116971Virtual skeletons and digital muscles: an experimental bioarchaeological approach to the pre-Hispanic production of millstones (Tenerife, Canary Islands)Jared Carballo-Pérez0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6188-3183Norberto Marrero-Gordillo1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9983-101XAlberto Lacave-Hernández2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4065-7969Matilde Arnay-de-la-Rosa3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8966-1566Universidad de La LagunaUniversidad de La LagunaUniversidad de Las Palmas de Gran CanariaUniversidad de La LagunaHighlights: • The combination of biomechanical analysis and open-access Kinovea software enables the study of musculoskeletal and articular wear of experimentally reproduced tasks. • The repeated use of the right arm during indirect percussion and abrasion in lithic production could increase the changes in bone robusticity of specific muscle attachments observed in the osteoarchaeological record. • Motion ranges and postural angles analysis can generate more accurate representations of "virtual humans" in their archaeological context. Abstract: Understanding the physical impact of ancient labours has become an important experimental bioarchaeology area. Complex motion capture systems and digital tools have been used in biomechanical analysis during the reproduction of manual tasks. However, these systems are costly, so the researchers have explored alternative digital solutions. Therefore, the open-access Kinovea software was checked to confirm its reliability in characterizing the physical loads associated with particular works of ancient times. In this case study, the authors have analyzed the central postural angles and muscle chains involved in the indigenous manufacturing process of rotary stone mills, in the high mountains of Tenerife. The study included a virtual motion capture analysis carried out during the different phases of the experimental reproduction of this process; it was defined from the archaeological record of the quarries-workshops of Las Cañadas del Teide National Park (Canary Islands, Spain) volcanic millstones. The results of this study have demonstrated the software's effectiveness to virtually analyze the significant differences in posture between work techniques, observing a predominance of the use of m. biceps brachii, the m. brachioradialis, and the elbow joint during the manufacture of stone mills. On the other hand, Kinovea also has excellent potential in virtual archaeology, giving users tools to generate the average postural angles. As a result, building "virtual skeletons" in more precise work postures has been possible. This may serve as the base element to create complete body representations in virtual environments.http://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/var/article/view/17781open-access softwarevirtual archaeologybiomechanicsexperimental archaeologyindigenous people
spellingShingle Jared Carballo-Pérez
Norberto Marrero-Gordillo
Alberto Lacave-Hernández
Matilde Arnay-de-la-Rosa
Virtual skeletons and digital muscles: an experimental bioarchaeological approach to the pre-Hispanic production of millstones (Tenerife, Canary Islands)
Virtual Archaeology Review
open-access software
virtual archaeology
biomechanics
experimental archaeology
indigenous people
title Virtual skeletons and digital muscles: an experimental bioarchaeological approach to the pre-Hispanic production of millstones (Tenerife, Canary Islands)
title_full Virtual skeletons and digital muscles: an experimental bioarchaeological approach to the pre-Hispanic production of millstones (Tenerife, Canary Islands)
title_fullStr Virtual skeletons and digital muscles: an experimental bioarchaeological approach to the pre-Hispanic production of millstones (Tenerife, Canary Islands)
title_full_unstemmed Virtual skeletons and digital muscles: an experimental bioarchaeological approach to the pre-Hispanic production of millstones (Tenerife, Canary Islands)
title_short Virtual skeletons and digital muscles: an experimental bioarchaeological approach to the pre-Hispanic production of millstones (Tenerife, Canary Islands)
title_sort virtual skeletons and digital muscles an experimental bioarchaeological approach to the pre hispanic production of millstones tenerife canary islands
topic open-access software
virtual archaeology
biomechanics
experimental archaeology
indigenous people
url http://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/var/article/view/17781
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