Crafting The Brockley Axe: The VR Experience

This Virtual Reality (VR) immersive experience was developed to achieve two primary research goals: public access and experiential archaeological education.

The core of the experience provides public access to a high-fidelity digital twin of the largest known unfinished Neolithic porcellanite axe discovered on Rathlin Island. This VR experience addresses the challenge of providing broad public and academic engagement with fragile, unique archaeological artifacts that are typically restricted to museum or private access. The VR model was created following extensive consultation with maritime archaeologist (Forsythe) and original artifact provenance linked to the Green family from Rathlin. The emphasis on research to ensure authenticity to the original artifact and the neolithic crafting process.

The experience functions as an innovative educational tool by allowing the user to virtually complete the axe to its final, polished form. Users engage directly with the archaeological process of stone-tool production. The experience is available in two distinct interactive formats, allowing for comparative study of user engagement and immersion:

1. Controller-Operated Mode: Users interact with the virtual axe and flint stone using standard VR controllers. This mode incorporates haptic and rumble feedback upon collision, providing a tactile, grounded simulation of the laborious stone-knapping process.

2. Hand-Tracked Mode: This format relies on the VR headset's tracking technology to allow users to interact and 'craft' the axe using their hands. This provides a potentially more intuitive and immersive layer of interaction, transforming the artifact through direct virtual manipulation into its polished state.

This VR experience represents a novel approach to digital museum experiences, shifting the focus from passive viewing to active, embodied engagement with historical artifacts. It provides valuable data for assessing the effectiveness of haptic and hand-tracking interfaces Vs. Controller-Operated Methods in communicating complex archaeological methodologies and enhancing public understanding of Neolithic craftsmanship.