Project

Material History Lab + Oyo Empire Project

Archaeology, aerial mapping, and immersive documentation of Yoruba material culture supporting an open-access digital archive.

2024 - Ongoing Osun State, NigeriaEvanston, IL, USA Material History Lab

Material History Lab database

Studio photogrammetry documentation of a stool connected to Yoruba material culture research.

Overview

In Nigeria, my work integrates drone-based photogrammetry, 3D digitization, and immersive ethnographic documentation to study Yoruba material culture and support the development of the Material History Lab 3D Database.

This project contributes to the creation of an open-access digital repository dedicated to Yoruba Orisa artifacts and community interpretations. By combining technological methods with collaborative engagement, it advances new models for preserving and sharing cultural heritage across global contexts.

Supporting Media

Project documentation, process views, and field context

Scrollable media rail preserving original image proportions.

Curatorial and collections documentation image from Ile-Ife research work.
Curatorial and collections documentation image from Ile-Ife research work.
Drone-based aerial mapping documentation from fieldwork in Osun State, Nigeria.
Drone-based aerial mapping documentation from fieldwork in Osun State, Nigeria.
Material culture documentation image connected to collaborative fieldwork in Nigeria.
Material culture documentation image connected to collaborative fieldwork in Nigeria.
Cowries documented during field research related to Yoruba material culture.
Cowries documented during field research related to Yoruba material culture.
Decorated potsherd documented during Nigeria fieldwork.
Decorated potsherd documented during Nigeria fieldwork.
Photogrammetry process image documenting artifact capture workflow.
Photogrammetry process image documenting artifact capture workflow.
Field documentation image connected to Yoruba heritage research and site recording.
Field documentation image connected to Yoruba heritage research and site recording.