Diagrammatic representations, mainly based on ideas of visual perception from a theoretical perspective, consist of a combination of schematic and image entities in arrangements and/or conceptual orderings that form narratives useful for synthesis and organization of complex, large and diverse datasets, analysis and detection of patterns and communication of thoughts (Tversky 2014). Considering the above, an inclusive methodology for generating diagrams from DOT scripts rendered in GraphViz has been developed as tool for integration and interpretation of imaging and spectroscopy datasets for the purposes of the AHRC funded project ‘Unravelling the Gordian Knot: Integrating Advanced Portable Technologies into the Analysis of Rock-Art Superimposition’ (RCUK 2018). Beyond rock art research (Kotoula et al. 2018), the proposed methodology is potentially flexible enough for applications in a broad range of materials and artefacts types.
This paper addresses to what extent inclusive diagrammatic visualizations contribute to documentation of archaeological artefacts and works of art with complex painting stratigraphy and/or long biographies. Additionally, it evaluates the use of diagrams as interpretation and communication tools. It presents diagrammatic visualizations of painted surfaces as well as objects with elaborate engraved decorations. The dataset for the generation of diagrams vary, from 2D and 3D images to textual sources and physicochemical analysis. It presents a template that significantly reduces the time for the generation of the diagrams and facilitates the easy adaptation of the technique by users not familiar with DOT scripts, as an attempt to overcome the drawbacks of complexity and lack of a graphical user interface.