Virtual archaeology seeks to develop ways of using computer-based visualization for the comprehensive dissemination of the past. Compared to commonly used digital media such as photos, videos, and 3D photorealistic reconstructions, virtual reality (VR) is distinct, promising unique cultural experiences.

But what makes a VR-mediated cultural experience successful? How do the design elements of VR applications (for example, objects, people, interaction, and storytelling) contribute to the intended goal of feeling that one has traveled to the past?

Aiming to answer these questions, an important contribution of this paper is its definition of cultural experience as a function of the feeling of cultural presence. To do so, it extends the notion of user experience to include, in addition to the communication aspects of technology, factors such as cultural representation and engagement, and social presence.

To back up her hypothesis--as more design elements are added, leading to a more complete reconstruction, “the higher the feeling of cultural presence, regardless of visual realism”--the author built and evaluated “six different virtual reconstructions of the Neolithic site of Çatalhöyük (Turkey) ... in a between-subjects experiment.” Although the results do not confirm the hypothesis, they do provide useful insights into the impact of different design elements on user experience.

The paper delivers a methodical analysis of the results and a fairly balanced presentation between statistical analysis and interpretation. These results complement previous studies related to the design and evaluation of archaeological virtual environments focusing on graphic realism, interaction, and content accessibility. I found equally useful the depth with which the author discusses related work, including over 70 references on the subject. For anyone interested in the design and evaluation of virtual archaeology applications, this is a good starting point.