Articles

Digitization of Cultural Resources and Its Utilization Method Using Archaeological Information
Teramura, Hirofumi

Translating Material Culture: Multilingualization of Displays at the National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka
Yamanaka, Yuriko

Research Notes

Digitization of Cultural Resources and Its Utilization Method Using Archaeological Information
Hirofumi Teramura

　　From the perspectives of methodology and theory of technique, this paper presents an examination of “Cultural Resources”, which is of central importance in the humanities and social sciences. Based on examples, the study of “Information” is discussed, particularly addressing 3D measurement, an increasingly used tool that unifies information for cultural studies. Future prospects are considered via the example of 3D models.

Key Words：archaeological information, 3D measurement, 3D model, 3D laser scanner, cultural resources

Translating Material Culture: Multilingualization of Displays at the National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka
Yuriko Yamanaka

　　The National Museum of Ethnology began renovating its galleries according to the “Basic Exhibition Concept 2007”, the most important reevaluation of its exhibition methods since the museum’s opening in 1977. The 10-year renovation process ended in March 2017. The new concept emphasized clarification of the cultural context underlying the objects on display, and also the museum function as a “forum for promoting mutualexchange and understanding” among researchers, the source community, and increased use of descriptive media, with basic contents made bilingual (Japanese–English), so that information is accessible to non-Japanese speakers.
　　The present author has been involved in the editing and translating process of the explanation panels and captions as a member of the general management team that supervised the overall design and style of the renovation. As described herein, we shall reexamine the naming of objects and the multilingualization process of exhibition displays from the perspective of comparative literature, applying translation theory to analyze difficulties specific to the presentation of culture in multiple languages in an ethnological museum. Although literary text translation is a linear conversion from the source language to the target language, the “translation” of material culture, which involves assigning “identifiers” to objects in several languages, is a multilayered, multidirectional process.

Key Words：translation theory, material culture, museology, renovation, cultural understanding