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Volume 15
Issue 10
10.3390/app15105408
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

A Digitally Enhanced Ethnography for Craft Action and Process Understanding

by
Xenophon Zabulis
1,
Partarakis Nikolaos
1,2,*,
Vasiliki Manikaki
1,
Ioanna Demeridou
1,
Arnaud Dubois
3,
Inés Moreno
4,
Valentina Bartalesi
5,
Nicolò Pratelli
5,
Carlo Meghini
5,
Sotiris Manitsaris
6 and
Gavriela Senteri
6
1
Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology—Hellas (FORTH), GR-70013 Heraklion, Greece
2
Department of Applied Informatics, University of Macedonia, 156 Egnatia Street, GR-54636 Thessaloniki, Greece
3
French National Center for Scientific Research, 3 Rue Michel Ange, 75016 Paris, France
4
Histoire des Technosciences en Société, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (HT2S-CNAM), Case 1 LAB10, 2 Rue Conté, 75003 Paris, France
5
Istituto di Scienza e Tecnologie Della Informazione (ISTI), Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR), Area Della Ricerca CNR, 56124 Pisa, Italy
6
Centre for Robotics, MINES ParisTech, PSL Universite, 60 Boulevard Saint Michel, 75006 Paris, France
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(10), 5408; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15105408
Submission received: 1 April 2025 / Revised: 4 May 2025 / Accepted: 6 May 2025 / Published: 12 May 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Current Applications of 3D Information Technologies for Cultural Heritage)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Traditional ethnographic methods have long been employed to study craft practices, yet they often fall short of capturing the full depth of embodied knowledge, material interactions, and procedural workflows inherent in craftsmanship. This paper introduces a digitally enhanced ethnographic framework that integrates Motion Capture, 3D scanning, audiovisual documentation, and semantic knowledge representation to document both the tangible and dynamic aspects of craft processes. By distinguishing between endurant (tools, materials, objects) and perdurant (actions, events, transformations) entities, we propose a structured methodology for analyzing craft gestures, material behaviors, and production workflows. The study applies this proposed framework to eight European craft traditions—including glassblowing, tapestry weaving, woodcarving, porcelain pottery, marble carving, silversmithing, clay pottery, and textile weaving—demonstrating the adaptability of digital ethnographic tools across disciplines. Through a combination of multimodal data acquisition and expert-driven annotation, we present a comprehensive model for craft documentation that enhances the preservation, education, and analysis of artisanal knowledge. This research contributes to the ongoing evolution of ethnographic methods by bridging digital technology with Cultural Heritage studies, offering a robust framework for understanding the mechanics and meanings of craft practices.
Keywords: ethnography; intangible cultural heritage; digitization; knowledge representation; crafts; craft gestures; craft processes; crafting actions ethnography; intangible cultural heritage; digitization; knowledge representation; crafts; craft gestures; craft processes; crafting actions

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Zabulis, X.; Nikolaos, P.; Manikaki, V.; Demeridou, I.; Dubois, A.; Moreno, I.; Bartalesi, V.; Pratelli, N.; Meghini, C.; Manitsaris, S.; et al. A Digitally Enhanced Ethnography for Craft Action and Process Understanding. Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, 5408. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15105408

AMA Style

Zabulis X, Nikolaos P, Manikaki V, Demeridou I, Dubois A, Moreno I, Bartalesi V, Pratelli N, Meghini C, Manitsaris S, et al. A Digitally Enhanced Ethnography for Craft Action and Process Understanding. Applied Sciences. 2025; 15(10):5408. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15105408

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zabulis, Xenophon, Partarakis Nikolaos, Vasiliki Manikaki, Ioanna Demeridou, Arnaud Dubois, Inés Moreno, Valentina Bartalesi, Nicolò Pratelli, Carlo Meghini, Sotiris Manitsaris, and et al. 2025. "A Digitally Enhanced Ethnography for Craft Action and Process Understanding" Applied Sciences 15, no. 10: 5408. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15105408

APA Style

Zabulis, X., Nikolaos, P., Manikaki, V., Demeridou, I., Dubois, A., Moreno, I., Bartalesi, V., Pratelli, N., Meghini, C., Manitsaris, S., & Senteri, G. (2025). A Digitally Enhanced Ethnography for Craft Action and Process Understanding. Applied Sciences, 15(10), 5408. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15105408

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