Virtual Reality for Maritime Archaeology in 2.5D: A Virtual Dive on a Flute Wreck of 1659 in Iceland

Public engagement with underwater cultural heritage presents a number of special challenges, particularly with regards to realism, authenticity and education. Digital archaeology specialists working in Adelaide, Australia have undertaken a collaboration with maritime archaeologists and museums in Reykjavik, Iceland to create a Virtual Reality (VR) diving experience based on Iceland's oldest identified shipwreck, Melckmeyt, a Dutch flute which sank in 1659. The experience was designed using a fully animated 2.5D VR environment, taking participants on a guided tour with a set time limit rather than offering an interactive experience. This approach maximises the sense of immersion in the underwater environment and replicates as closely as possible the experience of diving for the non-diver. This chapter considers the benefits of 2.5D VR compared to the more commonly applied 3D or interactive VR and argues that 2.5D VR offers significant potential benefits for museum use and ad hoc use for public engagement.