Philip Sapirstein

Philip Sapirstein is an Assistant Professor of Art History and Archaeology at the University of Toronto. With a doctorate from Cornell University (2008), he has held postdoctoral fellowships from the NEH, ACLS, Mellon, and Fulbright foundations as well as the American School of Classical Studies in Athens. Before joining the faculty at Toronto, from 2013–18 he was an Assistant Professor in the School of Art, Art History & Design at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Dr. Sapirstein’s research interests include the history of architecture of the Mediterranean, in particular, that of ancient Greece. The digital humanities are another important aspect of this research, and he is among the leading practitioners in photogrammetry and 3D analysis in the context of Mediterranean archaeology. He has published widely on both the history and technology of Greek architecture and digital methods.

His recent works on archaeology and architecture include New directions and paradigms for the study of Greek architecture: interdisciplinary dialogues in the field (2019, Brill, co-edited with David Scahill); “The columns of the Heraion at Olympia: Dörpfeld and early Doric architecture” (2016, American Journal of Archaeology 120.4: 565–601); and “Painters, Potters, and the Scale of the Attic Vase-Painting Industry” (2013, American Journal of Archaeology 117.4: 493–510).

His publication on digital techniques include “Segmentation, Reconstruction, and Visualization of Ancient Inscriptions in 2.5D” (2019, ACM Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage 12.2.15); “A high-precision photogrammetric recording system for small artifacts” (2018, Journal of Cultural Heritage 31: 33–45); “Establishing best practices for photogrammetry in archaeology” (2017, Journal of Field Archaeology 42.4: 337–50, with Sarah Murray); and “Accurate measurement with photogrammetry at large sites” (2016, Journal of Archaeological Science 66: 137–45).

Website: https://arthistory.utoronto.ca/people/directories/all-faculty/philip-n-sapirstein

Contact: phil.sapirstein@utoronto.ca