Archaeologists Use Laser Technology To Create Digital Models Of Ancient Artifacts

AncientPages.com - Artifacts of the ancient city of Kibyra can be seen in the digitally thanks to a laser technology project initiated by Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Turkey.

Researchers have used laser technology to create digital models of ancient artifacts unearthed during excavations in the ancient city of Kibyra, also known as Cibyra Magna, is an ancient city and an archaeological site near the modern town of Gölhisar, in Burdur Province, in south-west Turkey.

It was the chief city of a district Cibyratis. According to Strabo the Cibyratae are called descendants of the Lydians, of those who once occupied the Cabalis, but afterwards of the neighboring Pisidians, who settled here, and removed the town to another location.

The ancient city is known as the city of gladiators.

The university’s goal was to turn the artifacts into digital models so people would be able to “visit” them on the Internet,' Serkan Öktem, director of  MAKU Technical Sciences Vocational School said.

A virtual museum

“The unearthed artifacts are being displayed in parallel at the museum but as these [physical] opportunities are limited, thousands of artifacts are being kept in the museum’s storage and cannot be displayed,' Öktem explained.

"We scan these artifacts with the laser scanning technology and model them on a computer. Then we transfer them to the Internet so that people can see [them]. Archaeology and history aficionados can see these centuries-old artifacts easily on the Internet.”

Öktem said the project had two stages. First the objects will be scanned one by one. Then the stadium, agora and the assembly building in the ancient city of Kibyra would be scanned.

He said the laser tools used were imported from abroad and

“We use these tools for archaeological purposes. They are brand new technologies. Technology is progressing very fast. Maybe we will have opportunity to make 3-D prints of these artifacts in the future,” he said.

The laser tools are usually used in the industrial, automotive, machine, construction and restoration sectors.

AncientPages.com 

source: Hurriyet Daily News