3D technology reconstructs ancient sites to revive the destroyed ruins of Syria’s ancient city

Text by: Xiao Lv Hai

The horror of war reveals the darkest side of human nature. The massacres driven by racial hatred are hard to forget. Last year, the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra suffered unprecedented destruction of its cultural relics by the militant group Islamic State (IS), including a 2,000-year-old lion statue, temples, and the Arch of Triumph.

Before being ravaged by war, the ancient city of Palmyra was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracted 150,000 visitors annually. But after the destruction by IS, only an arch remained. Their goal in demolishing the temples was to erase the historical memory before the introduction of Islam.

The Institute for Digital Archaeology (IDA) at the University of Oxford in the UK believed that this arch would soon be destroyed as well. Researchers collected about 1 million 3D images of the arch and used 3D printing technology with cement materials to reconstruct the Arch of Triumph. The arch was divided into several parts, manufactured separately in Shanghai and Italy, and then brought to London’s Trafalgar Square in the UK, where it was assembled like building blocks.

The finished product is highly realistic; IDA director Roger Michel even said it’s hard to tell the difference compared to the original site.

This allows 3D high-tech to make a significant impact on history. Of course, what we hope most is world peace, free from war.

Image source: Getty Images