Digital Editions
Newsletters
Subscribe
Digital Editions
Newsletters
Art market
Museums & heritage
Exhibitions
Books
Podcasts
Columns
Technology
Adventures with Van Gogh
Art market
Museums & heritage
Exhibitions
Books
Podcasts
Columns
Technology
Adventures with Van Gogh
News

French military funds technology to document heritage in conflict zones

The 3D data will allow troops on the ground to asses conditions of monuments via their laptops

By Emily Sharpe
22 June 2017
Share

The French ministry of defence is funding a US-French consortium that is working to democratise the technology used to digitally document heritage sites threatened by war. A $1.1m grant, announced last month, supports a three-year project to widen access to this 3D data, so that it can be used by troops on the ground and scholars via their laptops anywhere to assess the condition of monuments and sites at risk. Peacetime applications include sites threatened by climate change and urban growth.

The BIG3D research and development project is a partnership between France’s Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), the 3D-scanning firm Iconem and Sketchfab, an online platform for sharing 3D models. The funds are being administered by France’s defence procurement agency for its military, through its Rapid programme—a scheme that supports small- and medium-sized enterprises’ industrial research and development projects of interest to the defence sector.

The French start-up Iconem scans imperilled heritage in several countries around the world, including Syria, where it works with local archaeologists to create digital databases of the country’s heritage. It has teamed up with Syria’s Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums to assess sites damaged by Isil and use 3D photogrammetry to create reconstructions of them, including Palmyra’s Temple of Bel and Triumphal Arch.

Speaking at an event in London last month via a video link, Syria’s head of antiquities, Maamoun Abdulkarim, praised Iconem’s work and said that he believes it would “not be difficult” to restore the arch, because it has been done before. Meanwhile, Sketchfab is hosting online 3D models of several Syrian sites, including a damaged city block in Aleppo.

News
Share
Subscribe to The Art Newspaper’s digital newsletter for your daily digest of essential news, views and analysis from the international art world delivered directly to your inbox.
Newsletter sign-up
Information
About
Contact
Cookie policy
Data protection
Privacy policy
Frequently Asked Questions
Subscription T&Cs
Terms and conditions
Advertise
Sister Papers
Sponsorship policy
Follow us
Instagram
Bluesky
LinkedIn
Facebook
TikTok
YouTube
© The Art Newspaper

Related content

News
19 April 2016

Palmyra arch destroyed by Isil rises over Trafalgar Square

Replica is going up in London today, then New York and Dubai

Cristina Ruiz
News
20 January 2017

Russian team creates 3D model to preserve Palmyra as fighting intensifies

As another monument in Palmyra is destroyed by extremists, the detailed record of the ancient city becomes ever more precious

By Sophia Kishkovsky
News
28 March 2016

Isil driven out of Palmyra

Early reports indicate that ancient sites that survived the terrorist group’s destruction are in “good condition”

Helen Stoilas
Palmyranews
11 January 2021

New hope that ancient Palmyra will be rebuilt after Isis damage

Deal between the Syrian government and Russian masonry body builds on country’s research into state of archaeological site

Sophia Kishkovsky