Cyber-Archaeology at Petra

A recent two-day Cyber-Archaeology expedition at Petra provided new insights on the site’s structural conservation and helped create the next generation of archaeological data presentation. Conducted by University of California, San Diego-California Institute of Telecommunications and Information Technology (UCSD-Calit2), the American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR) and the Department of Antiquities of Jordan, the project used balloon-based high-definition photography, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging laser) scanning, Structure for Motion photography and Augmented Reality applications to monitor conservation efforts and to create enhanced virtual tourism in the Petra Park. The UCSD-Calit2 team’s research in Jordan’s Faynan district stands at the forefront of the burgeoning field of Cyber-Archaeology, and the recent investigations at Petra further the regional narrative. The Bible refers to the region containing both Petra and Faynan as Edom.
 

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The UCSD-Calit2 researchers at Petra are the authors of the FREE BAS eBook Cyber-Archaeology in the Holy Land: The Future of the Past. This comprehensive guide explains and explores the new 21st-century toolkit—from site to lab to visualization—along with new insights on Biblical Archaeology.
 

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LiDAR scans at the first-century C.E. Temple of the Winged Lions and Petra’s Byzantine church provided the team with a high-resolution view of structural threats to the sites’ preservation. Low altitude balloon photography was used to model the Temple of the Winged Lions and monitor conservation concerns. The data was organized with new ARtifact (augmented reality) software that allows viewers to view the site along with annotated data. For instance, not only will visitors examining the Byzantine mosaics be provided with relevant information on the finds; they will be able to view comparative and recreated works that compliment and situate the Petra finds within their stimulating visual and cultural context.

Read more in Antiquity.
 

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Learn more about Petra in Bible History Daily

Read Solving the Enigma of Petra and the Nabataeans.

Re-dating Nabatean Farming at Petra

Download your FREE copy of the authoritative guide to Cyber-Archaeology:
Cyber-Archaeology in the Holy Land — The Future of the Past
by Thomas E. Levy, Neil G. Smith, Mohammad Najjar, Thomas A. DeFanti, Albert Yu-Min Lin and Falko Kuester

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