BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

Witness History Come Alive

3D modeling used to recreate historical sites

Image credit. View of the reconstructed sanctuary of the Church of the Glorious Martyr. Reconstruction by Roy Albag courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

New 3D modeling projects are paving the way for viewing history in completely new ways, putting you right in the heart of the ancient world. Advancements in digital technology allow archaeologists to explore and recreate the past as never before. They have also dramatically decreased the need for the physical reconstruction of sites, and now more than ever, have allowed scholars and tourists alike to experience the past from the comfort of their own homes.

Roy Albag excavating at Tel Moza. Photo: David Moulis.

One archaeologist at the forefront of 3D modeling is Roy Albag, a Ph.D. student in archaeology at Osnabrück University in Germany. Roy has created virtual models of more than two dozen sites in Israel, including the Canaanite temple at Hazor (currently on display at the Israel Museum), and the Church of the Glorious Martyr near Beit Shemesh, featured in the Fall 2021 issue of BAR. Many of these projects can be experienced on his website, most through photos, and some through full 3D interactive tours.

As both an archaeologist and architect, Albag creates 3D models that go far beyond the excavated remains. His models explore how ancient sites looked in their own time, how they functioned, and even what visitors to the site may have heard or smelled. Albag hopes these virtual reconstructions will lead to breakthroughs in our understanding of archaeological sites, while also making them accessible to the general public.

Read More in Bible History Daily:

3D Archaeology: Destroyed Monuments Resurrected by: Marek Dospěl

A 3D View of the Tell es-Safi Excavations by: Noah Wiener

New 3D Imaging Looks Inside Ancient Artifacts by: Biblical Archaeology Society Staff

Mesopotamian “Receipts” Illuminated by 3D Technology by: Robin Ngo

Virtual Reality in Archaeology by: Abby VanderHart