3D model of Palmyra presented at Army-2021

26 August 2021


Russian scientists presented the results of humanitarian missions to Syria, including a 3D model of Palmyra, destroyed by militants, at the Army-2021 International Military and Technical Forum, Natalia Solovyova, Deputy Director of the Institute of the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences told reporters.


The exhibition is located in the pavilion, devoted to the conflict in Syria, on the territory of "Partisan village" in the Patriot Park. According to Solovyova, the exhibition consists of the results of the work of scientists in the projects "Palmyra in time and space" and "Salvation of the early Christian temples of Syria". Visitors will be able to see archival, graphic, photographic materials, models and copies of architectural details made by Russian specialists as part of the projects to preserve the cultural heritage of Syria.


In 2016, immediately after the liberation and humanitarian demining of Palmyra, scientists appealed to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu with a proposal to conduct a set of works to preserve the World Cultural Heritage site. As a result, a unique 3D model of Palmyra was created and donated to Syria and UNESCO, a dynamic geographic information system "GIS Palmyra" including all the information about the monument, as well as the most accurate 3D model of the main temple of Palmyra - the Temple of Bela, destroyed by the militants. The 3D model was used to make a copy of the capitals of the corner pilasters of the temple.


"The work documented the terrorists' crimes: the destruction of architectural monuments and numerous looting excavations on the territory of the World Cultural Heritage site," said the deputy director. She stressed that with the help of the digital model of the ancient city and the Bela temple built, as well as the information system, it is possible to plan restoration and research work without having to travel to the site.


The scientist said that a comprehensive resource, a web-GIS "Early Christian Temples of Syria," is being created as part of the "Saving the Early Christian Temples of Syria" project. "The idea was approved by the Russian Ministry of Defense and proposed for joint implementation," Solovyova said.


According to her, the resource will include 3D models of objects, orthophotomaps and orthophotos, history of study of monuments, bibliography, photographs, magnetometer and thermographic survey data, three-dimensional digital bank of architectural details. "As part of the project, two international complex Russian-Syrian expeditions have already been conducted to monitor and record the condition of the early Christian church on the site of Al-Halawiyah Madrasa in Aleppo, the temples in Izra and the early Christian temples located in the Deir al-Salib, Qasr-ibn-Wardan and Apamea cultural heritage sites," she explained.


The expeditions produced more than 50,000 images to build models and record the destruction caused by the fighting. "The data obtained will be a reliable basis for planning any further preservation of early Christian monuments, including restoration, restoration, protection and tourism," Solovyova concluded.


The exhibition was organized by the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Maxim Atayants Architectural Studio, Renaissance Group, Patriot Park, and the National Defense Management Center of the Russian Federation.

 

 

GSV "Russia - Islamic World"

Photo: Creative Commons

Based on materials from RIA Novosti