Artec digging deep in Moscow

10/10/2011
Heritage Preservation
Virtual Museum

One of Artec’s projects earlier this year will let you travel back to the time of the Tsars. Together with the Moscow Department of Cultural Heritage fundamental Russian history was preserved. An excavation site in the centre of Moscow reveals remains of the famous Transfiguration Cathedral at the Preobrazhenskaya Square. With the help of Artec S and MHT scanners, excavated objects were scanned — hence made ever-lasting. Ancient bricks, a bell clapper, an amulet and ornamented parts of plastering are now digitalized history.

The Transfiguration Cathedral, built 1768 in Moscow has been of major importance to Russia: located in the rural community Preobrazhenskoe, the Cathedral was central to Peter the Great as a child. With Peter destined to be a Tsar, extra attention was paid to his education. A military camp, the first of its kind, was established for young Peter and his peers to learn about discipline, patriotism and armed defense. In the future, this camp becomes the cradle of Russia’s military. As for the Cathedral, it was destroyed by the Soviets in 1964, and has not been rebuilt since.

Now the Moscow Department of Cultural Heritage initiated a reconstruction project: after the surroundings were cleared, the excavation process done, Artec was called to scan found objects which could not be captured by big laser scans. Thorough scanning of each item took about 10 minutes and was followed by post-processing in Artec Studio™ software. Take a look at how Artec helped conserve parts of Russian history:

The aim is to turn the excavation findings into a museum, which will be underground while the reconstructed Preobrazhenskaya Cathedral will sit on top. Now that the digging is done, the exposed remains of the Cathedral’s foundation will become accessible to anybody who wishes to journey back in time. This preservation part of the project resembles Louvre’s medieval basement in Paris: excavation discoveries remain untouched and covered by a concrete ceiling, giving you the opportunity to wander around 200-years-old murals. The Preobrazhenskoe community will soon find its famous Cathedral erected — another monument whose preservation Artec proudly contributed to.