Russian Scientists to Recreate Ancient Petroglyphs in 3D
Digital tools are expected to help uncover how the ancient carvings were created
Researchers at the Institute of the History of Material Culture plan to create 3D models of ancient petroglyphs from Kanozero on the Kola Peninsula, director Andrey Polyakov told TASS. The meaning of the carvings, discovered in the Arctic region 25 years ago, remains unknown. The 3D reconstructions will allow scientists to study them in controlled research settings.
Digital Hieroglyphs
The models will capture even small cracks in the rock surface, as ancient artists may have incorporated them into the compositions. The images will be analyzed using photogrammetry, a computer-based method for detailed study of digital objects. Researchers also plan to determine the techniques used to create the petroglyphs.
According to scientists, the carvings date back to the 4th–2nd millennia BCE. So far, about 1,300 images grouped into 18 clusters have been identified. Efforts to digitize similar artifacts across Russia are ongoing.
