Exhibition
3D models of sites and objects allow us to view world heritage that may be impossible to see in person due to its fragile condition, our physical distance from it, or the fact that it no longer exists at all. Through a 3D rendering, we can explore historically important heritage with close-up details from new perspectives.
One incredible thing we can do is see how dinosaurs walked.
At the end of the 19th century, 30 almost completely intact iguanodon skeletons were discovered in a coal mine in Bernissart, Belgium. It was a major discovery - for the first time, complete skeletons could show what dinosaurs looked like.
These skeletons are the best-preserved and largest collection of iguanodons in the world. They are housed at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. The new 3D model of the iguanodon gives us an indication of how these dinosaurs stood and walked on all four legs.
French-born palaeontologist Louis Dollo believed that the iguanodons were killed during a flood, while other scientists came up with other theories such as drought or being trapped in a swamp. In a recent study however, scientists considered that the herd of iguanodons fell victim to toxic fumes as there were high levels of iron disulfide in the clay layers in which the animals were found.
Explore the 3D iguanodon and imagine how they would have roamed Belgium around 122 million years ago.
How do 3D objects help us understand maritime history?
This ‘Scheepsglobe’ (ship’s globe) created around 1731 is a paper globe that was probably used on the ship Berkenrode. The globe, which is in delicate condition (as can be seen on the 3D model), was found in the attic of a cathedral in Utrecht. Berkenrode was built in 1723 and belonged to the Dutch East India Company, or the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (the VOC).
The globe documents the daily progress of the Berkenrode’s journey from Batavia (present day Jakarta) to the Netherlands via the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. During the 18th century, large numbers of enslaved people were brought from the Indonesian archipelago and other parts of Asia to the Cape via VOC ships. The Berkenrode may have been one of those ships.
This 3D model allows for a larger audience to view it while further research goes into understanding its heavy colonial history in the trade of enslaved people.
A much more modern shipping vessel is the Lambousa Fishing Trawler, a unique historical fishing boat that allows us to understand the culture of modern Cyprus.
The historic fishing boat ‘Lambousa’, which is property of the Limassol Municipality and one of Limassol’s popular visitor attractions has been docked for the past few years in a corner of the Karnagio shipyard, where it is eaten away by sea salt and weather conditions.
Built in 1955, the boat was used for fishing in the Mediterranean Sea for 50 years and is a 25-metre vessel with a 48-ton capacity and a top speed of 10 knots. The boat was restored and used for organised visits with the aim of informing the public about the fishing and maritime history and traditions of Limassol and Cyprus.
It is an example of the Greek shipbuilding tradition and a living reminder of the history of Cypriot fishing. Take a look at the 3D model and examine its structure for yourself.
Its rescue is a very important milestone in the field of digital cultural heritage, especially because, according to a maritime regulation, certain fishing boats should be destroyed.
What can 3D objects show us about ancient landmarks?
The Stora Hammars I stone is one of four Viking-age image stones located in Stora Hammars, Gotland Sweden. These stones date from around the seventh century CE. Stora Hammars I has six panels depicting mythological, religious and military scenes. It is interpreted as depicting the legend of Hildr and its never-ending battle.
Take a look at the 3D model, can you see the panels illustrating a woman between two men, a sacrificial scene, a woman standing between a longship with armed warriors and a battle scene?
A more ornate stone landmark in the Twin it! collection is the North Cross at Ahenny, Ireland.
We might know high crosses as markers of Christian burial sites, but this was not always their purpose. High crosses are an iconic cultural landmark of the Irish landscape and first appeared around the ninth century, serving as boundary markers of territories or sacral monuments to political power. Crosses such as these also played a role in teaching Bible messages to those who had not received an education and couldn’t read or write.
The North Cross at Ahenny is one of a pair of decorated crosses. As can be seen in the 3D model, it has a conical shaped cap-stone which might represent a bishop's mitre. The base is decorated with figurative scenes on all four sides, while the cross also features a variety of geometric patterns.
What can 3D renderings tell us about architecture?
Historical buildings are often extended, restored or improved through the centuries. With 3D modelling, we can look closely at the clues that show us the story of a building’s development.
The castle of Paphos in Cyprus stands in the western part of the town's port. Frankish rulers built the castle in the middle of the 13th century to replace the Byzantine fort of Saranta Kolones that was destroyed after an earthquake in 1222. The Frankish rulers originally erected two towers, both of which were in use in the 15th century, according to some medieval texts.
Towards the end of the 15th century, another earthquake destroyed one of the two towers. What was left of the two towers was subsequently destroyed by the Venetians just before the Ottoman conquest of 1570. A 1780 Ottoman restoration of the western Frankish tower (with Venetian additions) survives today, and can be seen in the 3D model. An inscription above the entrance of the castle bears witness to this restoration.
Explore the 3D model and imagine its history and the people who contributed to its incredible story.
The Chindia tower in Târgoviște, Romania, was built in the mid-15th century by the ruler Vlad Dracul and later by his son, Vlad the Impaler, also known as Dracula/Drăculea. The tower was built to protect the princely residence from enemy attacks and provide surveillance of the court and the surrounding area.
The tower's functions changed over time from a bell tower to a defensive refuge and watchtower. By the 17th century, it had become a clock tower. By the mid-19th century, it was reconstructed into a fire tower by the prince and chief lord of Wallachia Gheorghe Bibescu and remains as such today.
Take a look around the 3D Chindia tower and see if you can spot any hints of its former uses.
The Minovici villa is one of the earliest examples of Neo-Romanian architectural style in Bucharest, Romania.
Built on the edge of the city in 1905, the villa was intended as a retreat for its owner, Nicolae Minovici, a prominent figure in early 20th-century Romanian forensic science. In 1906, the building underwent a significant transformation, becoming Bucharest’s first folk art museum with an extensive collection of Romanian ethnographic art.
Explore the 3D model to explore the exterior of this beautiful villa.
The site of the Neolithic village of Khirokitia Vouni in Cyprus was discovered in 1934 by archaeologist Porphyrios Dikaios and dates back to the turn of the seventh and sixth centuries BCE. Extensive archaeological excavations have revealed a closely packed array of circular houses of various sizes. Most have stone foundations, with a mud brick superstructure and flat roof.
The village lies within a sharp bend of the Maroto natuni River, which protects it on the north, east, and southeast. A long, linear stone structure was built, crossing the settlement from north to south, providing artificial protection from the western side. When the settlement spread to the west onto previously unoccupied land, the same pattern was repeated, and the development was accompanied by the simultaneous building of a new boundary in the form of an impressive stone wall.
The UNESCO site of Khirokitia is today exposed to natural hazards, such as the fire that destroyed the surrounding landscape in 2013, and was in a dangerous proximity to the archaeological structures. The effects of this catastrophic event can be seen in the 3D model.