3D laser scanning and digital restoration of an archaeological find

Abstract

The current paper demonstrates the digital recreation and 3D printing of a missing fragment of an ancient ceramic pottery following digitization using a three dimensional laser scanning. The resulting point-cloud of the laser scans was treated with a series of advanced software for the creation of surfaces and ultimately for a digital model. An analytical methodology is presented revealing the step by step approach, which is an innovative way of recreating a missing fragment. Such approach aims to demonstrate the level of contribution that the ever evolving computer based technologies and 3D printing could bring to cultural heritage. The reverse engineering method presented for the reconstruction of a ceramic pottery, which is a part of the larger field of digital archaeology, is believed to benefit a variety of interested parties including 3D CAD users and designers, archaeologists and museum curators.