Use of photogrammetry for digital surveying, documentation and communication of cultural heritage. The case of virtual reconstruction of the access doors for the nameless temple of Tipasa (Algeria)

Abstract

This paper presents a methodological contribution to the field of the process of archaeological restoration based on virtual anastylosis. In particular, we treat the reconstruction of fragments of the nameless Temple of Tipasa in Algeria. Our work is focused more specifically on the virtual restoration of the three access doors into the temple’s sacred courtyard. Here, we have found many fragments, including the voussoirs, which were revealed during excavation, encouraging the development of our hypothesis about the original condition of the temple. The protocol followed is based on the photogrammetric survey of the blocks, which has allowed us to generate 3D models of the elements constituting the entrance facade into the sacred courtyard. The historical documentation as well as architectural treatises made it possible to fill in the gaps in the evidence with the aim of reconstructing the temple as best as can be done. The main objective of the research was to provide a corpus of data in 2D and 3D of all the blocks which served, at first, for the documentation and the study of the remains. Secondarily, the same documentation proved useful for development of a hypothesis of virtual reconstitution for making more comprehensible to the general public the history of the site of Tipasa.