Experience Pompeii before the volcano thanks to 3D scanning
A fabulous ancient Roman home from before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius has been digitally restored using 3D scanning and archaeology.
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD is famous, not just for the destruction it wrought, wiping out the entire city of Pompeii, but for what it left behind. The rain of ash and crushed pumice fell for days, destroying some parts of the city, but encapsulating and preserving others, for archaeologists to excavate centuries later.
The bodies found in the ash have already been studied using technology, with CT scanning revealing much about the day-to-day lives of the Pompeiians. Now, researchers at Lund University have used 3D scanning to digitally reconstruct a magnificent mansion, which belonged to the wealthy Caecilius Iucundus.
The scanning initially took place in 2011-2012, and the team took scans of the entire city. Eventually, they plan to rebuild an interactive model of all Pompeii.
"By combining new technology with more traditional methods, we can describe Pompeii in greater detail and more accurately than was previously possible," said digital archaeologist Nicoló Dell´Unto, in a statement.