3D Digital Modelling and Digital History: A Methodology for Studying the Processes of Transformation of Nubian Temples and Landscape at the Lake Nasser Site

Abstract

3D models are not only visualization and dissemination outcomes, but can be used to digitally collect, organize and visualize data starting from heterogeneous historical documents. In particular in this research 3D models are conceived to study the transformations of the sites along the river Nile now submerged by the Lake Nasser and the salvage of the temples. This paper illustrates the preliminary results and the issues about the use of 3D digital models to study the landscape and the temples before and after the construction of the Big Aswan Dam. The first results show that the discrepancy between the homogeneity of data required to build the 3D model and the non-homogeneity of historical documents is at the same time the weakness and the strength of the method, since it forces to explore new hypothesis and a proper use of paradata to manage the reliability of historical data.