"in the face of destruction, we must find new ways to create"

When ISIS began destroying historical sites in Syria, we realized that we were uniquely well-placed to make records of the disappearing objects. Palmyra was an obvious place to start. We collected dozens of photographs of the original triumphal arch taken by tourists and archaeologists, compiled the photos into a 3-D computer model and used robots to render the model in stone.

ISIS was hoping to destroy the arch forever, to erase it from the surface of the earth and from our memory. Instead, they made it the best-known piece of ancient architecture in the world. Pictures of it have appeared on television and in countless newspapers and magazines. Thousands of people visited our model arch in London. We’ll be sending our 3-D files all over the world so that other arches can be created.

The original object has been a witness to history; it has weathered the ages and accumulated many layers of meaning. This arch embodies all of the things that went into its creation: the courage of the photographers who made the images we used, the fellowship of the people who helped us along the way, the emotional responses of the Syrians who traveled to London to see the final product. In the face of destruction, we must find new ways to create. — The Institute for Digital Archaeology: Alexy Karenowska, director of technology and Roger Michel, founder and executive director

Roman Triumphal Arch, Palmyra

Syria has endured unending losses in its five-year civil war, among them Palmyra’s triumphal arch, destroyed along with ancient Roman temples and towers by Islamic State militants in 2015. After consulting with Syrian academics, who chose the arch for re-creation, scientists and engineers from the Institute for Digital Archaeology, based at Oxford in Britain, replicated the arch in precise detail.

The re-creation, scaled to about one-third of the original’s size, was unveiled in London in April 2016. Some Syrians who visited the arch were overcome with emotion as they were given back a small part of all that has been lost — in this case, the beauty of the craftsmanship wrought by 3rd-century stonemasons.

The replica was displayed in public squares in London and New York in 2016, and will be displayed in Dubai in 2017. Next, it will be sent to Syria, to be installed near the arch’s original location.

via {ny times}