Protecting 1000 Years of Culture in Damascus

A digital snapshot of the world’s oldest running bathhouse

ICOMOS, CyArk and the Carleton University joined forces to work on Project Anqa, whose mission is to make detailed 3D recordings of cultural landmarks, including the Hammam Nur al-Din in Damascus. The Arcadia Foundation, a UK based charity, funded the project.  

The project began in 2015 to help the Middle East recover the loss of damaged cultural sites that are part of their tradition and history. The group flies out to these areas and runs training sessions for local experts in digital techniques such as 3D and laser scanning.  

CyArk held workshops and training in Lebanon for a group of Syrian culture experts in 2016. Then in 2017 the team partnered with UNESCO Office for the Preservation of Syrian Cultural Heritage to continue their work even further. 

The Syrian historic bathhouse was photographed, scanned, and measured using advanced technology such as photogrammetry. The participants from the workshop held with the Directorate General of Antiquities of Syria were all part of gathering the data.

The data was used to create 3D models and architectural drawings such as this one. More can be found on OpenHeritage3d.org.

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