I havent actually heard of digital archaeology before, what is that?
Digital Archaeology is fantastic, and its a rising field in archaeology. I was introduced to it in undergrad through a professor of mine. It focuses on the technologies of the field; common things like magnetometry but also new tech like drone piloting, geospatial mapping, remote sensing, 3D modeling and more! A project I worked on in undergrad used remote sensing and satellite imagery to track looting patterns of archaeological sites in Northern Syria and Iraq. There are also some examples of startup companies that are looking to create digital reconstructions of archaeological monuments and artifacts. ICONEM and CyARK are good examples of this. This type of work is what I’m looking to get into :) I’ll link some stuff here.
Our program for the JEP “Journées européennes du patrimoine” 2017
Estimated reading time: 2 min. (Pictures of the event at the end)
On 16 and 17 September, everywhere in France, nearly 17,000 monuments will open their doors for the 34th edition of the European Heritage Days.
In this occasion, we’re glad to share our engagement to preserve endangered heritage with the public once again!
Iconem exhibition stand will be set in two venues. At the Ministry of Culture, it will be possible to see, thanks to several video screening, the places where we work, and have some insights of our missions!
At the Collège des Bernardins we’ll make the audience explore some of the archaeological sites that we’ve reconstructed in 3D thanks to video 360°, also displayable on personal devices (smartphones, tablets).
The sites shown are world famous sites such as Mosul, Palmyra, Aleppo or Baghdad, places that we engaged to preserve thanks to the latest 3D technologies and drones aerial imagery. The stand at the Collège des Bernardins will be opened from 2 pm to 6 pm.
We’re looking forward to meet you all!
[UPDATE 20.09.2017]
Here there are some pictures of our amazing week end at the #JEP2017 ! We thank the Collège des Bernardins and the Ministry of Culture for their collaboration.
20 places around the world where Iconem operates to save cultural heritage in 3D
Estimated reading time: 2 min.
We are proud to announce today that we operate in 20 countries all over the world, to survey archaeological sites and create innovative digital content on heritage.
We look forward to new missions in Turkey, Sudan and a great project with local partners in Yemen to train professionals to emergency 3D documentation in the Old City of Sana'a.
Follow our field missions on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram !
Iconem in Erbil: education program for UNESCO Iraq
Estimated reading time: 2 min. Scroll down for the arabic version
The first week of August, our team went to the city of Erbil, most important city of Kurdistan Region in Iraq.
The mission was aimed to make an educational program on photogrammetry and 3D modelling to local archaeologist. The initiative is part of the actions of Unesco in Iraq.
These pictures have been taken during the lessons and show the class at work supported by our teaching engineer Vincent Tournadre.
For the First Time in the US, Visitors Can Experience “Age Old Cities”—A Virtual Journey to the Devastated Sites of Mosul, Aleppo and Palmyra
For the First Time in the US, Visitors Can Experience “Age Old Cities”—A Virtual Journey to the Devastated Sites of Mosul, Aleppo and Palmyra
Immersive Exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art Highlights Importance of the Preservation of Cultural Heritage
Using the most recent digital techniques, the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, take visitors on a virtual tour of three ancient cities—Palmyra and Aleppo in Syria and Mosul in Iraq.
Iconem is partnering with four exhibitions in Paris that showcase cultural heritage via new technology. Learn below where you can discover Iconem’s 3D images in Parisian museums. Plus, VR and mixed reality!
The first French museum mixed reality experience with Microsoft
10 October 2018, Microsoft and the Musée des Plans-reliefs inaugurated the exhibition Le Mont-Saint-Michel, regards numériques sur la maquette in Paris. This is the first mixed reality museum exhibition experience in France! Last summer, Iconem digitised the abbey and its model, jewel of the Musée des Plans-reliefs, for Microsoft as a part of this unique exhibition. Visitors slip on a Microsoft HoloLens and trace Mont-Saint-Michel’s evolution. Don’t miss this exhibition! Open until 14 January 2019.
A virtual voyage at IMA in collaboration with Iconem
Be immerged in four incredible Arab cultural heritage sites, via 3D images produced by Iconem, at the Institut du monde arabe (IMA). Explore Palmyra, Aleppo, Mosul, and Leptis Magna in IMA's current exposition Cités millénaires. Voyage virtuel de Palmyre à Mossoul, created in collaboration with Iconem and in partnership with UNESCO. These threatened sites are brought to life in a completely digital, immersive experience. Plus, Ubisoft, creator of Assassin's Creed, dreamt up a virtual reality experience using Iconem and UNESCO data. This unprecedented exhibition will be open until 10 February 2019 in Paris. Discover the trailer here.
The Crac des Chevaliers at the Cité de l’architecture & du patrimoine
From 14 September 2018 to 14 January 2019, the Cité de l’architecture & du patrimoine’s exhibition Le Crac des chevaliers. Chroniques d'un rêve de pierre, co-produced by the Médiathèque de l'architecture et du patrimoine, will be on display. Discover this Crusader castle via a 3D video, the result of a comprehensive interior and exterior scan of the structure that Iconem completed in April 2017 as UNESCO’s scientific service provider.
The exhibition Carte blanche à Pascal Convert: Revoir Bamiyan opened on 17 October 2018 at the Musée Guimet in Paris. In 2015, Iconem digitised the Bamiyan cliffs and traces of the famous Buddhas in Afghanistan in 3D as part of a project with Convert. He created an oeuvre about memory and the forgotten from these photographed surveys of destroyed cultural heritage. Discover Convert's beautiful pictures at the Musée Guimet until 28 January 2019.
Expositions featuring Iconem’s 3D content open worldwide
After record breaking attendance in Paris, Sites Eternels travels to Rabat, Morocco. The exhibition, curated by the Louvre and the Réunion des Musées Nationaux - Grand Palais, was inaugurated on 30 October 2018 and was on view at the Bouregreg cultural complex, Salé through 14 December 2018. This display was organised by the Direction des Archives Royales of Morocco in partnership with the Musée du Louvre.
The Museum of Islamic Art’s Syria Matters opened in Doha, Qatar on 21 November 2018. In a recent article, David Belcher of The New York Times explores how the exposition concentrates on the “history and the soul of the country.” This multifaceted examination of the country’s architecture and history will be open through 30 April 2019.
Both expositions feature Iconem’s digital content produced from our 3D models of Syria’s damaged cultural heritage. The immersive videos created for the expositions in Morocco and Qatar raise awareness of the damage, pillaging, and even complete destruction threatening cultural heritage.
Main photo: Microsoft Hololens experience in Le Mont-Saint-Michel, regards numériques sur la maquette at the Musée des Plans-reliefs. Credit: Microsoft/Bernard Lachaud
Iconem taking part to “1 Ambassadeur 1 Entrepreneur” for the Ambassadors Week.
Estimated reading time: 2 min.
On the 28th of August, we had the pleasure toparticipate in the event "1 Ambassadeur 1 Entrepreneur", hosted at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of Paris.
More than 650 companies have registered withn early 5,800 requests for appointments. This operation of speed dating promoted by the Ministry, is part of the 2017 Ambassador Week (28-31 August). The speed dating has been 15 min. face to face between French ambassadors around the world and a French entrepreneur. We've been able to meet several ambassadors from our countries of operation and to present our work to them, explaining our aims and future challenges...
We would like to thank the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, BPI France, Business France, CCI France International, CCI International, CCI Paris Ile-de-France and everyone who made this encounter possible. Also, we would of course like to thank again the ambassadors we had the delight to meet during this exciting afternoon.
Our intervention at the 41st World heritage Committee: "The images produced by Iconem make it possible to renew the interpretation of sites" (I.Bokova, Director-General of Unesco).
Estimated reading time: 2 min.
Yesterday, ICONEM founder Yves Ubelmann has presented the works done until now in Syria to the UNESCO Committee of World Heritage in Krakow.
He has focused the attention on the need and great advantages that new technologies can give to the safeguard and restoration of cultural heritage sites.
The general director of UNESCO; Irina Bokova, stated last morning that “new technologies are at the heart of the equation” to face the difficulties in studying endangered heritage in conflict zones.
Indeed, technologies and new digital solutions as the one we’re providing with 3D models of cultural heritage sites (i.e. the minaret of the Great Mosque), help in carrying out fundamental functions:
Evidencing heritage destructions inflicted by war
Sharing knowledge with scientist and expert in the field
Preserving in digital the original structure of heritage sites now destroyed
Investigating and monitoring damages in sites thare are currently unaccessible
ICONEM is committed with UNOSAT to continue the study and digitization of the main cultural sites in city of Aleppo, as the Citadel and the Souk: these areas suffered some of the most violent attacks in the Syrian conflict.
Enjoy the speach of Yves Ubelmann from Unesco Committee in Krakow, 3 July 2017:
