Instagram reconstructs ancient Egypt

Nevine El-Aref , Tuesday 13 Aug 2024

Instagram filters will soon be used to reconstruct ancient Egyptian artefacts at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation

Statues of Amun and Mut
Statues of Amun and Mut

 

In an era when digital tools are increasingly permeating every aspect of our lives, the field of archaeology and museum curation is no exception.

One innovative approach making waves in the preservation and reconstruction of damaged ancient Egyptian artefacts is the use of Instagram AR filters. While social media platforms are often associated with personal photography and entertainment, their technological capabilities offer significant potential for the meticulous work of restoring and reconstructing artefacts from the distant past.

Ancient Egyptian artefacts, known for their intricate designs and vibrant colours, often suffer from the ravages of time. Egypt’s harsh desert climate, coupled with the passage of millennia, has left many relics in a state far removed from their original grandeur.

Although traditional restoration techniques are often very effective in preserving these relics, they usually cannot return them to their original look. This is where modern technology steps in, offering an unexpected ally in the form of Instagram filters.

Instagram filters, primarily designed to enhance photographs, have been adapted by researchers and museum professionals for the delicate task of artefact reconstruction.

These filters can simulate the appearance of different materials, colours, and lighting conditions, providing a digital preview of how an artefact might have originally looked. By applying them to photographs of damaged or eroded artefacts, researchers can experiment with various reconstructions, exploring different hypotheses about the artefact’s original appearance without physically altering the piece.

The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) in Fustat are pioneering the use of Instagram AR filters to reconstruct a collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts that has been carefully chosen to represent different periods of ancient Egyptian civilisation. This innovative approach promises to offer new insights into Egypt’s rich history while providing a modern twist on traditional restoration techniques.

Scheduled for launch at the end of 2024, explained Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), the project uses augmented reality technology to digitally restore the original appearances of these selected artefacts, bringing back to life their original splendour and offering visitors, through specialised smartphone applications available during their visits to the museums, a glimpse of how they looked thousands of years ago.

The project has also dual goals of education and entertainment.

“The virtual reconstructions are designed to deepen visitors’ understanding of Egypt’s rich historical legacy while enriching their overall experience. It will also boost cultural tourism and increase engagement on social media platforms,” Khaled said.  

“It is the first time, globally, that the US company Meta is using its Spark’s AR technology in the restoration and reconstruction of damaged artefacts,” said Shaden Khallaf, Meta’s head of public policy for North Africa and responsible for regional sustainable development.

She explained that the project started two years ago in collaboration between the SCA and Meta to use technology to raise cultural and educational awareness by using social-media platforms and highlighting Egypt’s importance as a tourist destination and the adoption of technology to promote inbound tourism to Egypt.

Moemen Othman, head of the Museums Sector at the SCA, said that the project involves selecting artefacts with missing parts to make the impact of the restoration clear to visitors. Comparable pieces are used as reference points to help reconstruct the missing sections of the selected artefacts.

The artefacts undergo 3D imaging, essential for creating accurate virtual representations. These virtual images are developed through 3D scanning of the chosen artefacts in museums.

The selected objects from the Egyptian Museum include five granite statues of the deities Amun and his wife Mut, a quartzite colossus of king Tutankhamun, a limestone head of queen Hatshepsut, and sculptures of king Khasekhemwy and king Senusert I.

To facilitate the visitors’ use of the filters explanatory texts have been added beside each object.

 


* A version of this article appears in print in the 15 August, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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