Bringing Stones to Life: The First Digital 3D Library of Ancient Armenian Gravestones
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Date
2025
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Eurographics Association
Abstract
We report the creation of a high-resolution 3D digital libraries of khachkars and tapanakars, ornately carved gravestones that offer a rare glimpse into the daily lives of ordinary Armenians during the Middle Ages. Khachkars are vertical stelae bearing ornate crosses and geometric motifs, while tapanakars feature a pyramidal form adorned with various everyday scenes such as horseback riding, dancing, trading, and communal feasting. Centuries of physical and environmental stress have threatened these carvings and no 3D digital records of them currently exist. Using photogrammetry and LiDAR scanning technologies, we have created fully rotatable 3D digital twins of over 70 tapanakars and 150 khachkars with the millimeter-level precision. These models capture the intricate carvings and iconography that traditional photography often misses, especially on weathered or lichen-covered surfaces. We also developed image processing steps to help convert barely visible carvings into their linear outlines enabling future epigraphic interpretation and the use of machine learning algorithms. Two dedicated websites have been created to make these 3D libraries publicly accessible and to allow scholars, students, and enthusiasts worldwide to explore their cultural and artistic significance across different interdisciplinary projects. These unique collections offer a valuable dataset for image processing and computer vision studies, such as pattern recognition, feature extraction, and 3D modeling techniques. Beyond academic use, this resource has potential applications in education, virtual exhibitions, and cultural tourism promoting Armenian cultural heritage on an international scale.
Description
CCS Concepts: Information systems → Digital libraries and archives; Human-centered computing → Visualization application domains; Visual analytics
@inproceedings{10.2312:dh.20253306,
booktitle = {Digital Heritage},
editor = {Campana, Stefano and Ferdani, Daniele and Graf, Holger and Guidi, Gabriele and Hegarty, Zackary and Pescarin, Sofia and Remondino, Fabio},
title = {{Bringing Stones to Life: The First Digital 3D Library of Ancient Armenian Gravestones}},
author = {Andrianov, Aleksei and Muradyan, Garegin and Andrianova, Zhanna and Sarvazyan, Narine},
year = {2025},
publisher = {The Eurographics Association},
ISBN = {978-3-03868-277-6},
DOI = {10.2312/dh.20253306}
}