Global Digital Heritage

10/16/2026

Piece of the Week | Pre-Islamic Silver Coin Hoard

This week's featured object is a remarkable hoard of 409 Pre-Islamic silver coins discovered at the archaeological site of Mleiha, in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Dating to the 3rd century BCE, the coins were found together inside a pottery jar. Their designs were inspired by the coinage of Alexander the Great and his Seleucid dynasty successors, reflecting the cultural and economic connections between Mleiha and the wider Hellenistic world.

To preserve and document the hoard, we created a 3D model from 450 photographs using Agisoft Metashape, with additional processing completed in Blender. This digital documentation supports research, conservation, and public access to this remarkable archaeological assemblage.

📍 Object: Pre-Islamic Silver Coin Hoard (409 coins)
🏛️ Collection: Sharjah Archaeology Authority (SAA), Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

This work is part of our collaboration with the Sharjah Archaeology Authority for the digitization of the cultural heritage of the Emirate of Sharjah. We would like to publicly thank Dr. Sabah Abboud Jasim and Mr. Eisa Yousif for their vision and determined drive, and express our sincere gratitude to all SAA staff, especially Miguel Ángel Núñez Villanueva, for their invaluable collaboration and support.

🔗 To discover more digitized cultural heritage objects from our projects, visit gdh.org

10/15/2026

From our publications!

Some research deserves to be brought back into the conversation

Today, we revisit “LiDAR Applications in Archaeology: A Systematic Review”, a publication exploring how LiDAR technology has transformed the investigation and documentation of archaeological landscapes

The paper presents a systematic review of 291 studies published between 2001 and 2022, examining how LiDAR has been used for archaeological prospection across different regions, environments, and types of archaeological evidence

The research highlights the potential of LiDAR to identify archaeological features that may be difficult to detect from the ground, while also considering how factors such as vegetation cover, data resolution, topography, and the availability of open datasets influence its archaeological applications

At Global Digital Heritage, technologies such as LiDAR play an important role in developing new approaches to the documentation, investigation, and protection of cultural heritage

📖 Discover this publication and explore the growing role of LiDAR in archaeological research

10/14/2026

GDH Projects in… the United Kingdom!

Scotland is home to an extraordinary variety of archaeological and historic heritage, from prehistoric standing stones and stone circles to medieval buildings.

At Global Digital Heritage, we have documented sites across Scotland, including the Drumtroddan Standing Stone, Sorbie Tower, Cairn Holy, Torhouse Circle and Cruggleton Church, among other projects.

At Cruggleton Church, for example, the remains of a church established in the early 12th century by Fergus, Lord of Galloway, have been documented in 3D. The model was created from 62 Leica RTC360 laser scans and 2,564 images, processed in RealityCapture and Meshlab.

From standing stones to medieval architecture, 3D documentation gives us new ways to explore, study and share Scotland’s heritage.

Want to discover more of our projects? Visit gdh.org

10/12/2026

Museum Monday | Stranraer Museum, Scotland (United Kingdom)

This week, we're sharing a selection of 3D models created from objects curated by Stranraer Museum, part of the Dumfries and Galloway Arts and Museum Service.

From a cream pot from Wigtownshire Creamery and a decorated horse harness pendant to a rare medieval figure of Christ and a traditional flat iron, these objects reflect the region's diverse history and everyday life. Digitized with the permission of Stranraer Museum and Dumfries and Galloway Council, they can now be explored through detailed 3D models.

Our thanks to Alan McFarlane, Bronwyn Chomitz, and Douglas Hannah, as well as Stranraer Museum and Dumfries and Galloway Council, for their collaboration and support.

🔗 Discover these and many more digitized objects at gdh.org.

10/10/2026

Site Saturday | Gur-e Amir, Samarkand

Located in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Gur-e Amir is the mausoleum of the Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur, also known as Tamerlane. Its name comes from Persian and means “Tomb of the King”. The architectural complex, recognisable by its striking azure dome, contains the tombs of Timur, his sons Shah Rukh and Miran Shah, and his grandsons Ulugh Beg and Muhammad Sultan. Timur’s teacher, Sayyid Baraka, is also honoured with a place within the tomb.

The earliest part of the complex was built at the end of the 14th century on the orders of Muhammad Sultan. Today, the remains include the foundations of the madrasa and khanaka, the entrance portal, and part of one of the four original minarets.

Samarkand is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Central Asia and developed as an important centre along the Silk Road between China and Europe. Its long and complex history has left an exceptional architectural and archaeological heritage.

At Global Digital Heritage, we documented Gur-e Amir in 3D, creating detailed digital records of both its exterior and interior spaces.

The exterior model was created in RealityCapture using 317 scan positions captured with FARO Focus3D, Z+F, and Leica RTC 360 scanners, together with 14,576 images.

For the interior, we created a separate 3D model using 725 images, processed in RealityCapture.
Through this documentation, we help preserve a detailed digital record of one of Samarkand’s most significant historic monuments, supporting research, conservation, education, and future access to its architectural heritage.

🔗 Explore our 3D documentation of Gur-e Amir: https://gdh.org/heritage-site/gur-i-amir/

10/09/2026

🌍🏛️ Global Digital Heritage at the 6th Ibero-American Congress on Heritage Conservation Research.

At Global Digital Heritage, we are pleased to be taking part in the 6th Ibero-American Congress “Research in Heritage Conservation: Heritage at Risk, Challenges and Solutions,” currently taking place in Madrid, with a presentation entitled:

🔎 “Large-Scale 3D Digitization of Archaeological Collections as a Long-Term Preventive Conservation Strategy: The Case of El Caño (Panama).”

🤝 Co-authored with the El Caño Foundation, the presentation shares the results of the 3D digitization of the archaeological collection held by the Foundation, highlighting the potential of these technologies to document and digitally preserve a valuable cultural legacy.

🌐 3D digitization enables the creation of highly detailed digital representations of archaeological objects, opening up new opportunities for documentation, research, and public engagement, while contributing to long-term preventive conservation strategies.

This collaborative project underscores the importance of partnerships between institutions and specialists, as well as the essential role of technological innovation in addressing today's heritage conservation challenges.

✨ At Global Digital Heritage, we continue to work alongside heritage institutions around the world to develop digital solutions that help protect, study, and pass on our cultural heritage to future generations.

🔗 Learn more about the congress: https://eventos.ucm.es/146859/detail/vi-congreso-iberoamericano-investigaciones-en-conservacion-del-patrimonio-patrimonio-en-riesgo-reto.html

El VI Congreso Iberoamericano "Investigaciones en Conservación del Patrimonio" se celebrará del 7 al 9 de octubre de 2026 en la Facultad de Bellas Artes de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, en formato presencial y online.

10/09/2026

Piece of the Week | Nok Terracotta Sculpture

This week's featured object is a terracotta sculpture depicting a kneeling male figure, belonging to the Nok culture of Nigeria.

Dating from the 5th century BCE to the 5th century CE, this sculpture belongs to one of the most distinctive artistic traditions of ancient West Africa. Nok terracotta figures are known for their expressive human representations and provide valuable insight into the artistic practices and cultural traditions of communities in what is now central Nigeria.

To preserve every detail, we created a 3D model from 345 photographs using RealityCapture, with additional processing carried out in Geomagic Wrap and ZBrush. The resulting digital model helps us support research, conservation, education, and public access to this remarkable piece of African heritage.

📍 Object: Terracotta Male Kneeling Figure
🏛️ Collection: Museum of African Art Arellano Alonso, University of Valladolid, Spain

This work is part of the collaboration agreement signed in 2023 between the Fundación Alberto Jiménez-Arellano Alonso (University of Valladolid) and Global Digital Heritage for the digitization of the Foundation's African art collections. We would like to publicly thank Mrs. Oliva Cachafeiro Bernal and her entire team for their collaboration and support.

📚 Bibliography: Cachafeiro Bernal, O. (2008). Escultura africana en terracota y piedra: Colección Fundación Alberto Jiménez-Arellano Alonso. Fundación Alberto Jiménez-Arellano Alonso y Universidad de Valladolid.

🔗 To discover more digitized cultural heritage objects from our projects, visit gdh.org

10/08/2026

🔬 Our Technology and Equipment

In this post, we introduce the RIEGL VZ-600i Terrestrial Laser Scanner, a powerful tool that GDH uses for the detailed documentation of archaeological and heritage sites.

GDH uses two RIEGL VZ-600i scanners, which employ time-of-flight laser technology to capture highly accurate three-dimensional information. With a 2.2 MHz pulse repetition rate and an accuracy of 3 mm at 50 metres, the scanner can record architectural details, surface textures, and archaeological features with a high level of precision.

The VZ-600i can achieve 6 mm point spacing at a distance of 10 metres in just 30 seconds, generating dense point clouds that allow us to document everything from intricate stonework and decorative elements to the structural condition of heritage sites.

The scanner also integrates RTK-GNSS and IMU sensors, providing accurately georeferenced data that can be used for monitoring changes over time and integrating the results into existing GIS databases.

Three calibrated cameras capture high-resolution imagery alongside the laser scans. This combination allows us to create photorealistic 3D models and orthophotos, providing valuable resources for documentation, research, conservation, and condition assessment.

By combining precise laser scanning with high-resolution imagery, the RIEGL VZ-600i helps us create detailed digital records of heritage that can be studied, monitored, and preserved for the future.

For more information, visit gdh.org

10/06/2026

Aphrodite in ancient Mleiha

This small pre-Islamic bronze statuette represents Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty and pleasure. Dating to the 1st century CE, the figure comes from Mleiha, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, and is now on display at the Mleiha Archaeological Centre

Although only a small object, the statuette reflects the cultural connections and artistic influences that reached the Arabian Peninsula in antiquity

At Global Digital Heritage, we documented this piece through photogrammetry, processing 783 images in RealityCapture to create its 3D model

Now, this ancient bronze figure can be examined from every angle, bringing its form and details closer to researchers, educators and anyone curious about the past

Explore the model in 3D at gdh.org.

10/05/2026

Meet the Team: GDH Afrika

Meet the team behind Global Digital Heritage Afrika! Our team brings together expertise in geomatics, engineering, GIS and 3D documentation to support the digital preservation of cultural heritage.

🔹 Siddique Motala, PhD, Chief Scientist and Scientific Director, researches spatio-temporal mapping, storytelling and socially just approaches to engineering education, with a particular focus on District Six and the legacy of apartheid forced removals.

🔹 Roshan Bhurtha, MBA, Deputy Chief Scientist, specialises in 3D documentation, laser scanning, photogrammetry, virtual reality and digital modelling, bringing extensive international fieldwork experience.

🔹 Ralph Schroeder, Dipl.-Ing., Deputy Chief Scientist, contributes his expertise in GIS, terrestrial 3D laser scanning, surveying, 3D modelling and virtual tours.

🔹 Bruce McDonald, BSc, Deputy Chief Scientist, works on the digital documentation of heritage sites, historic landscapes and architectural structures using 3D laser scanning, drone photography and surveying techniques.

Together, their diverse skills contribute to documenting, preserving and sharing cultural heritage through digital technologies, research and international collaboration.

Discover more about our team and projects at gdh.org.