Global Digital Heritage

08/21/2026

UNESCO International Day of Underwater Cultural Heritage

At Global Digital Heritage, we believe that the heritage beneath our waters is an essential part of our shared history. Shipwrecks, submerged settlements, ancient artifacts, and underwater landscapes preserve stories of the people and cultures that came before us.

Underwater cultural heritage is particularly vulnerable to looting, climate change, erosion, development, and the passage of time. Once lost or damaged, much of this heritage can be impossible to recover.

Our mission is to document, preserve, and freely share the world's cultural and natural heritage, using digital technologies to create accurate and lasting records of places and objects that may be difficult to access or protect.

On this UNESCO International Day of Underwater Cultural Heritage, we reaffirm our commitment to documenting and preserving the heritage hidden beneath our waters, making it accessible to researchers, communities, and people around the world.

Because protecting underwater heritage means protecting the stories that lie beneath the surface.

08/20/2026

Our values shape everything we do.

At Global Digital Heritage, our work is built around a shared commitment to protecting cultural heritage and making it accessible to everyone.

We believe in working together, sharing knowledge openly, supporting education, and creating meaningful connections between digital technologies and the communities connected to heritage.

From global projects to local initiatives, we aim to preserve heritage while ensuring that knowledge and digital tools can reach those who need them most.

Together, we can preserve the past to inspire the future.

08/19/2026

World Photography Day

At Global Digital Heritage, we believe that photography is much more than a way of capturing a moment. It is a powerful tool for documenting, understanding, and preserving the heritage that surrounds us.

Heritage is disappearing faster than the world can document it. Conflict, climate change, development, neglect, and the passage of time threaten countless places, objects, and landscapes around the world.

Our mission is to document, preserve, and freely share the world's cultural and natural heritage, using digital technologies to create lasting records of the places and objects that tell the story of our shared past.

On this World Photography Day, we celebrate the power of images to preserve what might otherwise be lost. From a single archaeological artifact to an entire landscape, every photograph can become part of the record of our heritage—and a starting point for its digital preservation.

Because what we document today can help us understand, protect, and share our heritage tomorrow.

08/15/2026

Saturday Site | Kopošići Stećci, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nestled near Ilijaš in central Bosnia, the Kopošići necropolis preserves a remarkable collection of stećci, medieval Bosnian tombstones that offer a unique glimpse into the region's cultural and artistic heritage.

Dating from the late 14th to the early 15th century, these beautifully carved monuments commemorate members of the Bosnian nobility, including Great Bosnian Prince Mirko Radojević from the court of King Tvrtko I and Great Bosnian Prince Batić Mirković from the court of King Tvrtko II. The collection also includes a richly decorated child's tombstone and a monument traditionally associated with Vukava, wife of Prince Batić Mirković.

Their intricate carvings (spirals, rosettes, grapevines, borders, and geometric motifs) reflect medieval Bosnian beliefs, craftsmanship, and symbolism, with the gabled roof design representing the eternal home of the deceased.

These models were created as part of a collaborative project between Global Digital Heritage and the Association for the Digitization and Informatisation of Cultural Heritage (DIGI.BA) in Sarajevo. Captured using a Canon 5D Mark IV and processed in RealityCapture, the digital documentation preserves these remarkable monuments for research, conservation, education, and public access.

🔗 Visit our Kopošići digital collection at: https://gdh.org/heritage-site/koposici-necropolis/

08/13/2026

Piece of the Week | S***m Whale Tooth Pendant

This week's featured object is an extraordinary s***m whale tooth pendant discovered at the archaeological site of El Caño, Coclé, Panama.

Dating to AD 900–1020, this finely crafted pendant was recovered from one of Panama's most significant pre-Columbian archaeological sites. Carved from a s***m whale tooth, it highlights the exceptional artistry and symbolic traditions of the societies that flourished in the Isthmus before European contact. Objects such as this provide valuable insight into ancient craftsmanship, identity, and long-distance connections between coastal and inland communities.

To preserve every detail, we digitized the object from 534 photographs and processed it in RealityCapture, creating a high-resolution 3D model for research, conservation, and public access.

📍 Object: S***m Whale Tooth Pendant (Catalog No. 12421 | GDH ID: 12421)
🏛️ Collection: Fundación El Caño – Centro de Investigaciones Arqueológicas del Istmo, Panama

This work was carried out with the permission of Fundación El Caño. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Julia Mayo and her team for their collaboration and for making this project a success.

🔗 To explore more 3D digitized artifacts from El Caño, visit the following link: https://gdh.org/project/el-cano/

08/11/2026

Do you know this emperor?

This portrait depicts Emperor Hadrian (AD 117–138), one of the most influential rulers of the Roman Empire. Known for consolidating the Empire, promoting architecture, and leaving behind iconic monuments such as Hadrian's Wall, he also had strong ties to Hispania, where his family originated.

This sculpture, discovered in Tarraco (modern Tarragona, Spain), offers a glimpse into the artistic traditions of Roman portraiture. From his distinctive beard to the carefully carved curls, every detail reflects the image of imperial authority during the 2nd century AD.

Using high-resolution 3D digitization, this remarkable portrait has been digitally preserved, allowing researchers, students, and heritage enthusiasts around the world to explore it in extraordinary detail.

🔗 Explore the interactive 3D model and thousands of other heritage objects at gdh.org.

08/07/2026

Object of the Week | Corinthian Ringed Aryballos

This week's featured object is a beautifully preserved Corinthian Ringed Aryballos, a small perfumed-oil flask discovered in the Necropolis of Rifriscolaro at the archaeological site of Camarina, Ragusa (Sicily, Italy).

Dating to the 6th century BCE during the Classical Age, aryballoi were commonly used to hold scented oils, often associated with personal care, athletics, and funerary rituals. This elegant vessel provides valuable insight into daily life and burial customs in the ancient Greek colonies of Sicily, reflecting the craftsmanship and cultural traditions of the period.

To preserve every detail, we digitized the object from 365 photographs and processed it in RealityCapture, creating a high-resolution 3D model for research, conservation, and public access.

📍 Object: Corinthian Ringed Aryballos (GDH ID: 2141_2)
🏛️ Collection: Parco Archeologico di Kamarina e Cava d’Ispica, Sicily, Italy

This project would not have been possible without the collaboration of the Parco Archeologico di Kamarina e Cava d’Ispica and the Soprintendenza ai Beni Culturali e Ambientali di Ragusa. We would like to publicly thank Dott. Antonino De Marco, Arch. Domenico Buzzone, Gen. CC (Ret.) Renato Scuzzarello, Dr. Saverio Scerra, Arch. Giorgio Battaglia, archaeologists Veronica Falcone, Paola D’Antona, and Alessandra D’Izzia, as well as custodians Marco Giardina, Giovanna Brugaletta, and Rosario Licitra for their invaluable collaboration and support.

🔗 To discover more digitized cultural heritage objects from our projects, visit this link:

08/05/2026

How many Global Digital Heritage projects can you find in Sicily?

Sicily is home to some of the Mediterranean's most extraordinary archaeological landscapes—and we're proud to help preserve them digitally.

From Philosophiana (Sofiana) and the Early Christian Basilica of Sofiana to the Roman Villa of Casale, the Ragusa Archaeological Museum, Morgantina, Kamarina Archaeological Site and Park, and many more, our team has documented some of the island's most remarkable cultural heritage through high-resolution 3D digitization.

Each project contributes to creating a lasting digital record that supports research, conservation, education, and public access, ensuring these sites and collections remain available for future generations.

Want to discover all of our projects in Sicily and explore hundreds more from around the world? Visit gdh.org and start exploring!

08/03/2026

08/03/2026

Museum Monday | National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

This week, we're showcasing a selection of 3D models created during our collaboration with the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

From prehistoric ceramic vessels and Iron Age helmets to medieval stelae, stećci, and Roman votive objects, these remarkable artifacts tell the story of Bosnia and Herzegovina's rich cultural heritage. Through high-resolution 3D digitization, they can be preserved, studied, and explored by researchers and the public around the world.

🔗 Discover the full collection and more digital heritage projects at: https://gdh.org/heritage-site/national-museum-of-bosnia-and-herzegovina/