Monuments in three dimensions through the lens of a drone and scanner
During this year’s Night of Scientists at the Archaeological Museum in Kraków, a meeting and lecture were held, dedicated to modern technologies in archaeology.
The event featured:
- Bogumił Pilarski from the Archaeological Museum in Kraków,
- Bolesław Zych from the Institute of Archaeology at the Jagiellonian University,
- and myself – Marcin Pojałowski, author of the Kraków z nieba project
During the short lecture, we discussed what photogrammetry and 3D scanning are, and how these technologies support archaeological research and heritage preservation. I also introduced the Kraków 3D project and the process of creating photogrammetric models of Kraków’s monuments, which I share on the project’s website.
Drones hovering above excavation sites, 3D scanners capturing every detail of ancient walls, and digital models of objects have become everyday tools for archaeologists. They make it possible not only to create precise documentation but also to discover history in entirely new ways.
During the meeting, we demonstrated how photogrammetry and laser scanning are transforming archaeological research – from documenting monuments and monitoring their condition to creating digital copies that can assist in reconstruction in case of damage or destruction.
For the first time, we also presented the results of recent excavations in the garden of the Archaeological Museum – fragments of the former Carmelite monastery and the remains of the Church of St. Michael and St. Joseph, which had lain buried underground for centuries.
In this report, you will see selected excerpts from the lecture as well as examples of models and data obtained during the research.
