This computer-generated image reveals the laser scan of the head of the statue
A team of scientists in Southampton are using cutting edge technology to restore a 2000-year-old painted statue of a wounded Amazon warrior to its original imperious glory.
The Herculaneum Conservation Project uncovered the Roman statue in the ancient ruins of Herculaneum, a town preserved in the same eruption that buried nearby Pompeii in AD 79.
The 2,000-year-old Roman head has been preserved by ash
Researchers from experts WMG are now working with academics from the University of Southampton, the University of Warwick and the HCP to digitally recreate the statue, which has had its painted hair and eyes preserved by ash.
Dr Mark Williams, laser measurement specialist for WMG, called the statue “an incredible find”.
“Although its age alone makes it valuable, it is unique because it has retained the original painted surface, preserved under the volcanic material that buried Herculaneum,” he explained, having used the latest equipment to minutely analyse the figure and create a prototype 3D model of its head.
Experts scanned the laser head and have been able to analyse it in significant detail
Dr Graeme Earl, who used advanced photographic techniques to study the texture and colour of the painted surfaces, said: “Cutting edge techniques are vital to the recording of cultural heritage material, since so much remains unstudied or too fragile to analyse.
"Our work at Southampton attempts to bridge the gap between computing and archaeology in bringing the best that colleagues in engineering have to offer to unique artefacts from our past.”
The rapid prototype model of the head
The team will now use computer graphics to reproduce the lighting and environmental conditions the painted statue would have originally been displayed in, allowing new hypotheses to be drawn.
Professor Alan Chalmers, head of WMG’s visualisation team, said: “Our work will be used both for educational and research purposes to give people new insights into the statue’s design, to provide a record for conservators, and to explore how it may have been appreciated more than 2000 years ago.”
