Domitilla Catacombs
ca. 2nd-4th century, Rome, Italy
Copyright © 2009 The Institute for the Study of Ancient Culture at the Austrian Academy of Sciences
A group of international researchers and archeologists, led by Dr. Norbert Zimmermann of the Institute for the Study of Ancient Culture at the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Marina Döring-Williams of the Institut für Baugeschichte und Bauforschung at the Technical University of Vienna, created this 3D rendering of the Domitilla Catacombs in Rome.
This underground burial chamber, or necropolis, dates back to the second century and remained a popular pilgrimage site through the Medieval Period. The team used sophisticated laser-scan technology to create a three-dimensional "point cloud" of the 15 kilometers of tunnels and chambers. This video shows a short segment of the catacombs.
For more information, visit the Institute for the Study of Ancient Culture or the Institut für Baugeschichte und Bauforschung. Heritage Key has also written an article about this project entitled "Pioneering Laser-scan Technology Brings Rome's Catacombs to Life".
