Laser
Survey to be Performed on the Step Pyramid at Saqqara
H.E. Farouk Hosni, Minister
of Culture, announced that the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), in
collaboration with a Japanese-American mission, is carrying out a laser
scanning survey of the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara, in an attempt to
create a virtual three-dimensional model of Egypt’s oldest pyramid. This
project is within the framework of the Ministry of Culture’s and SCA’s
commitment to protect and preserve Egypt’s cultural and archaeological
heritage.
Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the SCA, considers the survey of
Djoser’s pyramid to be an archaeological salvage project. The Step Pyramid
was built during the reign of King Djoser of the Third Dynasty (c.
2687-2668 BC). It is the first pyramid in Egyptian history and also the
earliest stone structure of its size. Over the years, the six steps of the
pyramid have been exposed to natural erosion leading to its deterioration.
Dr. Hawass stated that this survey is being conducted in collaboration
with a Japanese mission headed by Dr. Kosuke Sato of Osaka University and
an American mission led by Dr. Mark Lehner, Director of Ancient Egypt
Research Associates (AERA). This project intends on archaeologically
documenting the Step Pyramid in order to greater understand its various
stages of construction by using a variety of laser scanners including the
Zoser Scanner, which was custom designed to scan the pyramid by Develo
Solutions of Osaka, Japan.
Dr. Sato said that the Zoser Scanner, which is carried on the backs of
professional climbers as they rappel down the faces of the pyramid’s six
gigantic steps, uses infrared signals to gather coordinates and elevations
of the thousands of points on the monument. The scanner gathers data at
the exceedingly fast rate of 40,000 points per second in order to create a
virtual three-dimensional model of the Step Pyramid, which will be a
valuable reference for restorers, archaeologists, and architects involved
in the restoration of the pyramid and for the continual monitoring of its
condition. The laser scanning survey of the Step Pyramid will take four
weeks to complete.
Photo Step Pyramid - Copyright (c) Andrew
Bayuk
All Rights Reserved
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