FROM DIGITAL PHOTOGRAMMETRY TO 3D DIGITALIZATION FOR ART OBJECTS 
MEASUREMENT 
O. Feihl*, Archaeologist, Archidata Group 
E. Renaudin**, Geomatic Engineer, Archidata Group 
Chemin des Croisettes, 23 - 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland 
* Info(a'archidata-sa.com 
** e.renaudi-n@archeodumim.ch 
KEYWORDS : Close-range, 3D laser scanning, cultural heritage, digital photogrammetry 
ABSTRACT: 
The method presented in this paper try to answer a new question raised by archaeologist and historians: is it possible to 
compare precisely some cultural heritage object with flexible data acquisition, better accuracy and ease the integration 
of the computed object? Starting with digital photgrammetry and now thanks to laser scanning techniques, we did 
develop and validate a solution concept for object virtual reconstruction. Within a European project frame, a digitisation 
of two gold quiver was realised to establish a comparison procedure for resolving ambiguities around their build 
process. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
In the context of medieval mountings restorations of 
Sion’s cathedral and Saint-Maurice Abbey treasures in 
Switzerland, started at the beginning of year 1990, our 
group was solicited to draw up the three-dimensional 
surveys of these objects. Measures were then realized 
with digital photogrammetry for digital surface model 
restitution and orthophotos construction. 
Unfortunately this process was limited by the great 
infrastructure and time investment for granting results 
up to help archaeologist in their interpretation task. 
New way of proceedings were hardly needed. 
Fig. 1: Geometrical model and orthophoto of the St 
Maurice “Châsse” acquired by softcopy 
photogrammetry 
A solution was found within the framework of a 
collaboration with the Restoration Research Centre of 
French Museums. The task placed under the jointly 
European research project “SCULPTOR”, was to 
elaborate and evaluate methods for conservation and 
possible data interpretation of known historical objects. 
With an aim of helping art historians to determine the 
manufacturing processes of the three unique gorythes 
(gold quiver) known in the world. Rostov and Kiev 
quiver test objects were then digitised to experiment 
new possibilities. The third one, preserved in 
Thessalonique, will be measured later on. 
With the arrival on the market, at the end of the years 
1990, of three dimensions laser scanners, restitution 
and acquisition parameters radically changed; it is now 
possible to quickly draw up a complete and very 
precise three-dimensional cartography of art objects 
and carved architectural elements. 
The performance and results of three dimensional 
reconstruction of the quivers, thanks to high resolution 
laser scanning, are commented in this paper to put in 
relief the potential offered by such systems. The main 
purposes is to illustrate the powerful possibilities 
offered by these new technologies for culture heritage 
inventory and studies. 
In this paper we presents on one hand a technique, and 
on the other hand the possible comparison of two 
Gorythes with the help of derived 3d digital model, 
comparison which was not possible before with the 
available techniques. 
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