Homainejad, Amir Saeed 
  
Close Range Photogrammetric Technique for Documentation of NAQSH-I RUSTAM 
Amir Saeed HOMAINEJAD 
Department of Surveying 
The University of Technology of K.N.Toosi 
No. 1346 Valli-asr Ave, Mirdamad Cross 
Tehran 19697, LR. 
IRAN 
KEY WORDS: Close Range Photogrammetry, Archaeology Photogrammetry. 
ABSTRACT 
Nagsh-i Rustam is a name of an ancient place which is located in the south of IRAN 80 kilometre far from Shiraz. It includes five 
graves, four rock-carvings, epigraphs, and a building so called Kabeh-i Zartosht. Graves are caves on the mountain located 40 meters 
higher than ground. The mountain is a stony mountain and was cut to develop walls with columns. On walls and columns are friezes 
and figures of monarchs with their servants. In addition, on walls are epigraphs about monarchs' life. Width of each wall is about 15 
meters. The rock-carvings also was cut on the mountain which explain story about the SASANIAN dynasty's fights with their enemies. 
Besides, there are some epigraphs on the mountain about SASANIAN dynasty. The building of Kabeh-i Zartosht was build of cubic 
stones and it has a cubic shape. There are three epigraphs on three walls of the building with three languages of SASANIAN, 
MOBADAN, and GREEK. 
The paper outlines a close range photogrammetric project for documenting the described place precisely. The project involves to 
provide digital maps from epigraphs and rock drawing with scale of 1:5, from building with scale of 1:25 and from grave with scale of 
1:50. In addition, a virtual reality model of the place has to be developed. 
According to the aims of the project, a pre analyse was fulfilled for defining a main coordinate system for the place, and different sub- 
coordinate systems for epigraphs, grave, rock-carving and building. Sub-coordinate systems can be transferred to the main coordinate 
system. Each object was photographed by a film based camera with 6x6 cm frame size. The stereo photograph method was used in this 
project and more than 900 stereo photographs were taken from objects. More than 400 control points were located on the objects. 
Control points were positioned by surveying intersection method with accuracy less than 0.1 mm. Because a high precision close range 
photogrammetry was required, according to the pre-analyses the control points were distributed on the objects such as that any six 
control points were in a stereo photograph. This method of photography reduced interferes of lens and camera distortion and increased 
the precision. In addition, every stereo photograph had 80% coverage. 
All 3D models were developed on a ZEISS P33 stereo plotter. Mentioned accuracy of P33 by the manufacturer is between 7 to 5 p and 
we accepted this accuracy. The pre-analyse was also fulfilled based on this accuracy. Results verified the method of photography and 
processing was reliable. 
There were problems with the P33 when the models were oriented. It seems the P33 was designed for aerial photogrammetry according 
to conventional method, but close range photogrammetry employed special methods according to its aims. These special methods were 
not evaluated in P33; therefore, P33 was not able to develop some special models. Besides, author has experience with other analytical 
and digital stereo plotters which all of them had the same problems. 
This paper will discuss all problems and evaluate employed methods and obtained results. 
1 INTRODUCTION 
The heritage organisation of IRAN had a request for documentation of Kabeh-i Zartosht, the rock-carving of the triumph of the first 
Shapur, and the grave of the first Dariush and some epigraphs on walls of building and rock-carving at the Naqsh-i Rustam by using 
close range photogrammetry method. The project involves to provide digital maps from epigraphs and rock-carving with scale of 1:5, 
from building with scale of 1:25 and from grave with scale of 1:50. In addition, a virtual reality model of the place has to be developed. 
Kabeh-i Zartosht (Figure 1) is a cubic shape building which was made of blocks of stones. Size of blocks was about 1x.5x.4 m which 
they extracted and cut from the mountain. The area of this building 1s about 400 square m and its height is about 25 m. Three epigraphs 
in three languages of SASANIAN, MOBADAN, and GREEK were carved on three walls of building. There are a number of rectangle 
holes on walls with size of 25x40 cm and their depth are about 25 cm. The holes are regularly placed on walls. It seems these holes 
were designed for place of some rock drawings and signs. Each of walls of left, right, and back side of building have six windows. The 
front wall has the main and only gate which includes a rock drawing on the door way. 
  
366 International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part B5. Amsterdam 2000.