Bringing Back Lost Heritage into Life by 3D Reconstruction in Metaverse and Virtual Environments: The Case Study of Palmyra, Syria

The advent of the metaverse, a large-scale three-dimensional networked virtual environment that combines physical and digital world, has opened new avenues for preserving and experiencing cultural heritage (CH). By integrating technologies such as 3D reconstruction and modelling with virtual reality (VR), the metaverse offers new opportunities to showcase and celebrate cultural heritage that may otherwise have been lost to time or destruction, as in the case of this work. This paper delves into the fascinating world of digital reconstruction and its application in preserving ancient archaeological sites, with a focus on the Palmyra theater in Syria. The theater, dating back to the Roman era, was once a majestic centerpiece of Palmyra’s cultural and social life. However, the Syrian conflict caused irreparable harm to the theater’s physical structure and historical significance. The goal of the project was to digitally reconstruct the theatre in a virtual environment, providing an immersive experience that allows users to explore the site in its original form. The 3D reconstruction of the theatre was achieved through a comprehensive survey of images, sketches, textual documents, and artifacts conducted by Professor Gabriele Fangi, from Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy, during his visit to Syria in 2010. Metaverse platforms were implemented to allow for exploring the theatre as it once was. The project presented a range of challenges, including optimizing the digital model’s complexity for the metaverse, and fine-tuning textures and materials to provide a realistic experience. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the project’s goals, methods, and outcomes highlighting the exciting possibilities of metaverse technologies, allowing multiple users to experience in real time a digitally reconstructed world, demonstrating its importance in the field of CH preservation. For lost heritage, in particular, these technologies may serve as evidence of our duty towards the importance of preserving CH in the face of conflict and destruction.