Close-Range Photogrammetric Tools for Epigraphic Surveys

Abstract

In this article, we present a method to carry out a computerized epigraphic survey of historic stones and their engraved epigraphy. In fact, the preservation of archaeological objects has always been an issue of concern for the research community. On the one hand, the fragility of the objects limits their study. On the other hand, such objects are housed in museums, libraries, and institutions worldwide, locations that significantly limit their accessibility. Different survey methods have been carried out in these attempts to overcome the aforementioned limitations. Among them, the MicMac open source software was used in this work to survey and process the dense correlation of the hieroglyphics inscriptions engraved on archaeological stones. Relatively standard workflows have led to depth maps, which can be represented either as 3D point clouds or shaded relief images. This article shows the application of this method in two epigraphic survey case studies.