The archaeological ensemble of Melque is one of the most important historical sites of the High Middle Ages in Spain. It is located in the municipality of San Martín de Montalbán, just 30 kilometers from the city of Toledo. It consists of a very well preserved church, a monastery, several dams and a fence or wall. However, there is no consensus among experts about the date of its foundation. Some authors date it in the seventh century, in Visigothic times, while others consider that it was founded in the eighth century by Mozarabs, that is to say by Christians but under Muslim domination. The place was inhabited for centuries which has allowed the preservation of the church in an excellent state to this day.

Documented by Global Digital Heritage in September of 2018 using 1110 drone images, 112 terrestrial laser scans, and 1702 terrestrial photogrammetry images. These data were processed in Reality Capture.

Santa María de Melque (Toledo, Spain)

"Built in 1868, the Sellers Mansion is a three-story Second Empire brick house with a mansard roof that rivaled its outer suburban contemporaries in size, quality of craftsmanship, and attention to detail...Although carefully restored in the 1960s and adapted to a variety of community uses through the early 1990s, the mansion currently stands vacant and in an advanced state of deterioration...The building was included on the 2006 inventory of endangered buildings by Preservation Maryland. With advanced deterioration, work will need to begin soon if the building is to be preserved."

-[Baltimore Heritage](https://explore.baltimoreheritage.org/items/show/4)

Created in RealityCapture from 1405 images taken with a Nikon D750 and drone.

Sellers Mansion

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is centered on a colossal sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills in Keystone, South Dakota. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum created the sculpture's design and oversaw the project's execution from 1927 to 1941 with the help of his son, Lincoln Borglum. The sculpture features the 60-foot (18 m) heads of Presidents George Washington (1732–1799), Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) and Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), as recommended by Borglum. The four presidents were chosen to represent the nation's birth, growth, development and preservation, respectively. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rushmore

Experimental, reconstructed solely from various drone footage

Mt Rushmore

Angel of a grave at the Sankt Marxer cemetery in the 3rd district of Vienna.

The Sankt Marxer Friedhof is a cemetery which was closed in 1874 and is now  under a preservation order. Originally there were more than 8,000 graves here, today 5,635 are still preserved. The City of Vienna runs the St. Marx Cemetery as a park open to the public.

Engel

The Honda CB175, produced from 1969 to 1973, is captured here as a high-resolution photogrammetry scan, faithfully preserving the classic details of this iconic standard motorcycle. This 3D model showcases the 174cc four-stroke, straight-twin engine with its signature dual carburetors and twin exhaust pipes, along with period-correct elements like the five-speed transmission, front and rear drum brakes, and both kick and electric starters. Though modest in technology, the CB175's legacy as one of Honda’s best-selling small twins of the era lives on through this scan. This digital preservation allows enthusiasts and historians alike to examine the craftsmanship of a motorcycle that introduced many, including Cycle World editor David Edwards, to the joy of riding.

Honda CB175 motorcycle - Downloadable 3D scan

The Mosque of the Blessed Tree, a newly constructed 250-square-meter heritage mosque, stands as a testament to the reviving of our cultural architectural legacy. Incorporating Islamic architectural principles and traditional building techniques, this mosque serves as a example of heritage preservation. Located approximately 140 kilometers northeast of Amman, in the Safawi area of Mafraq, Jordan, this sacred site is meticulously maintained by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, alongside the Royal Committee for the Restoration of the Shrines of Prophets and Companions. Their efforts ensure the preservation of the site's cultural heritage for future generations.

Mosque of Tree of Al Buqayawiyya, Jordan

I fell in love with this mysterious structure the first time I saw it! In the late 19th century, it housed large wheels that helped channel water from the Lake Montebello reservoir to the surrounding city of Baltimore. Today, it is risks getting torn down and [efforts to preserve the building are ongoing](https://www.preservationmaryland.org/valve-house/). 

"The Lake Clifton Valve House, or Gate House, is a massive octagonal stone structure. Large Romanesque archways alternate with Gothic style windows which once contained stained glass. Remnants of the colorful glass patterns may still be seen in the turret, atop an intricate tile roof supported by a complicated system of iron trusses." 

-[Maryland Historical Trust](https://mht.maryland.gov/nr/NRDetail.aspx?NRID=50)

Created in RealityCapture from 618 images taken with a drone.

Clifton Park Valve House

Credits: Model created by Wave-z17
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wave-z17

Uploaded for showcase and preservation.

STARGOOSE VI

This is an unused ship model from Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, preserved and presented to reflect how it appeared during the 2016 game. Because the asset was never finalized for use in-game, all UVs were originally packed into a single corner of the texture space, even though the UV layout itself was already complete. 

For this restoration, the original UVs were repositioned and laid out correctly, without rebuilding or altering them in any way. The intent was strictly to restore usability and accuracy while preserving the original developer-made UV structure.

No redesigns or reinterpretations were made. The only addition beyond correcting the UV layout is the inclusion of light maps, added to help the model respond properly to lighting and better represent how a finished in-game asset would have appeared.

This is a faithful preservation pass on an unused Rift Apart development asset, focused on accuracy, restraint, and respect for the original work.

Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart Unused Aphelion

This is an unused ship model from Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, preserved and presented to reflect how it appeared during the 2016 game. Because the asset was never finalized for use in-game, all UVs were originally packed into a single corner of the texture space, even though the UV layout itself was already complete.

For this restoration, the original UVs were repositioned and laid out correctly, without rebuilding or altering them in any way. The intent was strictly to restore usability and accuracy while preserving the original developer-made UV structure.

No redesigns or reinterpretations were made. The only addition beyond correcting the UV layout is the inclusion of light maps, added to help the model respond properly to lighting and better represent how a finished in-game asset would have appeared.

This is a faithful preservation pass on an unused Rift Apart development asset, focused on accuracy, restraint, and respect for the original work.

Clean Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart Unused Aphelion

Credits: Model created by Wave-z17 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wave-z17

Uploaded for showcase and preservation.

STARGOOSE V

STARGOOSE IV

Nakai, also called Nakai the Wanderer, is a Lizardmen Kroxigor Ancient. He is a revered creature, regarded by Skink Priests as a powerful jungle-spirit made manifest. He has travelled all over the Known World and is a mighty protector of the Lizardmen, appearing anywhere out of the jungle during times of need, before disappearing once more. He famously appeared at the Defence of Itza, wreaked havoc at the Red Fields and was recently reported at the Great Reckoning.

**"Nakai earned his epithet due to his solitary nature, for instead of pledging himself to a single temple-city, he goes wherever the Great Plan deems it necessary – whenever the Lizardmen are in dire need; when catastrophe threatens their existence. He is revered by the Skinks, who adorn him with tokens of his many battles fought in preservation of his race and the furtherance of the Great Plan."**

Nakai

A complete preservation of the earliest Talking Tom model, directly reverse-engineered from the original 2013 1.0 build.
 
This release aims to preserve the pure, unaltered history of the Outfit7 IP. Unlike later retextures, this model captures Tom's original design and features all classic idle & action animations.
 
Free for the community to use, modify, and share. History shouldn't be locked behind download restrictions.
 
Tools used for this dump: Asset Studio

Tom Medium Ios 1.0

**New Theropod Species Unveiled: Tyrannovenator ignicolor**

In 2023, paleontologist Dr. Rafael Kim and his team unearthed a striking theropod specimen in the Kaiparowits Plateau of southern Utah. Named *Tyrannovenator ignicolor*—“Flame-Colored Tyrant Hunter”—this mid-sized predator exhibits unprecedented preservation of pigment structures and dermal ornamentation. Measuring roughly 7 meters long, it features prominent cranial crests and spine-like projections along its back, suggesting a role in visual display or intimidation.

Microscopic analysis revealed melanosome patterns consistent with iridescent and carotenoid-rich coloration, marking the first strong evidence of multi-hue signaling in apex predators. The discovery challenges assumptions about camouflage in large theropods and opens new avenues in the study of dinosaur behavior, ecology, and evolution. *T. ignicolor* stands as a vivid reminder that prehistoric life may have been far more colorful, and complex, than previously imagined.

Flame-Colored Tyrant Hunter - dinosaur

Object: The Lawler Sphinx Monument
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Date Erected: 1850
Commissioner: Davis B. Lawler

Historical Significance:
Erected to honor Matthew Lawler (former Mayor of Philadelphia) and his wife Ann, this Egyptian Revival sphinx caused massive controversy. The cemetery's Christian directors initially objected to the "pagan" iconography. It was eventually permitted and became one of Spring Grove's most famous monuments.

**Preservation Status (Critical)**
While appearing resolute from a distance, this model documents severe, rapid structural failure. The stone survived its first 150 years well, but recent freeze-thaw cycles have devastated it. Massive mechanical cracks splitting the torso have been patched with modern sealants that are already failing. Furthermore, the extensive historical inscriptions on the base are actively sugaring and nearly impossible to read. This "Digital Twin" preserves the text and geometry before the next fracture.

Digitization: The American Digital Heritage Project

Lawler Sphinx: Decay of Egyptian Revival (1850)

**Tyrannovenator iridens: A New Theropod from Inner Mongolia**

In 2025, paleontologist Dr. Wei Zhang led a Sino-European team to the Alashan Desert, where they uncovered a remarkably preserved theropod specimen exhibiting complex dermal ornamentation and pigment structures. Named *Tyrannovenator iridens*—“Iridescent Tyrant Hunter”—this 7.5-meter predator displayed prominent spinal projections and scale patterns consistent with structural coloration, suggesting a shimmering, multi-hued appearance.

The fossil’s preservation included melanosomes and nano-scale ridges, offering the first evidence of iridescence in a large carnivorous dinosaur. This challenges assumptions about predator concealment and supports theories of visual signaling in social or territorial behavior. The discovery of *T. iridens* marks a pivotal moment in understanding the role of color and display in Late Cretaceous ecosystems.

Iridescent Tyrant Hunter - dinosaur

Object: The Collins Monument
Location: Ohio River Valley

**Historical Significance:**
This towering 19th-century pedestal, bearing the family name "COLLINS," is a classic example of Victorian-era funerary architecture. Monuments of this scale and expense were almost exclusively designed to serve as a base for a large crowning statue, such as a draped urn, an angel, or a symbolic figure.

**Preservation Status & The Lost Statue:**
This "Digital Twin" documents a severe loss of historical context. While the heavy limestone pedestal has survived, the crowning artwork has been completely sheared off by kinetic impact or decades of freeze-thaw fracturing. Only jagged, unidentifiable stone anchors remain on the top plinth. Without early photographic records, the original identity of the statue is a permanent mystery. This archive preserves the surviving family name and architectural geometry before the remaining stone succumbs to advanced biological weathering.

Digitization: The American Digital Heritage Project

Collins Monument: Lost Statuary (19th C.)

The 'Rock of the Sun' is to the right of the Rock of the Five Daggers.  The sun symbol is shown, very indistinctly on the 3D model, to the left of centre at the bottom of the panel.  Other Copper Age symbols - human figures & a zoomorphic figure, can also be faintly seen.  The preservation of the white pigment delineating some of the upper figures is very rare and due to the protective nature of the overhang above them.

There are also Christian-age crosses.  The sacredness of the site is attested to by the presence of the Christian shrine (chapel) consecrated to the Virgin Mary.

Valcamonica, Capitello Due Pini - Plas (2)

English:
This 3D model captures an archaeological site in the Mixteca Alta region of Oaxaca, Mexico, created using a mobile 3D scanning application. The model preserves visible architectural features, surface textures, and spatial relationships, providing a detailed digital record for research, education, and cultural preservation.

Español:
Este modelo 3D captura un sitio arqueológico en la región de la Mixteca Alta, Oaxaca, México, creado utilizando una aplicación móvil de escaneo 3D. El modelo preserva características arquitectónicas visibles, texturas superficiales y relaciones espaciales, ofreciendo un registro digital detallado para la investigación, la educación y la preservación cultural.

RVAP 2026 Mixteca Alta - Area3

創作於8世紀奈良時代，是日本代表性的寫實木心乾漆造佛像名品。此像高209公分，以慈悲容貌著稱，曾被藝術史家費諾羅薩譽為「日本第一」並推動保存。它原供奉於大神神社（大御輪寺），因明治時代「神佛分離」政策遷至聖林寺，至今仍以其莊嚴美感與三輪山信仰相結合。
Created in the 8th century during the Nara period, this statue is a renowned masterpiece of realistic hollow-core lacquer sculpture in Japan. Standing 209 centimeters tall, it is celebrated for its compassionate expression. The art historian Ernest Fenollosa praised it as "the finest in Japan" and advocated for its preservation. Originally enshrined at the Ōmiwa Shrine (Daigorin-ji), it was relocated to Seirin-ji due to the "separation of Shinto and Buddhism" policy during the Meiji era. To this day, it continues to embody solemn beauty, intertwined with the sacred beliefs of Mount Miwa.

聖林寺十一面觀音像

Mask composed of jade fragments assembled using mosaic technique, with shell and obsidian inlays in the eyes. The face represents a figure wearing round earspools, decorated with a scroll at the top and a trilobed element at the base. The open eyes, broad nose, and full lips stand out—features that evoke a solemn and possibly idealized presence. Incised details are filled with hematite, accentuating the facial contours. The mask is mounted on clear acrylic for preservation and display; however, although pieces of Pre-Columbian origin were used, not all fragments appear to correspond to the piece.

 IDAEH Cultural Property No. 1.2.144.0438
 
www.fundacionrutamaya.org

Special thanks to the staff of La Ruta Maya Foundation for their hard work on this project.

3D model made in RealityScan; Total # of images: 384

Funerary Mask Made of Jade Mosaic

This 3D model is a high-fidelity photogrammetry scan of a section of the Casa da Roda in Caria, Portugal.

The "House of the Wheel" is a site of significant social importance, once serving as an institution where infants were anonymously abandoned to the care of the state or church via a revolving wooden cylinder—the "wheel". This specific section shows the granite exterior wall and the stone-framed aperture where the wheel mechanism was historically located.

Project Context:
This asset was developed as part of a doctoral research project in Design. The goal is to use Virtual Reality (VR) and digital reconstruction to challenge romanticized views of the past, fostering historical empathy by immersing users in the sensitive narratives of abandonment and care that define this space.
- Methodology: Photogrammetry / Unreal Engine 5.
- Location: Rua da Roda, Caria, Portugal.
- Purpose: Heritage preservation and empathetic storytelling.

Digital Twin:Casa Roda Exterior Wall(draft 0.02)

English: This 3D model captures an archaeological site in the Mixteca Alta region of Oaxaca, Mexico, created using a mobile 3D scanning application. The model preserves visible architectural features, surface textures, and spatial relationships, providing a detailed digital record for research, education, and cultural preservation.

Español: Este modelo 3D captura un sitio arqueológico en la región de la Mixteca Alta, Oaxaca, México, creado utilizando una aplicación móvil de escaneo 3D. El modelo preserva características arquitectónicas visibles, texturas superficiales y relaciones espaciales, ofreciendo un registro digital detallado para la investigación, la educación y la preservación cultural.

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