The digitization of the archaeological site of Ancient Corinth has been added to the world’s biggest digital archive of endangered monuments to be created by Google Arts & Culture and the non-profit organization CyArk. The project has been announced on the World Heritage Day, April 18th 2018.
Expedition Overview
In collaboration with the American School of Classical Studies at Athens and the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, CyArk documented the mythical Peirene Fountain and the Temple of Apollo in the city of Ancient Corinth, Greece. Survey of the extant structures was conducted primarily with LiDAR and both terrestrial and aerial photogrammetry.
The surviving frescoes within the Peirene Fountain were surveyed with an Artec scanner, which measures the 3D shape of a surface using pulsating light and a camera system. CyArk’s digital documentation of the temple and fountain provided the ASCS with accurate and precise data on the current state of preservation for both architectural complexes. In particular, it was important to record Peirene which is currently closed to the public due to concerns surrounding its preservation. This work was made possible through the generous support of the Macricostas Family Foundation
Introducing Ancient Corinth
A port city located at the narrow neck that joins the Peloponnese to mainland Greece, Ancient Corinth controlled important trade routes. Ancient Corinth was actually inhabited since the Neolithic period, from the 7th Millennium BCE onward. The city grew significantly in the Archaic period, during which the Temple of Apollo was established. It eventually became one of the largest cities in classical times, and continued to be inhabited through the Roman and Byzantine periods. The ruins today show numerous Greek, Roman, and Byzantine architectural features. At the heart of Ancient Corinth was the Fountain of Peirene, a mythical freshwater spring which was the primary water source for the city. Located nearby on a high terrace, the Temple of Apollo loomed over the city view with its monolithic columns standing tall against time
Take an interactive tour at the Ancient Corinth‘s Peirene Fountain & the Temple of Apollo here!
