Date Created: 29 June 2012
A team of Scottish scientists have created the first ‘fly through’ 3D animation of iconic US sculpture, Mount Rushmore.
Conservation and technology experts from Historic Scotland and Glasgow School of Art, in collaboration with US partners, have created a highly accurate three-dimensional model of the park and its globally-recognised sculptures.
The animation formed part of the Scottish Ten international programme, which is digitally mapping five of Scotland’s World Heritage sites alongside five other significant spots from around the globe.
Scottish Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop said: "Historic Scotland through its partnership with Glasgow School of Art is taking Scottish digital expertise to a global audience, enhancing our country's reputation for innovation, creativity and scientific progress."
At Mount Rushmore, the digital record will help preserve the monument and increase public access to Park resources, by providing virtual access to restricted areas and artefacts.
The animation allows digital visitors to appreciate the presidents’ heads from a novel perspective, sweeping up the cliff and across the sculpted faces, as well as showing the valley behind the heads, known as The Hall of Records, which is inaccessible to the public.
Watch Scottish Ten's animation on Historic Scotland's YouTube channel
Digitally mapping the world...
Apart from Mount Rushmore, the Scottish Ten heritage sites that have been scanned so far include:
- Orkney’s Neolithic sites, including a chambered tomb, standing stones and a perfectly-preserved Neolithic village
- The village of New Lanark which was founded in 1785 by David Dale as an industrial settlement. The village comprises of cotton spinning mills and tenement style sandstone which was originally built for the mill workers
- St Kilda, the remotest part of the British Isles, consists of islands and sea stacs which form some of the highest sea cliffs and rock stacs in Europe
- Rani ki Vav, India a royal stepwell dating back to approximately 1022 with many unique features which render it one of the most important stepwells in India
- Eastern Qing Tombs, China the final resting place of some of China’s best known emperors