Virtual Reality: A Knowledge Tool for Cultural Heritage

Based in the experience of building 3D representations of Mesoamerican archeological sites, we will discuss the need to integrate an understanding of the actual state of the ruins, i.e. the initial building and later transformations that affect the site, in order to construct quality models. An archeological survey cannot rely solely on computer science techniques but must include knowledge of the historical object. Furthermore, the modelling phase necessarily leads to a synthesis of the information based on criteria that may vary depending on the objectives of each project, thus the difficulty in obtaining a neutral survey of the historical site while at the same time satisfying all the requirements of both the restorers and historians of architecture.