Digital reconstruction of ancient Egyptian tombs

From the pyramids of Giza to the tombs of Thebes at Luxor, the glorious ancient Egyptian history has produced remarkable architecture.Sadly, tourists, numbering nearly four million per year, have taken a heavy toll on many of these ancient structures.Of particular concern are many of tombs located opposite Luxor on the western bank of the Nile.Digital reconstruction of these tombs has the potential of helping to document and preserve these important historical structures.Issues concernng new and unique problems involving the photographing and digital reconstruction of these tombs are addressed.Techniques for removing image distortions,recovering 3-D shapes and correcting for lighting imbalances are discussed.A complete reconstruction of the tomb of Sennedjem is shown.