Applying digital 3D techniques in the documentation of the Western High Gate at Medinet Habu

If you haven’t read Survey epigrapher Ariel Singer’s excellent article about digitizing the Western High Gate at Medinet Habu, you can do so by clicking here! following this link! ⠀

In the 2018-19 season, the Epigraphic Survey began to seriously experiment with the idea of creating 3D photogrammetric models for the blocks of the Western High Gate at Medinet Habu Temple. This project stemmed from the issues that arose when trying to accurately and clearly record the dimensions and architectural features of the large number of blocks there, some of which are quite sizable and some of which are quite fragmentary. ⠀ ⠀

The Western High Gate, and its significantly better preserved counterpart the Eastern High Gate, were uncovered and analyzed by Uvo Hölscher, in the course of his five year excavation of the Medinet Habu complex, from 1927 to 1933. The existence of the Eastern High Gate had long been known, but it was not until the end of the project (the last three months to be specific) that he turned his focus to the western side of the enclosure wall and found the blocks and semi-intact foundation of the Western Gate. ⠀ ⠀

Although Hölscher included descriptions and photos of a few of the decorated blocks in his publication, this was only a fraction of the material and the rest was left unrecorded. Thus, in 2013, the Epigraphic Survey began work at the gate under the direction of epigrapher Jennifer Kimpton to organize and analyze the material there - including creating a database and initiating a full epigraphic program.⠀ ⠀

Thank you Owen Murray for this great overall shot of the Western High Gate area!⠀

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