Scan the World Calls to Immortalize Cultural Heritage After Easter Island Fire

Last week, a fire on Rapa Nui, colloquially often referred to as Easter Island in English, damaged many of the more than 1000 Moai statues located there. The damage was extensive and cannot be undone, with more than 100 hectares affected according to a statement from the national park which contained the figures. In an effort to help preserve the memory of many of the now damaged artifacts as well as art around the world, MyMiniFactory and Scan the World, are highlighting how 3D scanning and printing can help preserve heritage the world over, even in the face of disaster.

As you may know, the Moai statues are monolithic human figures that were carved by the local population since the 13th century on the island. Although, mostly known for their famous heads, earning them the appellation Easter Island Heads, the statues are actually full bodies which were buried in the ground and are considered sacred. The fire on the island caused what locals have stated is irreparable damage to the archeological site where many statues are located.

The Moai statues have been scanned previously in attempts to help preserve them (photo credits: 3D Systems)

Indeed, over the past few years, a number of monuments and artifacts have been destroyed by both human malice and natural disasters. For example, the Notre-Dame blaze that destroyed part of the iconic church in 2019 or the destruction of Mosul in 2014. Though these integral parts of our cultural heritage cannot be returned, 3D technologies are increasingly being used to at least preserve their memory. Notably, MyMiniFactory created Scan the World to help address these issues.

Preserving Heritage With Scan the World

This is not the first time we have talked about Scan the World. The project was started in 2014 in order to help made 3D printed art and history available to people no matter where they live. Currently, it has a collection of over 20,000 digitized artifacts, collected by contributors around the globe. Scan the World manager Jon Beck explains, “Through a global community dedicated to digitizing and sharing artifacts and cultural heritage, we can rapidly collect meaningful stories without the restrictions of large institutions.” 

And scanning has shown time and again its benefits for preserving cultural sites. Easter Island’s Moai for example have already been scanned previously to help preserve their magnificence. Additionally, several priceless artifacts including the Arch of Septimius Severus in Palmyra, Syria and José Noja Ortega’s Largo Caballero sculpture, both of which have been scanned and integrated into Scan the World’s platform, have since been lost. For Scan the World, these 3D scans serve at least to immortalize the history of the objects, even when they are no longer there.

A 3D scan as well as a 3D printed figurine of a Moai statue (photo credits: Scan the World)

Since the fire, MyMiniFactory and Scan the World called on users to help preserve our wider global heritage both through scanning and 3D printing objects. As a way to promote access, all files on the site are free, allowing anyone to print the designs of their choice. Though nothing will replace the Moai statues destroyed in the fire, this serves as a reminder of how 3D technologies can at least help preserve the memory of objects despite tragedies such as these. For those interested in printing a Moai statue, you can find the files HERE.

What do you think of this effort to help preserve cultural heritage through 3D scanning and printing? Let us know in a comment below or on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here, the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox! You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel.

*Cover Photo Credits: Horacio_Fernandez, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons