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{{short description|Architectural archive website}}
{{short description|Architectural archive website}}
{{Infobox organization
{{Infobox organization
| name = CyArk
| name = CyArk
| native_name =
| native_name =
| image = [[Image:Cyark logo.png|250px|The ''CyArk'' logo.]]
| image = [[Image:CyArk - Logomark.png|250px|The ''CyArk'' logo.]]
| image_size = 15
| image_size = 15
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| merged =
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| formation = 2003 <!-- e.g. use {{start date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} -->
| successor =
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| founder = Ben Kacyra
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| formation = 2003 <!-- e.g. use {{start date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} -->
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| extinction = <!-- e.g. use {{end date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
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| founder = [[Ben Kacyra]]
| merger =
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| extinction = <!-- e.g. use {{end date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| merger =
| type =
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| tax_id = <!-- or | vat_id = (for non-profit org) -->
| tax_id = <!-- or | vat_id = (for non-profit org) -->
| registration_id = <!-- for non-profit org -->
⚫
| status =
| registration_id = <!-- for non-profit org -->
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| purpose = Digital documentation of [[World Heritage Site|cultural heritage sites]] and architecture
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| status =
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| headquarters = [[Oakland, California]]
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| purpose = Digital documentation of [[World Heritage Site|cultural heritage sites]] and architecture
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| location =
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| headquarters = [[Oakland, California]]
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| coords = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LON|display=inline,title}} -->
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| location =
| region =
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| coords = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LON|display=inline,title}} -->
| region =
| services =
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| products = CyArk 3D Heritage Archive
| services =
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| methods = [[Laser scanning]], [[3D modeling|digital modeling]]
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| products = CyArk 3D Heritage Archive
| fields =
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| methods = [[Laser scanning]], [[3D modeling|digital modeling]]
| fields =
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| website = {{URL|cyark.org}}
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| website = {{url|cyark.org}}
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}}
'''CyArk''' is a [[501(c)(3)]] nonprofit organization located in [[Oakland, California]], United States founded in 2003 . CyArk's mission is to "digitally record, archive and share the world's most significant cultural heritage and ensure that these places continue to inspire wonder and curiosity for decades to come." <ref>[https://www.cyark.org/about/ CyArk's website]</ref>
'''CyArk''' (from "cyber archive"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7t61U6BBcs&t=197s|title=Ben Kacyra: Ancient wonders captured in 3D|work=YouTube|date=November 9, 2011|access-date=28 July 2022}}</ref>) is a [[501(c)(3)]] nonprofit organization located in [[Oakland, California]], United States founded in 2003. CyArk's mission is to "digitally record, archive and share the world's most significant cultural heritage and ensure that these places continue to inspire wonder and curiosity for decades to come."<ref>[https://www.cyark.org/about/ CyArk's website]</ref>


CyArk's founder, [[Ben Kacyra]], stated during his speech at the 2011 [[TED Conference]] that the organization was created in response to increasing human and natural threats to heritage sites, and to ensure the "collective human memory" is not lost while making it available through modern dissemination tools like the internet and mobile platforms.<ref>[http://www.ted.com/talks/ben_kacyra_ancient_wonders_captured_in_3d.html Video of Ben Kacyra's speech at the TED 2011 conference]</ref>
CyArk's founder, Ben Kacyra, stated during his speech at the 2011 [[TED Conference]] that the organization was created in response to increasing human and natural threats to heritage sites, and to ensure the "collective human memory" is not lost while making it available through modern dissemination tools like the internet and mobile platforms.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ted.com/talks/ben_kacyra_ancient_wonders_captured_in_3d.html |title=Video of Ben Kacyra's speech at the TED 2011 conference |access-date=2011-11-24 |archive-date=2014-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219011816/http://www.ted.com/talks/ben_kacyra_ancient_wonders_captured_in_3d.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>


The organization is known for its work with a number of partners in producing high-quality digital scanning of [[World Heritage Sites]], such as [[Angkor Wat]], [[Pompeii]], [[Chichen Itza]], the [[Eastern Qing tombs]], [[Nineveh]], the [[Antonine Wall]], [[Mount Rushmore]], and many others.<ref name = "jbrown">{{Cite news
The organization is known for its work with a number of partners in producing high-quality digital scanning of [[World Heritage Sites]], such as [[Angkor Wat]], [[Pompeii]], [[Chichen Itza]], the [[Eastern Qing tombs]], [[Nineveh]], the [[Antonine Wall]], [[Mount Rushmore]], and many others.<ref name = "jbrown">{{Cite news
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| title = Ancient History Meets New Technology
| title = Ancient History Meets New Technology
| work = Professional Surveyor Magazine
| work = Professional Surveyor Magazine
| accessdate = 2014-10-11
| access-date = 2014-10-11
| date = 2008
| date = 2008
| url = http://archives.profsurv.com/magazine/article.aspx?i=2083
| url = http://archives.profsurv.com/magazine/article.aspx?i=2083
}}</ref><ref name = "elee">{{Cite news
}}</ref><ref name = "elee">{{Cite news
| volume = Volume 7
| volume = 7
| issue = No. 7
| issue = 7
| pages = 10–19
| pages = 10–19
| last = Lee
| last = Lee
| first = Elizabeth
| first = Elizabeth
| title = Scanning Rushmore - Digitizing the Legacy
| title = Scanning Rushmore – Digitizing the Legacy
| work = The American Surveyor
| work = The American Surveyor
| accessdate = 2014-10-11
| access-date = 2014-10-11
| date = October 2010
| date = October 2010
| url = http://www.amerisurv.com/emag/2010/Vol7No7/
| url = http://www.amerisurv.com/emag/2010/Vol7No7/
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| title = Surveying Cultural Heritage
| title = Surveying Cultural Heritage
| work = Professional Surveyor Magazine
| work = Professional Surveyor Magazine
| accessdate = 2014-10-11
| access-date = 2014-10-11
| date = 2013
| date = 2013
| url = http://archives.profsurv.com/magazine/article.aspx?i=71361
| url = http://archives.profsurv.com/magazine/article.aspx?i=71361
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| title = CyArk Projects
| title = CyArk Projects
| work = CyArk
| work = CyArk
| accessdate = 2014-10-11
| access-date = 2014-10-11
| url = http://cyark.org/projects/
| url = http://cyark.org/projects/
}}</ref>
}}</ref>
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==History==
==History==
[[Image:Cyark Tikal Temple II.jpg|thumb|right|Profile of [[Tikal Temple II]]]]
[[Image:Cyark Tikal Temple II.jpg|thumb|right|Profile of [[Tikal Temple II]]]]
CyArk was founded in 2003 by [[Iraqi American|Iraqi expatriate]] and [[civil engineer]] Ben Kacyra. In the 1990s, Kacyra was instrumental in the invention and marketing of the first truly portable [[3D Scanner|laser scanner]]. The scanner, called the [[Cyrax (HDS system)|Cyrax]], was designed for surveying purposes, and was produced by Cyra Technologies.<ref name = "abate">{{Cite news
CyArk was founded in 2003 by [[Iraqi American|Iraqi expatriate]] and [[civil engineer]] Ben Kacyra. In the 1990s, Kacyra was instrumental in the invention and marketing of the first truly portable [[3D scanner|laser scanner]]. The scanner, called the [[Cyrax (HDS system)|Cyrax]], was designed for surveying purposes, and was produced by Cyra Technologies.<ref name = "abate">{{Cite news
| last = Abate
| last = Abate
| first = Tom
| first = Tom
| title = Laser mapping tool traces ancient sites - Device made for contractors helps archaeologists create first-ever digital blueprints
| title = Laser mapping tool traces ancient sites – Device made for contractors helps archaeologists create first-ever digital blueprints
| work = SFGate - Innovations
| work = SFGate – Innovations
| accessdate = 2014-10-11
| access-date = 2014-10-11
| date = 2007-07-22
| date = 2007-07-22
| url = http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/INNOVATIONS-Laser-mapping-tool-traces-ancient-2579950.php
| url = http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/INNOVATIONS-Laser-mapping-tool-traces-ancient-2579950.php
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| title = History
| title = History
| work = [[Leica Geosystems]]
| work = [[Leica Geosystems]]
| accessdate = 2014-10-11
| access-date = 2014-10-11
| url = http://www.leica-geosystems.com/en/History_834.htm
| url = http://www.leica-geosystems.com/en/History_834.htm
| archive-date = 2014-10-18
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141018124349/http://www.leica-geosystems.com/en/History_834.htm
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>
}}</ref>


After sale of the company, Ben Kacyra dedicated his energy to using the new technology to document archaeological and cultural heritage resources, and to the CyArk organization.<ref name = "eapowell">{{Cite news
After sale of the company, Ben Kacyra dedicated his energy to using the new technology to document archaeological and cultural heritage resources, and to the CyArk organization.<ref name = "eapowell">{{Cite news
| volume = Volume 62
| volume = 62
| issue = No 3
| issue = 3
| last = Powell
| last = Powell
| first = Eric A
| first = Eric A
| title = The Past in High-Def
| title = The Past in High-Def
| work = Archaeology Magazine
| work = Archaeology Magazine
| accessdate = 2014-10-11
| access-date = 2014-10-11
| date = May–June 2009
| date = May–June 2009
| url = http://archive.archaeology.org/0905/etc/high_def.html
| url = http://archive.archaeology.org/0905/etc/high_def.html
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CyArk's primary focus has been the digital documentation of threatened ancient and historical architecture. This architecture includes sites such as Colorado's [[Mesa Verde]], Italy's [[Pompeii]], Wyoming's [[Fort Laramie]], and Kacyra's native [[Mosul]] in Iraq – also known as the biblical [[Assyria]]n city of [[Nineveh]].
CyArk's primary focus has been the digital documentation of threatened ancient and historical architecture. This architecture includes sites such as Colorado's [[Mesa Verde]], Italy's [[Pompeii]], Wyoming's [[Fort Laramie]], and Kacyra's native [[Mosul]] in Iraq – also known as the biblical [[Assyria]]n city of [[Nineveh]].


CyArk has generated a fairly large amount of publicity since its inception. Initially, this was in part due to the relevance of Kacyra's life story to the ongoing [[Iraq War]], during which much of the country's cultural patrimony was destroyed amidst a [[Archaeological looting in Iraq|spasm of looting]] and heavy military damage to important historical sites such as [[Babylon]] and [[Samarra]]. As the public face of the CyArk organization, Ben Kacyra became a popular speaker at conferences such as [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD7XUwxAuEw Google’s Zeitgeist (2008)], and [http://www.ted.com/talks/ben_kacyra_ancient_wonders_captured_in_3d.html TEDGlobal (2011)], describing his life story and the potential of digital preservation to save the "collective treasure" of global heritage. In recent years, however, he has taken on more of an advisory role, while the independent non-profit organization CyArk has gathered considerable momentum.
CyArk has generated a fairly large amount of publicity since its inception. Initially, this was in part due to the relevance of Kacyra's life story to the ongoing [[Iraq War]], during which much of the country's cultural patrimony was destroyed amidst a [[Archaeological looting in Iraq|spasm of looting]] and heavy military damage to important historical sites such as [[Babylon]] and [[Samarra]]. As the public face of the CyArk organization, Ben Kacyra became a popular speaker at conferences such as Google's Zeitgeist (2008), and TEDGlobal (2011), describing his life story and the potential of digital preservation to save the "collective treasure" of global heritage. In recent years, however, he has taken on more of an advisory role, while the independent non-profit organization CyArk has gathered considerable momentum.


As of 2014, CyArk has become a major entity in the historic preservationist and cultural resource/heritage management communities. The 2014 CyArk 500 Annual Summit was held at the [[National Archives Building]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] The theme was "Democratising cultural heritage: Enabling access to information, technology and support."<ref name = "cyark2014" />
As of 2014, CyArk has become a major entity in the historic preservationist and cultural resource/heritage management communities. The 2014 CyArk 500 Annual Summit was held at the [[National Archives Building]] in [[Washington, D.C.]] The theme was "Democratising cultural heritage: Enabling access to information, technology and support."<ref name = "cyark2014">{{Cite web
| title = CyArk 500 Annual Summit 2014
| work = Digital meets Culture
| access-date = 2014-10-09
| date = 2014-10-07
| url = http://www.digitalmeetsculture.net/article/cyark-500-annual-summit-2014/
| archive-date = 2014-10-01
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141001040856/http://www.digitalmeetsculture.net/article/cyark-500-annual-summit-2014/
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>


==Project focus==
==Project focus==
[[Image:Cyark Tikal Temple II 3D.jpg|thumb|right|3-dimensional projection of [[Tikal Temple II]]]]
[[Image:Cyark Tikal Temple II 3D.jpg|thumb|right|3-dimensional projection of [[Tikal Temple II]]]]


CyArk seeks to help preserver heritage sites around the world through utilizing digital documentation to support the work of heritage managers and further connect people with the history of these sites. According to the site's website, they work across three principle areas: [[conservation]], recovery, and discovery. <ref>[https://www.cyark.org/about/ CyArk Website]</ref>
CyArk seeks to help preserve heritage sites around the world through utilizing digital documentation to support the work of heritage managers and further connect people with the history of these sites. According to the site's website, they work across three principal areas: [[conservation (cultural heritage)|conservation]], recovery, and discovery.<ref>[https://www.cyark.org/about/ CyArk Website]</ref>


CyArk's digital data may be useful for professionals monitoring and managing gradual architectural deterioration at cultural sites.<ref>Interview with Ben Kacyra in National Geographic (October 2010)</ref> This data could also make it possible to generate blueprints for reconstruction following catastrophic events, such as the [[Afghan Taliban]]'s notorious demolition of the [[Bamiyan Buddhas]] in 2001 or the 2010 destruction by suspected arson of the [[Kasubi Tombs|Royal Tombs of Kasubi]], [[Uganda]]. The Kasubi Tombs were digitally preserved by CyArk a year before their demise, providing a lasting digital record and potential blueprint for reconstruction.<ref>{{Cite web
CyArk's digital data may be useful for professionals monitoring and managing gradual architectural deterioration at cultural sites.<ref>Interview with Ben Kacyra in National Geographic (October 2010)</ref> This data could also make it possible to generate blueprints for reconstruction following catastrophic events, such as the [[Afghan Taliban]]'s notorious demolition of the [[Bamiyan Buddhas]] in 2001 or the 2010 destruction by suspected arson of the [[Kasubi Tombs|Royal Tombs of Kasubi]], [[Uganda]]. The Kasubi Tombs were digitally preserved by CyArk a year before their demise, providing a lasting digital record and potential blueprint for reconstruction.<ref>{{Cite web
| last = Preston
| last = Preston
| first = Elizabeth
| first = Elizabeth
| title = The Big Idea - Laser Preservation
| title = The Big Idea – Laser Preservation
| work = National Geographic Magazine
| work = National Geographic Magazine
| accessdate = 2014-10-11
| access-date = 2014-10-11
| date = December 2011
| date = December 2011
| url = http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/big-idea/15/laser-preservation
| url = http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/big-idea/15/laser-preservation
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100919161535/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/big-idea/15/laser-preservation
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = September 19, 2010
}}</ref>
}}</ref>


In 2019, CyArk launched [https://www.openheritage3d.org/ Open Heritage 3D] in partnership with [[Historic Environment Scotland]] and the [[University of Southern Florida]] to make digital data of heritage sites available to download online for people to use for educational purposes.
In 2019, CyArk launched an online archival platform called [[Open Heritage 3D]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Open Heritage 3D |url=https://openheritage3d.org/ |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=openheritage3d.org}}</ref> in partnership with [[Historic Environment Scotland]] and the [[University of South Florida]] to make digital data of heritage sites available to download online for people to use for educational purposes. Since 2022 this project has since been run in partnership with the [[Cultural Heritage Engineering Initiative]] (CHEI) at UC San Diego's Qualcomm Institute.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Open Heritage 3D {{!}} About |url=https://openheritage3d.org/about |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=openheritage3d.org}}</ref>


According to CyArk's online mission statement, the dissemination of free digital content about heritage sites can help encourage additional visits by tourists, and invigorate communities with revenue from [[cultural tourism]]. Youth and educators will benefit from free, publicly accessible historical and site information, including some Creative Commons-licensed content. And finally, the creation of digital records ensures not only that the sites will never be lost forever; it also provides a digital resource to facilitate the continued mining of information over time as technologies and methods of information extraction evolve.
According to CyArk's online mission statement, the dissemination of free digital content about heritage sites can help encourage additional visits by tourists, and invigorate communities with revenue from [[cultural tourism]]. Youth and educators will benefit from free, publicly accessible historical and site information, including some Creative Commons-licensed content. And finally, the creation of digital records ensures not only that the sites will never be lost forever; it also provides a digital resource to facilitate the continued mining of information over time as technologies and methods of information extraction evolve.


== Selected list of projects ==
== Selected list of projects ==
*[http://archive.cyark.org/ancient-merv-intro Ancient Merv], a major crossroads along the ancient silk road in Turkmenistan
* Ancient Merv, a major crossroads along the ancient silk road in Turkmenistan
*[http://archive.cyark.org/ancient-thebes-intro Ancient Thebes] and the Ramesseum/Necropolis of Ramses II, Egypt
* Ancient Thebes and the Ramesseum/Necropolis of Ramses II, Egypt
*[http://archive.cyark.org/angkor-intro Angkor Wat]'s western causeway and Banteay Kdei areas, Cambodia
* Angkor Wat's western causeway and Banteay Kdei areas, Cambodia
*[http://archive.cyark.org/bab-albarqiyya-intro The Bab al-Barqiyya Gate], a portion of the Ayyubid Wall in Cairo, Egypt
* The Bab al-Barqiyya Gate, a portion of the Ayyubid Wall in Cairo, Egypt (See: [[Bab al-Barqiyya]])
* Bagan, the political, economic, and cultural center of the Bagan Kingdom
*[http://archive.cyark.org/carmelite-church-of-weissenburg-intro A Carmelite Church] in Weissenburg, Germany
* A Carmelite Church in Weissenburg, Germany
*[http://archive.cyark.org/cathedral-of-beauvais-intro Beauvais Cathedral], a Gothic masterwork in France
* Beauvais Cathedral, a Gothic masterwork in France
*[http://archive.cyark.org/chavin-de-huantar-intro Chavin De Huantar], 3500-year-old capital of the Chavin culture, Peru <ref>{{Cite news
* Chavin De Huantar, 3500-year-old capital of the Chavin culture, Peru<ref>{{Cite news
| issue = March
| issue = March
| last = Risvetski
| last = Ristevski
| first = John
| first = John
| title = Laser Scanning for Cultural Heritage Applications
| title = Laser Scanning for Cultural Heritage Applications
| work = Professional Surveyor Magazine
| work = Professional Surveyor Magazine
| accessdate = 2014-10-11
| access-date = 2014-10-11
| date = 2006
| date = 2006
| url = http://archives.profsurv.com/magazine/article.aspx?i=1555
| url = http://archives.profsurv.com/magazine/article.aspx?i=1555
}}</ref>
}}</ref>
*[http://archive.cyark.org/chichen-itza-intro Chichen Itza], ancient Yucatán Maya center and pilgrimage site, Mexico <ref name = "jbrown" />
* Chichen Itza, ancient Yucatán Maya center and pilgrimage site, Mexico <ref name = "jbrown" />
*[http://archive.cyark.org/deadwood-intro Deadwood], the legendary Old West city in South Dakota, United States
* Deadwood, the legendary Old West city in South Dakota, United States
*[http://archive.cyark.org/fort-conger-intro Fort Conger], a 19th-century Arctic exploration camp located on Northeastern Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada.
* Fort Conger, a 19th-century Arctic exploration camp located on Northeastern Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada.
*[http://archive.cyark.org/fort-laramie-intro Fort Laramie], historic center of the Plains Indian Wars and the Oregon Trail, United States
* Fort Laramie, historic center of the Plains Indian Wars and the Oregon Trail, United States
*[http://archive.cyark.org/hypogeum-of-the-volumnis-intro The Hypogeum of the Volumnis], an intact Etruscan tomb near Perugia, Italy
* The Hypogeum of the Volumnis, an intact Etruscan tomb near Perugia, Italy
*[http://archive.cyark.org/mesa-verde-intro Mesa Verde]'s Spruce Tree House, Square Tower House, and Fire Temple, ancestral Puebloan cliff structures in Colorado, United States <ref name = "pbswiredscience" />
* Mesa Verde's Spruce Tree House, Square Tower House, and Fire Temple, ancestral Puebloan cliff structures in Colorado, United States <ref name = "pbswiredscience">[https://www.pbs.org/kcet/wiredscience/story/91-laser_archaeology.html PBS' ''Wired Science'' segment on CyArk], November 2007</ref>
* Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, one of the most significant religious sites in Mexico
*[[Monte Alban]], the capital of the ancient Zapotecs of Oaxaca, Mexico <ref name = "eapowell" /><ref>[http://archive.cyark.org/monte-alban-intro Monte Alban], CyArk website</ref>
* [[Monte Albán]], the capital of the ancient Zapotecs of Oaxaca, Mexico <ref name = "eapowell" /><ref>[http://archive.cyark.org/monte-alban-intro Monte Albán] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113230942/http://archive.cyark.org/monte-alban-intro |date=2011-11-13 }}, CyArk website</ref>
*[http://archive.cyark.org/nineveh-region-intro Nineveh], imperial capital of the Assyrian Empire, Iraq
* Nineveh Region Nineveh, imperial capital of the Assyrian Empire, Iraq
*[http://archive.cyark.org/piazza-del-duomo-pisa-intro Piazza Del Duomo]'s Baptistery, Cathedral, and Campanile (also known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa), Italy
* Piazza Del Duomo's Baptistery, Cathedral, and Campanile (also known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa), Italy
*[http://archive.cyark.org/pompeii-intro Pompeii], ancient Roman city buried under the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, Italy. The CyArk website states that this project was also the first time laser scanning was used to document a cultural heritage site.
* Pompeii, ancient Roman city buried under the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, Italy. The CyArk website states that this project was also the first time laser scanning was used to document a cultural heritage site.
*[http://archive.cyark.org/presidio-of-san-francisco-intro The Presidio of San Francisco], a historic military base, United States
*[http://archive.cyark.org/qalat-albahrain-intro Qal’at al-Bahrain], a 14th-century Portuguese fort built atop the remains of the ancient Dilmun civilization's hilltop capitol, Bahrain
* Qal’at al-Bahrain, a 14th-century Portuguese fort built atop the remains of the ancient Dilmun civilization's hilltop capitol, Bahrain
*[[Rani ki vav]], the largest [[stepwell]] in India, in the town of [[Patan, Gujarat|Patan]], [[Gujarat]] <ref name = "luccio" />
* [[Rani ki vav]], the largest [[stepwell]] in India, in the town of [[Patan, Gujarat|Patan]], [[Gujarat]]<ref name = "luccio" />
*[http://archive.cyark.org/rapa-nui-intro Rapa Nui (Easter Island)], scans of the famous monuments and lesser-known structures of this very isolated Polynesian culture site, Chile
* Rapa Nui (Easter Island), scans of the famous monuments and lesser-known structures of this very isolated Polynesian culture site, Chile
⚫
* Royal Kasubi Tombs, culturally vital mausoleum of the last four Bugandan Kings, Uganda. The Tombs were scanned and documented by CyArk in 2009 then largely destroyed by a fire in 2010, and data from the scans will be used for reconstruction efforts.
*[http://archive.cyark.org/roman-baths-intro Roman Baths of Weissenburg], one of the best-preserved examples of Thermae along the remote borders of the Roman Empire, Germany
⚫
* Church and Cloister of Saint-Trophime, a former cathedral in Arles, France that contains some of the world's most notable Romanesque facades
⚫
*[http://archive.cyark.org/royal-tombs-at-kasubi-intro Royal Kasubi Tombs], culturally vital mausoleum of the last four Bugandan Kings, Uganda. The Tombs were scanned and documented by CyArk in 2009 then largely destroyed by a fire in 2010, and data from the scans will be used for reconstruction efforts.
⚫
* The Pelourinho of Salvador da Bahia, historic downtown district of Brazil's original capitol
*[http://archive.cyark.org/saint-sebald-church-intro Saint Sebald Church], a medieval cathedral in Nuremberg that was heavily damaged during WWII but retained enough original architecture to allow for digital reconstructions, Germany
⚫
* Stone Bridge of Regensburg, 800-year-old bridge across the Danube, Germany
⚫
*[http://archive.cyark.org/saint-trophime-intro Church and Cloister of Saint-Trophime], a former cathedral in Arles, France that contains some of the world's most notable Romanesque facades
* Stonewall National Monument, a significant site in LGBTQ rights movement
⚫
*[http://archive.cyark.org/salvador-da-bahia-intro The Pelourinho] of Salvador da Bahia, historic downtown district of Brazil's original capitol
⚫
* Tambo Colorado, an adobe-built strategic center of the ancient Inca empire, Peru
⚫
*[http://archive.cyark.org/stone-bridge-regensburg-intro Stone Bridge] of Regensburg, 800-year-old bridge across the Danube, Germany
* Thomas Jefferson Memorial, a monument to the 3rd president of the United States located on the National Mall in Washington DC
⚫
*[http://archive.cyark.org/tambo-colorado-intro Tambo Colorado], an adobe-built strategic center of the ancient Inca empire, Peru
*[http://archive.cyark.org/tikal-intro Tikal], one of the most important and longest-occupied cities of the ancient Maya world, Guatemala
* Tikal, one of the most important and longest-occupied cities of the ancient Maya world, Guatemala
*[http://archive.cyark.org/tudor-place-info Tudor Place], a Federal-style neoclassical mansion that served as home to six generations of George Washington's immediate descendants


The CyArk website also offers a world map of the hazards which global heritage sites face, such as earthquakes and [[Current sea level rise|sea level rise]] due to [[global warming]].
The CyArk website also offers a world map of the hazards which global heritage sites face, such as earthquakes and [[Current sea level rise|sea level rise]] due to [[global warming]].
Line 213: Line 228:
Initially, CyArk was fully supported by the Kacyra family and their Kacyra Family Foundation.<ref name = "abate"/>
Initially, CyArk was fully supported by the Kacyra family and their Kacyra Family Foundation.<ref name = "abate"/>


CyArk is now primarily funded through individual project funding, corporate in-kind support, and foundation grants/donations. Corporate funders as of 2014 include [[Microsoft]], [[IBM]], [[Iron Mountain Incorporated|Iron Mountain]], [[Autodesk]], and [[Trimble Navigation]].<ref name = "cheves" />
CyArk is now primarily funded through individual project funding, corporate in-kind support, and foundation grants/donations. Corporate funders as of 2014 include [[Microsoft]], [[IBM]], [[Iron Mountain Incorporated|Iron Mountain]], [[Autodesk]], and [[Trimble Navigation]].<ref name="cheves">{{Cite news
| last = Cheves
| first = Marc
| title = Monumental Challenge: Ben Kacyra's Remarkable Perseverance
| work = LiDAR News
| access-date = 2014-10-11
| date = 2014-10-01
| url = http://www.lidarnews.com/content/view/10977/198/
| url-status = dead
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141030143514/http://www.lidarnews.com/content/view/10977/198/
| archive-date = 2014-10-30
}}</ref>


CyArk has also established working relationships with project partners in engineering, media, and academia, including Christofori und Partner and [[PBS]]. At [[UC Berkeley]], the organization coordinated an internship program with the department of Anthropology in 2006-2007. CyArk is currently an approved work-study employer for Cal students.
CyArk has also established working relationships with project partners in engineering, media, and academia, including Christofori und Partner and [[PBS]]. At [[UC Berkeley]], the organization coordinated an internship program with the department of Anthropology in 2006–2007. CyArk is currently an approved work-study employer for Cal students.


As of October 2011, the already-existing partnerships with the United States' [[National Park Service]] (NPS), the United Kingdom's [[Historic Scotland]] (HS), [[World Monuments Fund]], and Mexico's [[Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia|Instituto Nacional de Antropología]] y Historia ([[INAH]]) had been greatly expanded,<ref>[http://archive.cyark.org/community Updates from CyArk, 2011], CyArk website</ref> with upcoming projects that include Mexico's Teotihuacan,<ref>[http://archive.cyark.org/teotihuacan-and-the-pyramid-of-quetzalcoatl-blog Teotihuacan], CyArk website</ref> Scotland's [[Rosslyn Chapel]],<ref>[http://archive.cyark.org/cyark-to-host-data-from-rosslyn-chapel-blog Rosslyn Chapel], CyArk website</ref> Iraq's [[Babylon]], and the U.S.' [[Mount Rushmore|Mount Rushmore National Memorial]].<ref name = "elee" /><ref>[http://archive.cyark.org/managing-a-digital-mount-rushmore-blog Mount Rushmore], CyArk website</ref>
{{asof|October 2011|post=,}} the already-existing partnerships with the United States' [[National Park Service]] (NPS), the United Kingdom's [[Historic Scotland]] (HS), [[World Monuments Fund]], and Mexico's [[Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia|Instituto Nacional de Antropología]] y Historia ([[INAH]]) had been greatly expanded,<ref>[http://archive.cyark.org/community Updates from CyArk, 2011] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201085814/http://archive.cyark.org/community |date=2011-12-01 }}, CyArk website</ref> with upcoming projects that include Mexico's Teotihuacan,<ref>[http://archive.cyark.org/teotihuacan-and-the-pyramid-of-quetzalcoatl-blog Teotihuacan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111213193826/http://archive.cyark.org/teotihuacan-and-the-pyramid-of-quetzalcoatl-blog |date=2011-12-13 }}, CyArk website</ref> Scotland's [[Rosslyn Chapel]],<ref>[http://archive.cyark.org/cyark-to-host-data-from-rosslyn-chapel-blog Rosslyn Chapel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111213194718/http://archive.cyark.org/cyark-to-host-data-from-rosslyn-chapel-blog |date=2011-12-13 }}, CyArk website</ref> Iraq's [[Babylon]], and the U.S.' [[Mount Rushmore|Mount Rushmore National Memorial]].<ref name = "elee" /><ref>[http://archive.cyark.org/managing-a-digital-mount-rushmore-blog Mount Rushmore] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111225013143/http://archive.cyark.org/managing-a-digital-mount-rushmore-blog |date=2011-12-25 }}, CyArk website</ref>


==References==
==References==
Line 224: Line 250:
==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{commons category}}
*'''[http://www.cyark.org CyArk Website]'''
* {{official website|http://www.cyark.org}}
*{{TED talk|ben_kacyra_ancient_wonders_captured_in_3d|Ancient Wonders captured in 3D|Ben Kacyra}}
* {{TED talk|ben_kacyra_ancient_wonders_captured_in_3d|Ben Kacyra: Ancient Wonders captured in 3D}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD7XUwxAuEw Video of Ben Kacyra's presentation on CyArk at Google's Annual partner forum, Zeitgeist, in 2008]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD7XUwxAuEw Video of Ben Kacyra's presentation on CyArk at Google's Annual partner forum, Zeitgeist, in 2008]
*[http://archive.cyark.org/hazard-map Hazard map showing variable sea level rise and earthquake impacts], developed by CyArk to demonstrate potential impact of climate change (and earthquakes) on [[World Heritage Sites]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081031223305/http://archive.cyark.org/hazard-map Hazard map showing variable sea level rise and earthquake impacts], developed by CyArk to demonstrate potential impact of climate change (and earthquakes) on [[World Heritage Sites]]
*[https://dx.doi.org/10.11141/ia.30.1 F. Limp et al. 2011 'Developing a 3-D Digital Heritage Ecosystem: from object to representation and the role of a virtual museum in the 21st century', Internet Archaeology 30.]
* [https://dx.doi.org/10.11141/ia.30.1 F. Limp et al. 2011 'Developing a 3-D Digital Heritage Ecosystem: from object to representation and the role of a virtual museum in the 21st century', Internet Archaeology 30.] {{Doi|10.11141/ia.30.1}}
*[http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek07/0525/0525d_pw.cfm ''AIArchitect'' article on Cyark Work at Tudor Place, May 2007]
* [http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek07/0525/0525d_pw.cfm ''AIArchitect'' article on Cyark Work at Tudor Place, May 2007]
*[http://www.archaeologychannel.org/content/video/cyarkpompeii_700kW.html ''The Archaeology Channel'' video on the CyArk work at Pompeii]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081121165248/http://www.archaeologychannel.org/content/video/cyarkpompeii_700kW.html ''The Archaeology Channel'' video on the CyArk work at Pompeii]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Cyark}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cyark}}

Latest revision as of 15:52, 26 November 2024

CyArk
Formation2003
FounderBen Kacyra
PurposeDigital documentation of cultural heritage sites and architecture
HeadquartersOakland, California
ProductsCyArk 3D Heritage Archive
MethodsLaser scanning, digital modeling
Websitecyark.org

CyArk (from "cyber archive"[1]) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Oakland, California, United States founded in 2003. CyArk's mission is to "digitally record, archive and share the world's most significant cultural heritage and ensure that these places continue to inspire wonder and curiosity for decades to come."[2]

CyArk's founder, Ben Kacyra, stated during his speech at the 2011 TED Conference that the organization was created in response to increasing human and natural threats to heritage sites, and to ensure the "collective human memory" is not lost while making it available through modern dissemination tools like the internet and mobile platforms.[3]

The organization is known for its work with a number of partners in producing high-quality digital scanning of World Heritage Sites, such as Angkor Wat, Pompeii, Chichen Itza, the Eastern Qing tombs, Nineveh, the Antonine Wall, Mount Rushmore, and many others.[4][5][6][7]

History

[edit]
Profile of Tikal Temple II

CyArk was founded in 2003 by Iraqi expatriate and civil engineer Ben Kacyra. In the 1990s, Kacyra was instrumental in the invention and marketing of the first truly portable laser scanner. The scanner, called the Cyrax, was designed for surveying purposes, and was produced by Cyra Technologies.[8]

In 2001, Cyra Technologies and all rights to the invention were sold to the Swiss firm Leica Geosystems.[9]

After sale of the company, Ben Kacyra dedicated his energy to using the new technology to document archaeological and cultural heritage resources, and to the CyArk organization.[10]

CyArk's primary focus has been the digital documentation of threatened ancient and historical architecture. This architecture includes sites such as Colorado's Mesa Verde, Italy's Pompeii, Wyoming's Fort Laramie, and Kacyra's native Mosul in Iraq – also known as the biblical Assyrian city of Nineveh.

CyArk has generated a fairly large amount of publicity since its inception. Initially, this was in part due to the relevance of Kacyra's life story to the ongoing Iraq War, during which much of the country's cultural patrimony was destroyed amidst a spasm of looting and heavy military damage to important historical sites such as Babylon and Samarra. As the public face of the CyArk organization, Ben Kacyra became a popular speaker at conferences such as Google's Zeitgeist (2008), and TEDGlobal (2011), describing his life story and the potential of digital preservation to save the "collective treasure" of global heritage. In recent years, however, he has taken on more of an advisory role, while the independent non-profit organization CyArk has gathered considerable momentum.

As of 2014, CyArk has become a major entity in the historic preservationist and cultural resource/heritage management communities. The 2014 CyArk 500 Annual Summit was held at the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. The theme was "Democratising cultural heritage: Enabling access to information, technology and support."[11]

Project focus

[edit]
3-dimensional projection of Tikal Temple II

CyArk seeks to help preserve heritage sites around the world through utilizing digital documentation to support the work of heritage managers and further connect people with the history of these sites. According to the site's website, they work across three principal areas: conservation, recovery, and discovery.[12]

CyArk's digital data may be useful for professionals monitoring and managing gradual architectural deterioration at cultural sites.[13] This data could also make it possible to generate blueprints for reconstruction following catastrophic events, such as the Afghan Taliban's notorious demolition of the Bamiyan Buddhas in 2001 or the 2010 destruction by suspected arson of the Royal Tombs of Kasubi, Uganda. The Kasubi Tombs were digitally preserved by CyArk a year before their demise, providing a lasting digital record and potential blueprint for reconstruction.[14]

In 2019, CyArk launched an online archival platform called Open Heritage 3D[15] in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland and the University of South Florida to make digital data of heritage sites available to download online for people to use for educational purposes. Since 2022 this project has since been run in partnership with the Cultural Heritage Engineering Initiative (CHEI) at UC San Diego's Qualcomm Institute.[16]

According to CyArk's online mission statement, the dissemination of free digital content about heritage sites can help encourage additional visits by tourists, and invigorate communities with revenue from cultural tourism. Youth and educators will benefit from free, publicly accessible historical and site information, including some Creative Commons-licensed content. And finally, the creation of digital records ensures not only that the sites will never be lost forever; it also provides a digital resource to facilitate the continued mining of information over time as technologies and methods of information extraction evolve.

Selected list of projects

[edit]
  • Ancient Merv, a major crossroads along the ancient silk road in Turkmenistan
  • Ancient Thebes and the Ramesseum/Necropolis of Ramses II, Egypt
  • Angkor Wat's western causeway and Banteay Kdei areas, Cambodia
  • The Bab al-Barqiyya Gate, a portion of the Ayyubid Wall in Cairo, Egypt (See: Bab al-Barqiyya)
  • Bagan, the political, economic, and cultural center of the Bagan Kingdom
  • A Carmelite Church in Weissenburg, Germany
  • Beauvais Cathedral, a Gothic masterwork in France
  • Chavin De Huantar, 3500-year-old capital of the Chavin culture, Peru[17]
  • Chichen Itza, ancient Yucatán Maya center and pilgrimage site, Mexico [4]
  • Deadwood, the legendary Old West city in South Dakota, United States
  • Fort Conger, a 19th-century Arctic exploration camp located on Northeastern Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada.
  • Fort Laramie, historic center of the Plains Indian Wars and the Oregon Trail, United States
  • The Hypogeum of the Volumnis, an intact Etruscan tomb near Perugia, Italy
  • Mesa Verde's Spruce Tree House, Square Tower House, and Fire Temple, ancestral Puebloan cliff structures in Colorado, United States [18]
  • Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, one of the most significant religious sites in Mexico
  • Monte Albán, the capital of the ancient Zapotecs of Oaxaca, Mexico [10][19]
  • Nineveh Region Nineveh, imperial capital of the Assyrian Empire, Iraq
  • Piazza Del Duomo's Baptistery, Cathedral, and Campanile (also known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa), Italy
  • Pompeii, ancient Roman city buried under the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, Italy. The CyArk website states that this project was also the first time laser scanning was used to document a cultural heritage site.
  • Qal’at al-Bahrain, a 14th-century Portuguese fort built atop the remains of the ancient Dilmun civilization's hilltop capitol, Bahrain
  • Rani ki vav, the largest stepwell in India, in the town of Patan, Gujarat[6]
  • Rapa Nui (Easter Island), scans of the famous monuments and lesser-known structures of this very isolated Polynesian culture site, Chile
  • Royal Kasubi Tombs, culturally vital mausoleum of the last four Bugandan Kings, Uganda. The Tombs were scanned and documented by CyArk in 2009 then largely destroyed by a fire in 2010, and data from the scans will be used for reconstruction efforts.
  • Church and Cloister of Saint-Trophime, a former cathedral in Arles, France that contains some of the world's most notable Romanesque facades
  • The Pelourinho of Salvador da Bahia, historic downtown district of Brazil's original capitol
  • Stone Bridge of Regensburg, 800-year-old bridge across the Danube, Germany
  • Stonewall National Monument, a significant site in LGBTQ rights movement
  • Tambo Colorado, an adobe-built strategic center of the ancient Inca empire, Peru
  • Thomas Jefferson Memorial, a monument to the 3rd president of the United States located on the National Mall in Washington DC
  • Tikal, one of the most important and longest-occupied cities of the ancient Maya world, Guatemala

The CyArk website also offers a world map of the hazards which global heritage sites face, such as earthquakes and sea level rise due to global warming.

Funding and partnerships

[edit]

Initially, CyArk was fully supported by the Kacyra family and their Kacyra Family Foundation.[8]

CyArk is now primarily funded through individual project funding, corporate in-kind support, and foundation grants/donations. Corporate funders as of 2014 include Microsoft, IBM, Iron Mountain, Autodesk, and Trimble Navigation.[20]

CyArk has also established working relationships with project partners in engineering, media, and academia, including Christofori und Partner and PBS. At UC Berkeley, the organization coordinated an internship program with the department of Anthropology in 2006–2007. CyArk is currently an approved work-study employer for Cal students.

As of October 2011, the already-existing partnerships with the United States' National Park Service (NPS), the United Kingdom's Historic Scotland (HS), World Monuments Fund, and Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Antropología y Historia (INAH) had been greatly expanded,[21] with upcoming projects that include Mexico's Teotihuacan,[22] Scotland's Rosslyn Chapel,[23] Iraq's Babylon, and the U.S.' Mount Rushmore National Memorial.[5][24]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Ben Kacyra: Ancient wonders captured in 3D". YouTube. November 9, 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  2. ^ CyArk's website
  3. ^ "Video of Ben Kacyra's speech at the TED 2011 conference". Archived from the original on 2014-02-19. Retrieved 2011-11-24.
  4. ^ a b Brown, John; Elizabeth Lee (2008). "Ancient History Meets New Technology". Professional Surveyor Magazine. No. March. Retrieved 2014-10-11.
  5. ^ a b Lee, Elizabeth (October 2010). "Scanning Rushmore – Digitizing the Legacy". The American Surveyor. Vol. 7, no. 7. pp. 10–19. Retrieved 2014-10-11.
  6. ^ a b Luccio, Matteo (2013). "Surveying Cultural Heritage". Professional Surveyor Magazine. No. July. Retrieved 2014-10-11.
  7. ^ "CyArk Projects". CyArk. Retrieved 2014-10-11.
  8. ^ a b Abate, Tom (2007-07-22). "Laser mapping tool traces ancient sites – Device made for contractors helps archaeologists create first-ever digital blueprints". SFGate – Innovations. Retrieved 2014-10-11.
  9. ^ "History". Leica Geosystems. Archived from the original on 2014-10-18. Retrieved 2014-10-11.
  10. ^ a b Powell, Eric A (May–June 2009). "The Past in High-Def". Archaeology Magazine. Vol. 62, no. 3. Retrieved 2014-10-11.
  11. ^ "CyArk 500 Annual Summit 2014". Digital meets Culture. 2014-10-07. Archived from the original on 2014-10-01. Retrieved 2014-10-09.
  12. ^ CyArk Website
  13. ^ Interview with Ben Kacyra in National Geographic (October 2010)
  14. ^ Preston, Elizabeth (December 2011). "The Big Idea – Laser Preservation". National Geographic Magazine. Archived from the original on September 19, 2010. Retrieved 2014-10-11.
  15. ^ "Open Heritage 3D". openheritage3d.org. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  16. ^ "Open Heritage 3D | About". openheritage3d.org. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
  17. ^ Ristevski, John (2006). "Laser Scanning for Cultural Heritage Applications". Professional Surveyor Magazine. No. March. Retrieved 2014-10-11.
  18. ^ PBS' Wired Science segment on CyArk, November 2007
  19. ^ Monte Albán Archived 2011-11-13 at the Wayback Machine, CyArk website
  20. ^ Cheves, Marc (2014-10-01). "Monumental Challenge: Ben Kacyra's Remarkable Perseverance". LiDAR News. Archived from the original on 2014-10-30. Retrieved 2014-10-11.
  21. ^ Updates from CyArk, 2011 Archived 2011-12-01 at the Wayback Machine, CyArk website
  22. ^ Teotihuacan Archived 2011-12-13 at the Wayback Machine, CyArk website
  23. ^ Rosslyn Chapel Archived 2011-12-13 at the Wayback Machine, CyArk website
  24. ^ Mount Rushmore Archived 2011-12-25 at the Wayback Machine, CyArk website
[edit]
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