62. Digital Preservation of the Qutb Shahi Monuments: Archiving Architecture for Historical Education

Organized assortments of photographs have given birth to the method of photogrammetry which has earlier helped geologists in topographically mapping terrain and landscapes. Photogrammetry is a technique of measuring from photographs. It is usually associated with the making of maps from aerial photographs. When the same logic is set as an algorithm, it helps the software yield an even more accurate topographical product, but now with the additional capability of 3D projections. This can, in turn, be used to create photo accurate 3D models of any building, object, landscape desired. Along with technologies like virtual reality, photogrammetry can enable a viewer to be present in a digitized landscape that can be developed to look close to the original. This paper documents how the above set of technologies were used to virtually archive the monuments of Qutb Shahi tombs in Hyderabad. The process included photogrammetry, point cloud creation, UV mapping, texture modeling, mesh generation, etc. Thereafter, a digital setup of it was made and displayed through virtual reality. The result was a tangible, virtual landscape of the Qutb Shahi tombs, where the viewer could digitally navigate and see the monuments up close. The built artifact was then tested in a pilot study (n = 35) for its engagement with high school students as a tool for education in the classroom. The early results of the respondents have been positive in adopting VR exploration of historical monuments as a supportive tool for education. The future scope of evaluating this setup includes more exhaustive testing in schools of India.