Computer modeling of a turtle pendant and a moai kavakava from Easter Island

Abstract

Documentation of woodcarvings from Easter Island, as with any three-dimensional object, is complicated by the fact that even the best photographs show only a projection of the artifact on a plane. The creation of a computer model partially solves the problem, because such a model can be interactively studied at the computer. However, for printed works, the problem remains – how to present information about a complex three-dimensional object by means of two-dimensional imagery? Here we propose using cross-sections for an enhanced illustration of the object. Such cross-sections can be created by direct measurement in the case of simple symmetric shapes – such as ceremonial paddles (rapa). However, for more complex objects, it is obligatory to create a computer model to obtain the required cross-sections. The paper illustrates a simple way to reconstruct objects with an acceptable level of precision using a set of reference images showing the principal views (frontal, profile, etc.) of the artifact.