Reproduction of World Heritage Site in China Achieved Using 3D Printing

Accidents and vandalism aside, just merely interacting with old monuments or artifacts leads to their degradation. You might know of precious books which researchers must wear gloves to handle lest their fingers damage the pages, and the statue of St Peter in the Vatican is just one example of a monument worn smooth by years of human touch. However, 3D printing could provide a way to protect these precious pieces of heritage without denying the public the opportunity to explore and learn from history. The technology can provide reconstructions, reproductions and copies of existing historical pieces. Take, for example, a 3D printed reproduction of a Unesco Heritage Site!

Currently on display in China is a 3D printed reproduction of one of the caves of the Yungang Grottoes. The Grottoes are a Buddhist temple and collection of caves which are inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage site list. They were cut in the 5th- 6th century AD and comprise in total 252 caves, 51,000 statues, and a carved area of 18,000 square meters. Unesco makes no secret of their importance; according to them, the caves ‘constitute a classical masterpiece of the first peak of Chinese Buddhist art’.

A close-up of the 3D-printed 9.93-meter Amitabha Buddha in cave 3. (Photo credit: CFP via Getty Image)

The Reproduction of the Caves: How and Why?

The 3D printed reproduction is the same appearance and scale of the original cave. The copy is 17.9 meters tall by 13.6 meters wide, while the main Buddha stands at 9.93 meters tall.