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.