PHOTOGRAMMETRY USING VIRTUAL RESTORATION OF WALL-PAINTINGS OF THE ROCK-HEWN CHURCHES IN THE GÖREME VALLEY, CAPPADOCIA AND ITS VALUE FOR THE MUSEUM’S CONTENTS

Abstract

Göreme Valley located in the center of Cappadocia, Turkey is famous for its spectacular landscape characterized by erosion. There are more than one hundred rock-hewn churches in Göreme Valley and some of them have distinct wall-paintings in the Byzantine style. Although a significant place for Byzantine art many of the churches here are at risk of collapse due to erosion. Furthermore there is no comprehensive documentation of the churches concerning both the wall-paintings and their three-dimensional shapes This paper aims: 1) to present two kinds of virtual restoration using 3D-modeling by photogrammetry, virtual toning and virtual restoration, based on Göreme Valley's special context, in which many churches were painted by the same painter/workshop; 2) to discuss the value of the use of 3D-modeled materials as a museum exhibition.