Race to digitise world’s heritage

CyArk, a US non-profit organisation dedicated to digitally preserving the world’s cultural heritage, has archived data from around 100 sites to date—from the ancient cities of Pompeii, Thebes and Chichén Itzá to prominent 20th-century landmarks such as Mount Rushmore in South Dakota and the Sydney Opera House. Now, the company, which has its headquarters in the San Francisco Bay Area, is upping the ante by asking governments and the heritage community to help it add 500 sites to the archive within the next five years. An advisory council consisting of members of international heritage bodies such as Icomos (the International Council on Monuments and Sites) and the World Monuments Fund have drawn up a list of the first sites to be laser-scanned and archived. They will be announced at the launch of the “CyArk 500 Challenge”, which is due to be held at the Tower of London on 20 October. A two-day conference on technology and heritage preservation will follow the launch....