Is it Greek or Celtic?
Modern 3D technologies have helped underwater archeologists from the Institute of Oceanology identify the origins of an ancient artifact — a lead anchor — that has lain at the bottom of the sea for more than two thousand years. The created three-dimensional, color model will allow archeologists to study the anchor in greater detail.
„To lift the lead anchor would mean subjecting it to the influence of air. Air and the process of salt crystallization can severely damage this ancient artifact. It was decided to digitize the unique find to show it to archeologists. We spent a long time figuring out how, and with what equipment, to carry out this procedure.“ — said Leonid Gavrilov, head of „Laboratory K“, a scientific production association.
„First, we asked our German colleagues. Then, absolutely by chance in our search for partners, we came upon Sergey Sukhovey of the Artec Group. He suggested that he could digitize the anchor in two hours without touching it. Naturally, we agreed. We transported the anchor to the studio of Fyodor Konyukhov, and, indeed, the whole scanning process took only one and a half hours. After the procedure, we put the anchor in an aquarium with fresh water where it will lay for about six months — such finds are rare, and we want to preserve it. Archeologists may be able to tell us, based on the image created, to which culture the anchor we found in a Black Sea belongs.“
„This is a unique technology developed in Russia,“ — added Mr. Gavrilov.
The discovered anchor — an artifact from 100 B.C. — 500 B.C., was presumed to have belonged to the Greek culture. However, after closer examination of the finished 3D scan of the object, it became clear that based on the presence of a second aperture and a different width of the base, it is more likely related to the Celtic culture.
The form of the anchor suggests it belongs to 5th century B.C. The famous Roman author Plinius attributes the invention of this anchor to the Greek Eulampy, others contend that it was invented by King Midas. The anchor was found by Leonid Gavrilov and Konstantin Slobodchikov, employees of Laboratory K at the bottom of the Black Sea coast in September 2007 during a search for an unknown space object which fell in the area.
Artec Group is the developer and manufacturer of innovative products and solutions based on its own patented technology of three-dimensional scanning. Thanks to its unique characteristics, the technology finds successful application in the most various areas, including security, medicine, robotics, heritage preservation, computer graphics, and animation.
Artec Group is a team of highly-qualified experts with more than
„Laboratory K“ is a scientific industrial association, a group of Russian researchers of various specialties. The association is a research center. The main specialization is scientific research and participation in research projects and search expeditions. Aside from its main specialization, „Laboratory K“ has organized and continues to conduct expeditions to such mysterious places as lake Nong-Kai in Thailand; together with Alexandria University conducts underwater research of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the 7 Wonders of the World; conducts search expeditions of geoglyphs in Tunis and Algeria; conducts biological research of an underground lake in China; carries out research of methods; invites various expert analysts, experts in the field of forecasting; conducts searches of archeological sites, searches of sites of fallen space bodies (meteorites); and participates in search programs of КМЕТ (Committee on Meteorites).
„Laboratory K“, was created in 2007 by experts Leonid Gavrilov, Alexander Soleny, and Alexander Pushkarev, in coordination with the Russian Research Organization „Space Search“.
