Digital Twins in the Ancient and Historical World

This paper examines using "digital twins" to digitally preserve ancient and historical sites worldwide for Architectural Restoration. Digital media teams from Utah Valley University employed AI-assisted drones with LiDAR photogrammetry and AI-driven path planning to create high-resolution models of archaeological sites in Israel, Greece, Bolivia, and the United States. The research focuses on developing a systemic workflow for programmatic data collection, integrating drone-based LiDAR scanning and digital photography to document and preserve archaeological structures and artifacts. These methodologies highlight the transformative role of emerging technologies in advancing cultural heritage preservation and architectural restoration efforts. This work contributes to the role of emerging technology in digital preservation and restoration efforts. These high-resolution models are more accurate than the previous methods. These new models can be created using a fraction of the time compared to the previous modern methods or the more traditional methods of measuring the site using a tape measure. The implications of preserving archeological sites as "digital twins" can virtually preserve sites from natural and societal threats that will continue to occur.