The Virtual Reconstruction of a Statue of Isis Unearthed at the Roman City of Clunia (Spain): A 3D Model for Interactive Virtual Reality Experiences

This research aims to contribute to the advancement of technologies applied to the conservation, reconstruction, and dissemination of Cultural Heritage, such as photogrammetry, 3D modeling, Virtual Agents, and Virtual Reality. To this end, the virtual reconstruction process of a Roman alabaster sculpture of the Goddess Isis is presented and assessed in a comprehensive and systematic procedure. Unearthed at the Roman city of Clunia (province of Burgos, Spain), the sculpture dates back to approximately the 2nd c. AD. The virtual reconstruction depicts both existing and missing features, based on the remains and comparisons with other extant representations of the goddess. The generated 3D model was designed to function as a Virtual Agent in interactive experiences. Moreover, discrepancy, detail and vertex concentration analyses of the model yielded satisfactory results. The visualization of the 3D model was tested in an interactive Virtual Reality experience at the Museum of Burgos with 60 participants, whose evaluations were highly positive. Clustering of participant responses revealed behavior patterns that were primarily associated with age and previous experience with Virtual Reality. The 3D model of the virtual reconstruction is open access and free to download.