Digital restoration of Uzbekistan Afrasiab Palace and mural painting

Digital Restoration of UNESCO World Heritage Afrasiab Murals

experience

replica

video

Year

2014

Client

Northeast Asian History Foundation / Samarkand State United Historical, Architectural and Art Museum of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Shown at

Museum Afrasiab

The remains of the Afrosiab Palace (also spelled Afrasiab), discovered during road construction on the northeastern hill of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in 1965, are part of the palace of King Varkhuman of Sogdiana, which flourished through Silk Road trade during the 7th and 8th centuries. Murals that offer insight into Sogdian art and culture were discovered at the heart of the palace site during excavation. The murals and artifacts are now housed in the Afrosiab Museum’s exhibition hall. The palace site remained neglected for a long time after excavation, making it difficult to determine its original structure and the precise spots where the murals were found. As part of the Northeast Asian History Foundation’s Afrosiab Palace Mural Restoration Project, TRIC recorded the palace remains in 3D digital format between 2014 and 2015. In collaboration with the Afrosiab Museum in Samarkand and the Samarkand Institute of Archaeology, the research led to a 3D digital restoration of the 7th-century Afrosiab Palace and its murals. The restoration results were turned into a 10-minute documentary for exhibitions, virtual reality (VR) content that lets visitors explore the palace’s structure and murals, and augmented reality (AR) content that overlays the restored imagery onto the actual murals with additional context. These contents are currently on display at the Afrosiab Museum in Samarkand. Through this project, Samariddin Mustafaqulov, director of the Afrosiab Museum, became the first museum director to receive Uzbekistan’s Presidential Medal. The Afrosiab Palace murals, a symbol of friendship between Korea and Uzbekistan, have become a must-see for visiting heads of state. On April 20, 2019, President Moon Jae-in toured the murals and exhibition with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan.

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A room with murals

According to excavation reports, the murals were discovered in Room A-1, located at the palace’s center. This square room, measuring 11 meters on each side with an entrance on the east, originally featured murals on all four walls — east, west, south, and north. Today, only the lower two meters remain, with the upper sections missing. While the original height of the murals is unknown, the restoration team estimated it to be over five meters based on surviving fragments.

A room with murals

According to excavation reports, the murals were discovered in Room A-1, located at the palace’s center. This square room, measuring 11 meters on each side with an entrance on the east, originally featured murals on all four walls — east, west, south, and north. Today, only the lower two meters remain, with the upper sections missing. While the original height of the murals is unknown, the restoration team estimated it to be over five meters based on surviving fragments.

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Digtial restoration and media content development

Based on the restoration blueprints created through the above analysis, TRIC used advanced 3D graphic tools to model both the exterior and interior structures of the palace. Materials were digitally textured, and 2D data of the restored murals from prior research were mapped onto the model’s surfaces. The final 3D model was then precisely composited onto drone footage of the palace remains, completing the digital restoration of the Afrosiab Palace. Using this digital restoration, TRIC produced a 10-minute 3D video providing a comprehensive overview of the Afrosiab Palace murals, as well as virtual reality (VR) content that lets visitors explore the palace’s structure and mural details in a virtual space. An augmented reality (AR) version was also developed, allowing visitors to view the restored murals overlaid on their current condition.

Digtial restoration and media content development

Based on the restoration blueprints created through the above analysis, TRIC used advanced 3D graphic tools to model both the exterior and interior structures of the palace. Materials were digitally textured, and 2D data of the restored murals from prior research were mapped onto the model’s surfaces. The final 3D model was then precisely composited onto drone footage of the palace remains, completing the digital restoration of the Afrosiab Palace. Using this digital restoration, TRIC produced a 10-minute 3D video providing a comprehensive overview of the Afrosiab Palace murals, as well as virtual reality (VR) content that lets visitors explore the palace’s structure and mural details in a virtual space. An augmented reality (AR) version was also developed, allowing visitors to view the restored murals overlaid on their current condition.

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Scale, Location, Structure of the palace

Becuase there was no substantial records of the original dimension and layout (aside from one rough floor plan from the initial excavation) TRIC conducted a comprehensive 3D wide-area scan of the surviving remains. By comparing and overlaying the excavation floor plan with the new scan data, more than 47 matching wall traces were identified. Based on this analysis, the palace’s restored layout, scale, and position were determined. The exterior structure of the palace was then reconstructed using this verified floor plan as a foundation. The design reflects typical Sogdian architecture seen at nearby sites such as Penjikent, with walls built of brick or rammed earth and multiple wooden columns distributing the roof’s weight. The palace’s overall height was determined to be multi-storied, following records found in the New Book of Tang (Xin Tangshu, Tangshu), which describes West Central Asian palatial architecture of that period.

Scale, Location, Structure of the palace

Becuase there was no substantial records of the original dimension and layout (aside from one rough floor plan from the initial excavation) TRIC conducted a comprehensive 3D wide-area scan of the surviving remains. By comparing and overlaying the excavation floor plan with the new scan data, more than 47 matching wall traces were identified. Based on this analysis, the palace’s restored layout, scale, and position were determined. The exterior structure of the palace was then reconstructed using this verified floor plan as a foundation. The design reflects typical Sogdian architecture seen at nearby sites such as Penjikent, with walls built of brick or rammed earth and multiple wooden columns distributing the roof’s weight. The palace’s overall height was determined to be multi-storied, following records found in the New Book of Tang (Xin Tangshu, Tangshu), which describes West Central Asian palatial architecture of that period.

Scale, Location, Structure of the palace

Becuase there was no substantial records of the original dimension and layout (aside from one rough floor plan from the initial excavation) TRIC conducted a comprehensive 3D wide-area scan of the surviving remains. By comparing and overlaying the excavation floor plan with the new scan data, more than 47 matching wall traces were identified. Based on this analysis, the palace’s restored layout, scale, and position were determined. The exterior structure of the palace was then reconstructed using this verified floor plan as a foundation. The design reflects typical Sogdian architecture seen at nearby sites such as Penjikent, with walls built of brick or rammed earth and multiple wooden columns distributing the roof’s weight. The palace’s overall height was determined to be multi-storied, following records found in the New Book of Tang (Xin Tangshu, Tangshu), which describes West Central Asian palatial architecture of that period.

Behind the Scenes

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