Case Study: Moai of Easter Island achieve high-resolution 3D archival models for erosion and damage monitoring with 3D Systems (Geomagic)

Modeling Easter Island’s Moai With Geomagic 3D Scan Software

HafenCity University Hamburg’s geomatics team, in partnership with the German Archaeological Institute and Chilean authorities, set out to create a precise digital archive of Easter Island’s fragile moai to track erosion and damage over time. The challenge was to capture millimeter-level geometry of untouchable, weathered monuments across remote sites—where prior documentation was limited to photos and sketches—without disturbing the statues or their ahu platforms.

The team used non‑contact terrestrial laser scanners (Trimble, Riegl, Z+F) plus high‑resolution photography, multi‑station targeting for georeferencing, and processing tools (RealWorks/LaserControl/RiSCAN Pro and Geomagic Wrap) to produce high‑resolution (2–5 mm) textured 3D meshes. The effort generated hundreds of gigabytes of data and digital models for 46 re‑erected moai (98% of those restored), established repeatable workflows for deformation and erosion analysis, and created a reusable archive to support long‑term monitoring and conservation.

Moai Easter Island

Thomas P. Kersten

Professor