A three-dimensional computer-generated reconstruction of the bedrock beneath the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://publicdata.fdm.uni-wuppertal.de/handle/123456789/70

The collection contains the research data from the doctoral thesis Conrad Schick's Models and a Three-Dimensional Analysis of his Late Drawings of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and its Surroundings. The focus is on the digital processing of Conrad Schick's late plans and sections of the subsurface of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, in particular his 1897–98 work Plan and 16 Sections of the Ground of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and surroundings at Jerusalem. In addition to the 3D computer model, the collection also includes the digitised versions of all relevant drawings by Schick used in its creation, as well as later plans and sections from Virgilio Corbo Il Santo Sepolcro di Gerusalemme, 1981, and Shimon Gibson and Joan E. Taylor Beneath the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Jerusalem, 1994, for the purpose of verifying, correcting and refining the model. The computer model was created in Maxon Cinema 4D; the digitised images linked within the model are stored in the tex subfolder in transparent PNG format. To facilitate sharing, the model was additionally exported to the universal GLB format, which already incorporates the image data used. The aim is to make Schicks' observations on the topography, the natural rock formations and the underground structures of the quarter spatially comprehensible and reusable for contemporary research. The model is intended as an expandable research tool that can be supplemented, reviewed and corrected through future measurements, excavations and new findings.

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    A three-dimensional computer-generated reconstruction of the bedrock beneath the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem
    (University of Wuppertal, 2026-05-26) Siegel, Holger, https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1265-4629
    This research project is focused on the digital reconstruction of the underground structures surrounding the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, based on the extensive work of the Jerusalem architect and researcher Conrad Schick (1822–1901). The starting point is, in particular, the documents PEF/SCHICK/154 and PEF/SCHICK/203 preserved in the archives of the Palestine Exploration Fund, in which Schick recorded his findings on the topography, geology, and development of the area, gathered between 1862 and 1898. By creating a three-dimensional computer model, these historical sources are to be systematically mapped in space for the first time and made available for contemporary research. Over decades, Schick observed archaeological excavations, construction projects, and infrastructural interventions in the vicinity of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, documenting in particular the course of the natural bedrock, ancient water systems, and underground structures. His investigations range from early surveys within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and adjacent monasteries to detailed cross-sections and plans of the entire subsurface of the neighbourhood. The project combines this historical data with 20th-century archaeological findings, particularly from the work of Virgilio Corbo, Shimon Gibson and Joan E. Taylor, to expand, refine, and critically review the model. The goal is not to create a definitive reconstruction, but to develop an open, expandable research tool. In doing so, it reflects both the methodological limitations of historical surveys and the challenges of interpolated terrain models. Despite unavoidable inaccuracies, the virtual model offers the opportunity to visually represent complex spatial relationships beneath the densely built-up Old City of Jerusalem for the first time and to enable new research questions regarding historical topography and the location of ancient Golgotha. The resulting vertex mesh model is deliberately designed as a flexible, expandable foundation and can be supplemented or corrected in the future with new archaeological data. The project therefore sees itself as a contribution to basic digital research and to the sustainable provision of historical and archaeological information for the international research community.

License information

Except where otherwise noted, the 3D reconstruction model, original modelling work, project documentation, and metadata created by Holger Siegel, German Protestant Institute of Archaeology in the Holy Land, Jerusalem, are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).

This means that the licensed material may be shared and adapted for non-commercial purposes, provided that appropriate credit is given, changes are indicated, and any adapted material is distributed under the same license. The licensor offers the licensed material as-is and as-available, and does not make warranties of any kind.

Third-party material excluded from this licence

All third-party drawings, plans, sections, plates, figures, source images, and archaeological documentation images are excluded from the Creative Commons licence.

This includes, but is not limited to

  • image files stored in the Cinema 4D project texture directory tex/
  • and the corresponding image resources embedded in the GLB file GrabeskircheUntergrund.glb

These third-party materials are included solely for documentation, verification, texture/reference use, and scholarly traceability in connection with this specific 3D reconstruction.

They may not be reused, reproduced, modified, extracted, republished, redistributed, or used for any other purpose without prior permission from the respective rights holders.

No permission is granted to extract the embedded drawings, plans, sections, plates, figures, or source images from the C4D project, the tex folder, or the GLB file for independent use.