A replica of the Roman Triumphal Arch of Palmyra, which was destroyed by Islamic militant group ISIS last year, will be displayed in New York City for a week beginning today.
The 25-foot tall replica (two-thirds the size of the original) weighs 13.6 metric tons (30,000 pounds) and was recreated by the Institute for Digital Archaeology (IDA) using 3D computer models based on images of the original, which stood in the city of Palmyra before it was destroyed. From there, robots were used to carefully carve the arch from Egyptian marble.
The arch took five hours to assemble and will be exhibited at the New York City Hall Park. It will be displayed alongside an exhibit at the Grolier Library that aims to educate the public about how technology such as AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) can be used to preserve global heritage.
The arch, which was displayed in London before arriving in New York, stands as a symbol of defiance against terrorism and represents solidarity, according to Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen. After the week-long exhibit, it will be taken to various cities around the world, including Dubai, before it is brought back to Palmyra next year.
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