How your pictures can help reclaim lost history | Chance Coughenour

Translator: Carolina Casado Parras

翻译人员: xiao gu 校对人员: Jiawei Ni

Why do people deliberately destroy cultural heritage?

为什么人们会故意破坏文化遗产？

By doing so,

他们相信

do they believe they're erasing our history?

这么做就能抹掉历史，

Our cultural memory?

抹掉我们的文化记忆吗？

It's true that we are losing cultural heritage to erosion

事实上，侵蚀和自然灾害

and natural disasters,

正让我们失去文化遗产，

but this is something that is simply difficult to avoid.

但这个过程是难免的。

I'm here to show you today how we can use pictures --

我今天来向你们展示， 我们如何运用照片——

your pictures --

你们的照片-——

to reclaim the history that is being lost

来重建失去的历史，

using innovative technology

通过创新科技

and the effort of volunteers.

和志愿者的努力。

In the early 20th century,

20世纪初，

archaeologists discovered hundreds of statues and artifacts

考古学家在伊拉克北部的哈特拉古城

at the ancient city of Hatra,

发现了数百件的

in northern Iraq.

雕像和文物。

Statues like this one were found in fragments,

这样的雕像被发现时已经支离破碎，

some of them missing their heads or arms,

有些失去了头和手臂，

yet the clothing that they are wearing

但是他们的衣着，

and their pose

还有身体的姿态，

can still tell us their story.

仍然能够诉说他们的故事。

For example,

比如，

we believe that by wearing a knee-length tunic

我们知道穿过膝长袍，

and open bare feet,

赤足，

this was representative of a priest.

表明这是一位牧师。

However, with a closer look at this particular piece,

然而，仔细看细节部分，

we can see that this tunic being worn was elaborately decorated,

这是一件精心雕饰的长袍，

which has led many researchers to believe

许多研究人员由此相信，

this was actually a statue of a king performing his religious functions.

这是一个履行宗教职能的 国王的雕像。

When the Mosul Cultural Museum opened in 1952 in northern Iraq,

1952年，摩苏尔文化博物馆 在北伊拉克开馆，

this statue, as well as others,

这尊雕塑，还有其他的一些文物

were placed there to preserve them for future generations.

被陈列出来加以保存，以供后代观赏。

Following the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003,

2003年美国入侵伊拉克后，

a few statues and artifacts were relocated to Baghdad,

少数雕塑和文物被转移到巴格达，

but this statue remained.

但是这尊雕塑仍然留在那里。

Then in February of last year, a video was released,

去年2月，网上出现了一个视频，

and it instantly went viral.

立刻获得了大量点击。

Maybe some of you remember seeing it.

可能你们中有人看过。

Here's a short clip.

这是其中的一个片段。

(Video) (Singing in Arabic)

（录像）（阿拉伯语歌曲）

(Singing ends)

（歌声结束）

Not a very pleasant sight, right?

不太愉快的景象吧？

Did you notice anything familiar in the video?

看到什么熟悉的东西了吗？

There it is.

就是它。

There is that very statue,

就是这尊雕塑，

as it was toppled over,

被推翻，

breaking into pieces.

摔成了碎片。

When Matthew Vincent and I saw this video,

当Matthew Vincent 和我 看到这个录像时，

we were shocked.

都惊呆了。

Since we are archaeologists using innovative technology

我们是运用创新科技对文物 进行数字保存的

for digital preservation,

考古学家，

an idea sprung to mind.

于是突然有了一个想法。

Maybe we can crowdsource the images that were taken of these artifacts

也许我们可以面向大众搜集

before they were destroyed,

文物被破坏前的图像，

to create digital reconstructions.

用来重造数字影像。

If we can do that,

如果我们成功了，

maybe we can put them into a virtual museum

就可以把成果加入到虚拟博物馆，

to tell that story.

继续述说它们的故事。

And so two weeks after we saw this video,

在看到录像的两周后，

we started the project called Project Mosul.

我们开始了一个项目， 叫做“摩苏尔计划”。

Remember the pictures of the statue I showed you before?

还记得之前给大家看的 雕塑的图片吗？

This is actually the crowdsourced reconstruction of it

它实际上就是通过 众筹图片重新创造出的

before it was destroyed.

它被破坏前的样子。

Now, many of you may be wondering,

你们当中有人一定在想，

how exactly does this work?

到底怎么做到的?

Well, the key to this technology is called photogrammetry,

其中运用的主要技术 叫做摄影测绘学，

and it was invented here, in Germany.

这项技术就诞生在德国。

It is the technology that allows us to use two-dimensional images

它允许我们用从同一物体的

taken of the same object from different angles

不同角度获得的二维图片

to create a 3D model.

创造出3D模型。

I know you may be thinking this sounds like magic -- but it's not.

听起来很神奇吧？ 不过这可不是什么魔法。

Let me show you how it works.

我来解释一下它的工作原理。

Here are two crowdsourced images of the same statue.

这是两张同一雕塑的图片。

What the computer can do

计算机能够

is it can detect similar features between the photographs --

发现相片中相似的部分——

similar features of the object.

目标体上相似的部分。

Then, by using multiple photos,

然后用多个图像

in this case, it can begin to reconstruct the object in 3D.

重新创造出物体的3D影像。

In this case,

在这个例子中，

you have the position of the cameras when each image was taken,

拍摄图像的照相机的不同位置

shown in blue.

用蓝色区域进行了标记。

Now, this is a partial reconstruction, I admit,

我承认这只是部分重建，

but why would I say partial?

为什么说是部分呢？

Well, simply because the statue was positioned against a wall.

因为雕塑是靠墙摆放的，

We don't have photographs taken of it from the back.

我们没有从后往前拍摄的图片。

If I wanted to complete a full digital reconstruction of this statue,

如果要完成整个雕塑重造，

I would need a proper camera,

我们需要合适的相机，

tripods, proper lighting,

三脚架，适当光线，

but we simply can't do that with crowdsourced images.

而这些并不能通过众筹得到。

Think about it:

思考一下：

How many of you, when you visit a museum,

你们中有多少人在参观博物馆时，

take photographs of all parts of the statue,

会对一个雕塑进行 全方位无死角的拍摄，

even the back side of it?

包括从背后？

Well, maybe if some of you find Michelangelo's David interesting,

也许你们中有人会觉得 米开朗基罗的大卫雕像挺有趣。

I guess --

我猜的没错吧——

(Laughter)

（笑）

But the thing is,

事实是，

if we can find more images of this object,

如果我们能得到更多 目标物的图像，

we can improve the 3D model.

就优化3D模型。

When we started the project,

在这个项目启动之初，

we started it with the Mosul Museum in mind.

我们从摩苏尔博物馆开始。

We figured we may get a few images,

想着也许可以得到 一些人感兴趣的

some people interested,

少量图像，

make one or two virtual reconstructions,

完成一两个虚拟重建，

but we had no idea that we had sparked something that would grow so quickly.

但我们根本没有预料到 事情的发展如此神速。

Before we knew it,

之前

we realized it was obvious:

我们就意识到：

we could apply this same idea to lost heritage anywhere.

我们可以把这个点子 用于任何失去的文物。

And so, we decided to change the name of the project to Rekrei.

我们决定把项目 重新命名为Rekrei。

Then, in the summer of last year,

去年夏天，

"The Economist" magazine's media lab reached out to us.

《经济学人》杂志的 媒体实验室联系了我们。

They asked us,

他们问道，

"Hey, would you like us to build a virtual museum

“需不需要我们建立 一个虚拟博物馆，

to put the reconstructions back inside,

把重塑后的物品装在里面，

to tell the story?"

述说它们的故事？“

Can you imagine us saying no?

我们怎么可能拒绝呢？

Of course not.

当然不能！

We said yes!

于是我们同意了。

We were so excited.

我们都兴奋不已。

This was exactly the initial dream of that project.

这正是建立项目的最初梦想。

And so now,

现在，

any of you can experience RecoVR Mosul on your phone,

每个人都可以通过手机 体验 RecoVR Mosul，

using Google Cardboard

可以借助Google Cardboard，

or a tablet or even YouTube 360.

或者平板电脑， 甚至 YouTube 360。

Here is a screenshot from the virtual museum.

这是虚拟博物馆的截屏。

And there it is ...

看见了吗？

the partial reconstruction of the statue,

（中间的就是） 这个雕塑的部分复原影像，

as well as the Lion of Mosul,

还有摩苏尔之狮，

the first reconstruction completed by our project.

这是我们的项目 完成的第一个作品。

Although the video doesn't explicitly show the Lion of Mosul being destroyed,

虽然录像中并没有显示 摩苏尔之狮被毁掉了，

we have many other examples of large artifacts being destroyed

但我们有很多其他 被毁掉的大型文物，

that were simply too large to have been stolen.

因为体积太大而没有被偷走。

For example,

例如，

the Gate of Nimrud in northern Iraq.

伊拉克北部的尼姆门。

This is a digital reconstruction from before,

这是对从前形貌的数字还原，

and this is actually during the destruction.

这是它被破坏后的样子。

Or the Lion of Al-Lāt, in Palmyra, Syria:

还有AI-Lāt之狮， 位于叙利亚巴尔米拉：

before ...

从前——

and after.

还有现在。

Although virtual reconstructions are primarily the main focus

虽然虚拟重建是我们项目的

of our project,

重点，

some people have been asking the question:

有人还是会问我们：

Can we print them in 3D?

能打印出3D模型吗？

We believe 3D printing doesn't offer a straightforward solution

我们并不认为3D打印 能够针对失去的文物提供直接的

to lost heritage.

解决方案。

Once an object is destroyed,

一旦物体被毁坏了，

it's gone.

就不存在了。

But 3D printing does offer an addition to tell that story.

但是，3D打印的确能够帮助 我们讲述这些故事。

For example, I can show you here ...

比如，给大家展示一下——

There is the statue from Hatra

这是哈特拉和

and the Lion of Mosul.

摩苏尔之狮的雕塑。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

Thank you.

谢谢。

Now, if you look closely,

如果你仔细观察，

you'll notice that there are some parts that have been printed in color,

会发现有的部分带有颜色，

and some parts that are in white or gray.

而有些部分呈白色或者灰色。

This part was added simply to hold the statues up.

这部分起到了加固雕塑的作用。

This works the same way if you visit a museum,

如果你参观博物馆，看到是一样的

and a statue is found in fragments;

碎片状的雕塑：

it's put together for the people to see it.

人们看到是重新组合过的雕塑。

This makes sense, right?

理解了吗?

However, we're much more interested

不过，更让我们感兴趣的是

in what virtual reality has to offer for lost heritage.

虚拟现实如何能重塑失去的文物。

Here is an example of one of the tower tombs

还有一个在巴尔米拉被破坏了的

that was destroyed in Palmyra.

陵墓的例子。

Using Sketchfab's online viewer,

运用 Sketchfab 的在线查看器，

we can show that we have reconstructed three parts of the exterior of the tomb,

可以看见我们重塑了 陵墓外墙的三个部分，

but we also have photos of the inside,

我们也有内部的图片，

so we're beginning to create a reconstruction of the wall

正在着手重新打造墙体和

and the ceiling.

天花板。

Archaeologists worked there for many, many years,

考古学家在这里工作了多年，

so we also have architectural drawing plans of this lost heritage.

我们还有损坏的文物的 建筑设计图。

Unfortunately, we are not only losing cultural heritage to areas of conflict

不幸的是，导致我们失去了 很多文物的不仅仅是

and at war --

地区冲突和战争，

we're also losing it to natural disasters.

还有自然灾害。

This is a 3D model of Durbar Square in Kathmandu,

这是尼泊尔加德满都 Durbar广场的3D模型，

before the earthquake that occurred last April ...

这是去年4月发生地震前的样子，

and this is after.

这是地震后的景象。

You may be thinking,

你们可能在想，

you didn't create these 3D models with only tourist photographs,

你们不会仅仅通过游客图片 来打造3D模型吧。

and that's true.

说对了。

But what this represents

不过这体现的是

is the ability for large, public organizations and private industry

与我们有着共同目标的 大公司，公共公司，私人公司

to come together for initiatives like ours.

携手合作的能力。

And so one of the major challenges of our project, really,

我们的项目遇到的主要挑战

is to find photographs that were taken before something happens, right?

是找到灾难发生之前的图片，对吧？

Well, the internet is basically a database with millions of images, right?

而互联网正是个基于 成百万图片的数据库，不是吗？

Exactly.

没错。

So we have begun to develop a tool

于是我们着手开发了一个工具，

that allows us to extract images from websites like Flickr,

允许我们在类似Flickr 那样的网站上，基于地理标记

based on their geotags,

来提取图片，

to complete reconstructions.

完成重建。

Because we're not only losing cultural heritage to natural disasters and in war,

除了自然灾害和战争， 我们也会因为其他因素

but we're also losing it to something else.

失去文化遗产。

Any idea, just looking at these two pictures?

还记得这两张图片吗？

Maybe it's a little difficult to remember,

很难想起来吧，

but only a few weeks ago,

就在几星期前，

this was the example of human destruction by human stupidity.

它们被人类的愚蠢行为毁掉了。

Because a tourist in Lisbon wanted to climb onto this statue

因为一个在里斯本的游客 企图爬上这个雕塑

and take a selfie with it --

跟它自拍——

(Laughter)

（笑）

and pulled it down with him.

然后他们一起摔下来了。

So we're already finding photographs

我们已经在寻找相关图片

to complete a digital reconstruction of this.

打算进行虚拟重建。

We need to remember

我们要时刻铭记，

that the destruction of cultural heritage isn't a recent phenomenon.

破坏历史文物的行为 不是最近才有的。

In the 16th century,

在16世纪，

European priests and explorers burned thousands of Maya books in the Americas,

欧洲牧师和探险家焚烧了 成千上万的美洲玛雅书籍，

of which we only have a handful left.

只有少数保留至今。

Fast-forward to 2001,

快进到2001年，

when the Taliban blew up the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan.

塔利班烧毁了 阿富汗的巴米扬佛像。

You see,

大家都知道，

cultural heritage is about our shared global history.

文物是全球共享的历史。

It helps us connect with our ancestors and their stories,

它帮助我们了解 自己的祖先和他们的故事，

but we're losing pieces of it every day to natural disasters

我们每天都在自然灾害 和地区冲突中

and in areas of conflict.

失去宝贵的文物。

Of course, the loss of human life is the most heartbreaking loss ...

当然，最让人心疼的 是失去了人类生活的证据，

but cultural heritage offers us a way to preserve the memory of the people

文物能为我们 提供线索，并为后代

for future generations.

保存记忆。

We need your help to reclaim the history that is being lost.

我们需要你的帮助， 共同找回失去的历史。

Will you join us?

你会加入我们吗？

(Applause)

（鼓掌）