Measurement and 3D modelling of an ancient measuring device: Nippur cubit rod

For all think surveys of archaeological sites it is of utmost importance to recognize the fact that (nearly) all ancient buildings and towns are established according to an obviously normed set of precise non-metric ancient length units (cubit/foot or pechys /pousunits). Throughout the history, mankind constructed different kind of structures and monument, that we call them all as Cultural Heritage. To understand the features, location and relationship between these monuments it is needed to determine a common measurements unit at their equivalent that are used today. 3D documentation and visualization of Cultural Heritage objects is an expanding application area. The selection of the right technology for these kinds of applications is very important and strictly related to the project requirements, budget and user's experience. In this paper, the studies of precise measurement, 3D modeling and documentation of Nippur Cubit will be presented. For these purposes, close-range photogrammetry and laser scanning technology were applied.