This paper presents a multidisciplinary workflow for the digital reconstruction and immersive re-contextualization of the Sekhmet statues preserved at the Museo Egizio in Turin. Combining archaeological research, 3D modeling, and virtual reality technologies, the study reconstructs the original architectural contexts of the statues—specifically the Temple of Amenhotep III and the Temple of Ptah—and explores multiple hypotheses regarding their spatial arrangement. The resulting VR experiences enable users to navigate reconstructed environments and interact with contextual information, supporting both scholarly investigation and public dissemination. The research highlights the potential of immersive technologies as heuristic and communicative tools in cultural heritage.
Re-contextualizing the standing Sekhmet statues in the Temple of Ptah at Karnak through digital reconstruction and VR experience
Recent trends in the Digital Humanities – conceived as new modalities of collaborative, transdisciplinary and computational research and presentation – also strongly influence research approaches and presentation practices in museums. Indeed, ongoing projects in museums have considerably expanded digital access to data and information, documentation and visualization of ancient ruins and objects. In addition, 3D modelling and eXtended Reality opened up new avenues of interacting with a wider public through digital reconstructions that allow both objects and sites to be presented through visual narratives based on multidisciplinary scholarly research. The article illustrates the use of 3D digital reconstruction and virtual reality to re-contextualise standing statues of Sekhmet in the Temple of Ptah at Karnak, where they were found in 1818. Today, they are on display at Museo Egizio, Turin. The theoretical framework of the research and the operational workflow – based on the study of the available archaeological, textual, and pictorial data – is presented here.