3D Imaging of the Parthenon Sculptures: Assessing the Archaeological Value of 19th Century Plaster Casts

Ambitious plaster casting campaigns were embarked upon in the 19th century. These were often led by archaeologists and intended to record in situ ancient sculptures at risk of deterioration. The surviving collections of casts are now of renewed interest, often seeming to preserve lost details from the originals. Some of the earliest such casts are those held by the British Museum of the Parthenon sculptures. This paper uses 3D imaging to determine the accuracy of the casts, whether they do preserve lost information, and if they can now be employed as surrogates for the originals.