Simulating Natural Light Incidence inside Fugoppe Cave by using 3D Measurement Data

Abstract

Archaeologists consider that ancient painters and sculptors worked inside the caves with an artificial light such as a torch. On the other hand, little accumulations of soot, a side effect of the use of torches, are observed in Fugoppe cave; we consider that there is a possibility of the use of natural sun light for sculpting. In order to verify enough existence of natural light from the entrance of the cave to work, we simulated how natural light illuminate inside walls of Fuggopp cave using its 3D model obtained from our modeling system, and examine the possibility that ancient sculptors work under natural illumination in Fuggope cave.