Scientists from Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University "LETI" successfully created a digital copy of the unique map "Map of Siberia from the Chinese Borders," produced in the 17th century. The specialists used laser 3D scanning technologies.
The Russian Geographical Society approached the university with a request to monitor the condition of this important cartographic monument. Professor of the Department of Photonics Vadim Parfyonov noted that the created digital copy would make it possible to track any changes in the condition of the map. Periodic repeat scans will help collect data on its preservation state.
To compare the three-dimensional models, the scientists will use specialized software. This will make it possible to create a color scale that will display changes on the surface of the map. Their methodology analyzes the condition of the map, ensuring a scientific approach to preserving historical heritage. The work will continue.
The map was created in 1698 by the famous cartographer Semyon Remezov. It shows in detail the terrain, rivers, and roads of Siberia, the Far East, the Urals, and the Arctic. The map became an important historical document, designed in the Russian cartographic tradition of the 17th century.
With the arrival of Peter I, Russian cartography shifted to European standards, and Remezov's map lost its practical significance. From 1947 to 2007, the map was kept at the State Hermitage Museum, and in 2019 it returned to the Cartographic Fund of the Russian Geographical Society. On cotton fabric measuring 3 by 4 arshins (213x277 cm), the map underwent significant degradation over three centuries.
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