Joint CyI–UCL team presents research at major International Conference in Uzbekistan

A team from The Cyprus Institute’s (CyI) STARC and the UCL Institute of Archaeology presented their research on medieval crucible steel making and Bronze Age copper production at the 8th International Congress of the World Society for the Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan, held from 23-26 August in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

This was the first time that scholars from Cyprus and CyI were invited to this prestigious conference. Dr Meghna Desai presented past and future opportunities to study and visualise various early high-temperature technologies as part of the long-standing research at the major Silk Road city of Akhsiket, led by Thilo Rehren, A.G. Leventis Professor in Archaeological Sciences at CyI.

Representing the joint team, which also included Associate Professor Miljana Radivojević from the UCL Institute of Archaeology, Meghna contributed to the panel discussion on how best to present the metallurgical collections of the museum and their medieval and pre-Islamic exhibits.

The main focus of the congress was the content and presentation of the new Museum of the Center of Islamic Civilization in Samarkand, gathering input from around 180 international experts. Our presentation showcased the unique technological legacy of early metallurgy and the potential of VR reconstructions of archaeological remains based on LIDAR data and 3D scanning of urban landscapes. Associate Professor Georgios Artopoulos, the Head of CyI’s VElab, generously facilitated the demonstration of one of their completed projects, showcasing CyI’s strength in virtual reconstructions.

As a result of the presentation, CyI is now working with the Uzbek Academy of Sciences to formalise cooperation on crucible steel and other high-temperature materials from several sites in Central Asia.