On May 8-19, 2023, a team of IT scientists stayed in Uzbekistan on the 9th Scientific Expedition of the Lublin University of Technology to Central Asia. The expedition was attended by employees of the Department of Computer Science of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science: Prof. Dr. Jerzy Montusiewicz, Prof. Dr. Marek Milosz, and Dr. Mariusz Dzienkowski.
The expedition operated in the cities of Samarkand, Khiva and Tashkent (Uzbekistan). During it, the following activities were carried out:
- Scanning of architectural objects in Samarkand (including another scan of the interior of the Golden Mosque in Registan, the pediment of the Ulugh Bek Madrasa and its minarets, the pediment of the ShakiZinda mausoleum).
- Scanning missing parts of Khiva’s defensive walls and views of the entire city.
- Visiting fortress cities located on the edge of the Kyzyl-kum desert in Karakalpakstan in order to prepare them for 3D scanning as part of subsequent expeditions. Three fortress cities were visited.
By the way:
- A meeting was held with the authorities of the State University of Samarkand to discuss potential further areas of cooperation (the Lublin University of Technology and the State University of Samarkand were partners of the “3D Digital Silk Road” project, funded by NAWA and implemented in 2019-2022 (https://cs.pollub.pl/projects/3d-digital-silk-road-digitalizacja-zabytkow-jedwabnego-szlaku-w-uzbekistanie/?lang=en). Meeting with the Rector of the State University of Samarkand Prof. Khalmuradov Rustam was held in a working atmosphere. The team presented the achievements and proposed further continuation of cooperation.
- A meeting was held with the researchers of the Khorezm Mamun academy in Chiwa, led by the head of the university, prof. Abdullaev Ikram, academician of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan. The current activity of the employees of the Lublin University of Technology in Uzbekistan was discussed and the directions of future scientific cooperation in the field of the use of computer science in the protection of cultural heritage were indicated.
- A meeting was held with the director of the Ichan-Qala museum in Khiva, Mr. Madaminov Shakir. The activities of the expedition in Khiva were discussed, a scientific monograph was presented – the result of the “3D Digital Silk Road” project (http://bc.pollub.pl/dlibra/publication/14114/edition/13771/content?ref=desc), permission was obtained to conduct documentation work in the city of Khiva.
- Scientific seminars on “3D digital technology for cultural heritage” were held for students and academics of the State University in Samarkand and the National University Uzbekistan in Tashkent.
- A visit was paid to the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Tashkent, during which the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland, Mr. Radosław Gruk, was informed about the scientific and research activities of the Lublin University of Technology team in Uzbekistan, its achievements to date and plans for the future. During the conversation, ideas for further projects in the field of practical use of 3D digitization technology emerged.
The implementation of such extensive activities in such a short time and in such conditions was possible thanks to the great commitment of employees of the partner university – the State University in Samarkand and the National University of Uzbekistan in Tashkent, as well as employees of the State University in Urgench. Employees of partner organizations provided invaluable logistical assistance.
Marek Milosz
