Using of Laser Scanning and Dense Stereo Matching for 3D Documentation and Virtual Reconstruction of the Ancient Sama Monastery/Jordan

Sama Monastery is one of the best preserved architecture built in the third century AD at Jordan?s eastern desert. Before the twentieth century, the roofing materials of Monastery, even most of the arch stones, were carried off for the construction of bridges and ferries above the valleys and water channels in the region. Documenting the Monastery which remains in scientific and precise ways is an important goal in order to protect and preserve this important part of the cultural heritage of Jordan. In this study, laser scanner and digital photogrammetry have been used for this purpose. In spite of the potential of each single approach, the integration aims at supporting the visual quality as well as the geometric accuracy of the collected textured 3D models. The purpose of such visual information will serve as a tool for the identification of the nature, extent and severity of the deterioration