Prof. Dr. Sabine Feist from the Department of Christian Archaeology and Dr. Matthias Lang from the Bonn Center for Digital Humanities are planning a virtual tour. The pair were in Venice last fall, where they used their cameras to take a 3D scan of the crypt. This scan is now in the process of being edited.
“This example from Venice is ideal for the ‘virtual treatment,’” Professor Feist says. The crypt underneath St. Mark’s provides an insight into many key aspects of Christian archaeology that studying conventional maps—or even visiting it in person—would not. The crypt of St. Mark’s represents the architectural and religious center of the cathedral, as this is where the tomb of its namesake is venerated. The altar in the main part of the basilica, above the ground, is positioned precisely above St. Mark’s final resting place.
In terms of how crypt and church are connected, however, floor plans and elevations can only tell part of the story. “Even a visit to the underground complex, which in any case is only possible in exceptional circumstances and with special permission, doesn’t allow you to see this close link and the associated idea behind the building’s construction, because some areas are strictly out of bounds,” says the archaeologist, who is a member of the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies and the Transdisciplinary Research Area (TRA) Present Pasts.
A fantastic addition to teaching
Sabine Feist firmly believes that this digital version of the crypt under St. Mark’s Basilica is a fantastic addition to teaching as it allows students to see 3D views and make virtual visits. This case study for the “Virtual Collaboration” project enables key aspects of Christian archaeology, such as the importance of saints and their tombs or relics in Christian religious architecture, to be taught in a clear and vivid way—without any travel expenses and unexpected risks such as the aqua alta that regularly floods the city and renders both St. Mark’s Basilica and its crypt inaccessible.
Students can therefore discuss topical research questions without getting their feet wet or burning a hole in their wallet. These include: Was the crypt already part of the first St. Mark’s Church in the 9th century, or was it not constructed until the time of the current St. Mark’s Basilica in the 11th? Where exactly are the tomb and relics of St. Mark located? Says Feist: “Although the design of the two-storied pillars in the center of the crypt seems to be intended for a tomb, there isn’t one here.”
But this is just the beginning: “The project can be expanded without needing to invest much time or money,” the archaeologist reveals. One potential first step would be to investigate the crypt of San Liberale in Treviso in Venetia, which is regarded as a carbon copy of that underneath St. Mark’s. Professor Feist believes that building a database of 3D models for teaching Christian archaeology would be a genuine milestone that would allow equipment that uses outdated methods to be supplemented in the short term and replaced in the long term.
