You can now take a 3D tour of an ancient Egyptian burial ground.
A project dubbed Giza 3D makes it possible for anyone to jump online and stroll through the Giza Plateau in a virtual world built entirely on scientific research and archeological discoveries. So rather than simply reading about it on paper, students can click around and explore the pyramids on the internet.
The work is a result of collaboration between Dassault Systèmes, Harvard University and the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) Boston, headed by Harvard Professor Peter Manuelian. It took a decade to complete and encompasses almost a century's worth of research.
Unlike any 3D models, Manuelian insists his is historically accurate.
"Many 3-D models of ancient sites have more to do with fantasy and video games than with archaeology; The colors, surfaces and textures are not researched and appear quite flat or unrealistic," Manuelian told Discovery News.
Visitors to the website can either explore on their own, or take a guided tour.
"What is important for us is to create a community around this experience,” Mehdi Tayoubi, VP of design and experimental strategy at Dassault Systèmes, told Mashable. “You can bring kids to this virtual environment and they will understand, but if you adapt what you say, it will work for an entirely different audience.”
Considering the massive amount of work put into the Giza 3D project so far, it's only about 10 percent complete. They still plan to add the Pyramid of Khafre, the middle of the Necropolis’s three pyramids, and the Sphinx. Dassault is also working on recreating the history of Paris in a similar 3D world.
Watch the video above for a taste of the the Giza 3D and check out the project for yourself here.