29 May 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

3D printing technology was used for the restored relic restoration of an ancient palace in Liangzhu Archaeological Site

Six rebuilt massive wooden pillars of an old palace have been exposed to the public for the first time at the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in east China’s Zhejiang Province.

The pillars on display are made by 3D printers and are high-tech full-scale replicas of 5000-year-old parts unearthed from the archaeological site of the ancient city that existed between 3300 BC. And 2300 BC.

At the 5,300-year-old archaeological site, 15 massive timber components were discovered in the watercourses. The finding demonstrated that humans living during the period were capable of constructing large-scale buildings such as palaces more than 5,000 years ago.

The longest component on display is 17.2 meters and the thickest is 80 centimeters in diameter.

Details of the wooden components on display during the Liangzhu Cultural week in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province.Photo: China News
Details of the wooden components on display during the Liangzhu Cultural week in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province.Photo: China News

Some of the components have square holes called mortises, which are significant architectural structures used to join two timber elements in traditional Chinese architecture.

In a statement to CGTN, Sun Haibo, deputy director of the Cultural Relics and Heritage Administration at the Liangzhu Archaeological Site Management Bureau, noted that wooden components may have been used during its construction to strengthen the palace’s solidity. They could also be parts of the building blocks of the palace, such as beams or pillars.” he said.

Visitors look at the wooden components on display during the Liangzhu Cultural week in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. Photo: China News
Visitors look at the wooden components on display during the Liangzhu Cultural week in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province. Photo: China News

The components required several years of dehydration treatment. The exhibits are almost indistinguishable from the original ones in appearance.

“This is our first time to use 3D printing technology for relic restoration. Visitors will be able to look closely at the components and imagine what the palace would have looked like 5,000 years ago,” said Sun.

The new technology can protect the cultural relics from the damage caused during the mold reversal and demolding process.

The wooden components are on display as part of the Liangzhu Cultural Week from July 6 to 12. 

Related Articles

Unearthing the Origins of Carnival: Evidence of Ancient Summer Festivals in Pre-Colonial Brazil

11 February 2025

11 February 2025

A new study suggests that pre-colonial people in Brazil gathered during the summer months to feast on migratory fish and...

Experts to uncover the secret of the monumental and three-dimensional Urartian statue found on Garibin Tepe

2 November 2024

2 November 2024

In an area where rescue excavations were conducted last year, archaeologists discovered a basalt stone statue from the Urartian period...

Archaeologists uncovered over 100,000 ancient coins, some more than 2,000 years old

4 November 2023

4 November 2023 8

In an excavation at the Sosha Village East 03 archaeological site in Maebashi City, Japan, archaeologists stumbled upon a remarkable...

A fossilized Neanderthal skeleton unearthed in France may have belonged to a previously undescribed lineage that split from other Neanderthals

12 September 2024

12 September 2024

The fossilized Neanderthal skeleton, discovered in a cave system in the Rhône Valley of France, represents a previously unidentified lineage...

7,000-year-old Ritual Complex Found In Jordan Desert

23 February 2022

23 February 2022

The team of French and Jordanian archaeologists has discovered a 7,000-year-old ritualistic complex near what is thought to be the...

A Remarkable Discovery from a Gaza Shipwreck: Olive Pits from 1100 Years Ago

10 March 2025

10 March 2025

The recent underwater excavations off the coast of Türkiye have unveiled an extraordinary find that has captivated scientists: olive pits...

The 1,800-year-old ‘Iron Legion’ Roman Legionary Base uncovered at the foot of Tel Megiddo

14 February 2024

14 February 2024

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced that a recent excavation at the foot of Tel Megiddo, near the ancient village...

Archaeologists Found Evidence of a Lost Temple in Chorazin Linked to Jesus’ Healing Miracles

12 August 2024

12 August 2024

Recent archaeological excavations in Israel may have unearthed the remains of a long-lost temple, believed to be the very site...

A woman in Norway found Viking-age 1000-year-old hoard in basement

20 April 2023

20 April 2023

A woman in Norway cleaned her parents’ home, she found 32 iron ingots dating to the Viking or early Middle...

Serbian Archaeologists Unearth Roman Triumphal Arch Dedicated to Emperor Caracalla

24 January 2024

24 January 2024

Archaeologists in Serbia have unearthed an ancient Roman triumphal arch dating back to the third century at Viminacium, a Roman...

Scientists discover traces of paint on the Parthenon Sculptures that reveal their true colours

12 October 2023

12 October 2023

Recent research on the Parthenon Sculptures has found traces of the original paint used to decorate the Parthenon Sculptures, revealing...

Archaeological Finding Traces Chinese Tea Culture Back To 400 BC

7 February 2022

7 February 2022

An archaeological team from Shandong University, east China’s Shandong Province, has found the earliest known tea remains in the world...

Ancient Greek Marble Workshop Unearthed on Paros Island

20 May 2025

20 May 2025

The world of ancient Greek art continues to amaze modern scholars, with recent excavations on Paros Island unveiling a long-lost...

Fossil of a hominid child who died almost 250,000 years ago discovered in South Africa

8 November 2021

8 November 2021

A team of international and South African researchers uncovered the fossil remains of an early hominid kid who died almost...

Ancient rituals recorded on 2,000-year-old bamboo slips deciphered

18 December 2023

18 December 2023

Scholars of China’s Tsinghua University have deciphered five documents recorded on bamboo slips dating back to the Warring States period...