Last week we held the inaugural CyArk development workshop at Monte Alban, Mexico. Several VIP's traveled to Oaxaca in order to learn more about CyArk and discuss future development opportunities. Among the VIP’s were Hans and Sylvia Hess, David and Lynn Olson and Professor Bernard Frischer. Hans Hess is CEO of Hanesco of Zurich, Switzerland and ex Chairman and CEO of Leica Geosystems also of Switzerland; David Olson is Chairman and CEO of Olson Steel based in the San Francisco Bay Area; and Professor Bernard Frischer is Director of the University of Virginia’s Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities. The workshop was a tremendous success. The workshop was able to generate significant buy in from the major VIP attendees and resulted in substantial commitments of cash contributions and development support.

The workshop also lead to a strengthening of CyArk's relationships with two major agencies. Representatives from the National Parks Service at Mesa Verde National Park headed by Larry Wiese, Superintendent of Mesa Verde, actively participated in the workshop discussions. Key representatives from Mexico's Instituto National de Anthropologia y Historia (INAH) from Monte Alban headed by Dr. Nelly Robles, Monte Alban Site Director, also participated in the workshop and worked closely with CyArk to digitally preserve a portion of Monte Alban. System IV was the focus of the laser scanning documentation, and the results will be used to help research and conservation efforts on-site. In addition to capturing the exterior of the monument in great detail, an interior portion of the temple was scanned including an original wall from the initial construction phase. This will allow archaeologists to analyze the different phases of the temple in 3D and see what the temple looked like at specific points in time.

CyArk's work at Monte Alban marks the begining of a relationship with the park, while this project will be the 4th CyArk project done in partnership with Mesa Verde National Park.