Meet the scientists immortalizing African heritage in virtual reality

By Chris Giles, CNN

Updated 0902 GMT (1702 HKT) October 17, 2018

The Zamani Project digitally records<strong> </strong>cultural and historic sites across Africa to preserve them for future generations. The models can be experienced in virtual reality, where users can<strong> </strong>"walk through" the sites. This model is the Cape Coast Castle in Ghana.

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The Cape Coast, Ghana – The Zamani Project digitally records cultural and historic sites across Africa to preserve them for future generations. The models can be experienced in virtual reality, where users can "walk through" the sites. This model is the Cape Coast Castle in Ghana.

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The Cape Coast Castle was visited by American president Barack Obama in 2009. It was used by<strong> </strong>the British to hold people in slavery before they were forced onto ships across the Atlantic in the 17th and 18th centuries.<strong> </strong>

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The Cape Coast, Ghana – The Cape Coast Castle was visited by American president Barack Obama in 2009. It was used by the British to hold people in slavery before they were forced onto ships across the Atlantic in the 17th and 18th centuries.

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Djenné, Mali – The Zamani Project traveled to the town of Djenné in Mali to document the distinctive architecture.

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The Great Mosque of Djenné<strong> </strong>dates from the 13th century, and is the first mosque built at the complex in Mali's Niger Delta region. The adobe-style building, made from earthen bricks and mud plaster, fell into disrepair, and was reconstructed in 1907.<strong> </strong>The Great Mosque was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988 and is the largest earthen mud building in the world.

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Djenné, Mali – The Great Mosque of Djenné dates from the 13th century, and is the first mosque built at the complex in Mali's Niger Delta region. The adobe-style building, made from earthen bricks and mud plaster, fell into disrepair, and was reconstructed in 1907. The Great Mosque was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988 and is the largest earthen mud building in the world.

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Meroe, Sudan – In the Nile Valley, these pyramids and structures in Sudan date back to the Kingdom of Kush, from the 8th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D.

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A World Heritage Site, the pyramids are generally smaller than those found in Egypt. Receiving few tourists each year, the architecture demonstrates proof of contact between Sub-Saharan Africa and the Mediterranean and Middle East, say UNESCO.

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Meroe, Sudan – A World Heritage Site, the pyramids are generally smaller than those found in Egypt. Receiving few tourists each year, the architecture demonstrates proof of contact between Sub-Saharan Africa and the Mediterranean and Middle East, say UNESCO.

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Yemrehana Krestos Church, Ethiopia – A 3-D model scan of an 11th century Ethiopian Orthodox church, constructed of wood and stone.

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A pilgrim in robes walks past Yemrehana Krestos Church, which is in a cave and said to be<strong> </strong>"floating"<strong> </strong>on a floor of reeds.

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Yemrehana Krestos Church, Ethiopia – A pilgrim in robes walks past Yemrehana Krestos Church, which is in a cave and said to be "floating" on a floor of reeds.

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Story highlights

The project aims to preserve heritage sites for future generations
Using high-tech lasers and drones the team record sites

Meet the innovators and inventors who are driving Africa's tech revolution.

(CNN)The archaeological wonders of the world offer a rich window into the past. But many are crumbling, weed-laden and victim to vandalism and conflict.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as those in Libya and Mali, have been caught in the crossfire of regional disputes.

Concerned with the decay of African heritage sites, The Zamani Project, based at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, is seeking to immortalize historic spots in three-dimensional, virtual reality-ready models.

Professor Heinz Ruther steers the project. He ventures up and down the continent -- visiting Ghana, Tanzania, Mali, Ethiopia, Kenya and elsewhere -- recording in remarkable detail the structure and condition of tombs, churches and other buildings.

"I've seen how sites are deteriorating visibly," Ruther told CNN.

The project's aim is to build a database of complex, lifelike 3-D models. Presently, they've mapped around 60 sites including Lalibela in Ethiopia, Timbuktu in Mali and Kilwa in Tanzania.