Bringing to life Rigas Velestinlis' Charta of Greece (1796-7) by using Augmented Reality Technology and 3D visualization

Onassis Library is a special collection historical library created in 2009 by the Onassis Foundation in support of Education and Culture in Athens, Greece. The library opened its doors in 2016 organizing cultural activities and educational programs for all.

One of the most valuable treasures of the library is Charta (Map) of Greece, printed in Vienna in 1796-7 by Rigas Velestinlis, a revolutionary figure of the Greek Enlightenment. It depicts almost the whole of Southeast Europe and is widely considered as the most important example of Greek cartography that inspired the Greek Revolution for Independence in 1821, influencing also neighbouring people in the Balkans. The Charta, besides the traditional depiction of a map of the Balkan Peninsula, includes an extensive array of symbols, figures and pictures, whilst enriching points of this map with information, becoming a “multimedia” piece ahead of its time.

In this paper, an Augmented Reality (AR) educational application for android devices inspired by Rigas’ Charta, will be presented, aiming at highlighting those hidden symbols with 3D graphics, visualizing stories and narrating myths depicted in the map, using open-source or low-cost software to enrich the cultural education outcome. This way, a new layer of information is being revealed at key points of the Charta, as Riga’s initial intention was. This application helps library visitors, especially youth and children, to familiarize themselves with the cartographic and archival heritage, through storytelling techniques, educational material and hands-on experience, to explore the hidden tales and myths of the map and its communicative power in an interactive manner. Delving into this cultural document by utilizing new technologies in history learning and promoting of cultural wealth, the interest and motivation of the user is revitalized, with all of the above contributing to an even better understanding of the original purpose of Charta’s creation.