On April 21, 2026, Zhejiang Provincial Museum opened the exhibition Restoration & Decoration – The Art of Ceramic Repair and Ornamentation, showcasing how 3D scanning, digital reconstruction, and 3D printing were used to restore ancient ceramics. In collaboration with restoration specialists, the museum adopted the 3DeVOK MT 3D scanner to digitally capture fragmented artifacts and support a transparent restoration approach that preserves both historical authenticity and restoration traceability.

One section of the exhibition showcases transparent restoration powered by 3D scanning, digital reconstruction, and 3D printing, demonstrating how modern technology can preserve damaged ceramics while making every restoration intervention clearly identifiable.

Restoring Ancient Ceramics Through Digital Preservation

Before restoration, these five ancient ceramic pieces were all in a fragmented state, having suffered long-term burial and damage that left their structures severely incomplete. After archaeological sorting and conservation, combined with 3D scanning and digital 3D modelling technologies, their forms and structures were gradually reconstructed.

The five ceramics on display are (from left to right): a Southern Song Longquan kiln black-bodied celadon vegetable-shaped vase; a Yuan dynasty Longquan kiln celadon figure with exposed clay body; a Northern Song Yue kiln celadon carved ewer; a Yuan dynasty Longquan kiln celadon phoenix-tail vase with intertwined peony scrolls; and a Southern Song Longquan kiln celadon li-shaped censer.

Figure 1: Five Restored Ceramic Pieces, Brought Back to Life

3D Digital Scanning: High-Precision Capture of Micro-Details on Ancient Ceramics, Enabling Non-Contact Artefact Acquisition

With a resolution of up to 0.1 mm, the 3DeVOK MT 3D scanner accurately captured glaze crackles, chipped edges, and subtle traces of natural erosion without physical contact, providing high-quality 3D data for digital reconstruction and transparent restoration.

Equipped with the 3DeVOK Airgo wireless handle, the scanner enables cable-free scanning, allowing operators to move freely around artifacts and work efficiently in exhibition and restoration environments.

Figure 2: Scanning a Ceramic Fragment with the 3DeVOK MT 3D Scanner

Figure 3: 3D Model of the Ceramic Fragment Generated by the 3DeVOK MT 3D Scanner.

Digital Reconstruction for Ancient Ceramic Restoration

Digital modelling is a crucial step in this ancient ceramic restoration workflow. In virtual space, the restoration team – Jingdezhen Xingshi Restoration Technology Co., Ltd. – reconstructs models from the scanned fragment data. Rather than simply reassembling fragments like a puzzle, the restoration team combined archaeological research, comparable artifacts, symmetry analysis, and historical references to reconstruct missing structures digitally.

Due to significant material loss, some artifacts cannot be directly restored to their complete form. The modelling process therefore draws on archaeological literature, typological evolution, symmetry logic, and comparable specimens to develop multiple hypotheses and scenario plans. In practice, a dozen or more structural reconstruction options are typically generated; through repeated verification and comparison, the model that best aligns with historical logic and craft principles is ultimately selected.

Figure 4: Reconstructing a Digital Model to Develop a Customized Restoration Plan for the Ceramic Artifact

Take the Yuan dynasty Longquan kiln celadon phoenix-tail vase with intertwined peony scrolls as an example: the lower half of its body is completely missing, and the applied floral decorations are fractured, making structural transitions and decorative continuity prone to inaccuracies. Throughout this process, the expert team from Zhejiang Provincial Museum provided essential archaeological evidence and restoration advice, conducting multiple rounds of expert validation on modelling direction, proportion control and decorative logic, while continuously collaborating with the partner team to refine the work.

DLP 3D Printing for Transparent Ceramic Restoration

Precision restoration inserts were produced using Raise3D DLP resin 3D printing technology, providing transparent replacement components for the missing sections of each artifact. This technique perfectly aligns with the modern museum principles of 'minimal intervention and reversibility'. After removal from the printer, the components are polished, coloured, and meticulously hand-finished and spliced, ensuring a highly precise fit with the original artefact.

Figure 5: Fabricating Restoration Inserts Using a Raise3D DLP Resin 3D Printer

When the replacement components are removed from Raise3D's 3D printing system and carefully hand-finished and spliced, the final effect reveals itself brilliantly under light: the fragments remain the original aged porcelain, carrying the marks and memories of time; the restored portions, however, are clean, translucent material –The restored sections resemble frozen water or clear ice, quietly revealing the missing form without competing with the original porcelain.

Figure 6: Dyed 3D-Printed Restoration Inserts

One online viewer commented: "The fragments bear the traces of time, while the transparent parts seem to complete its very soul."

Figure 7: Ceramic Conservator Ms.Lou from Zhejiang Provincial Museum Completing the Ceramic Bonding Process.

Where Light Enters Through the Broken

This collaborative restoration project is not only a closed-loop validation of technology but also a reimagining of ceramic aesthetics.

In Chinese ancient times, when a piece broke, people used metal staples to 'stitch' it back together – a practice known as 'cherishing objects.' This time, however, we chose a different approach: we neither concealed nor masked the damage; we let the brokenness let in light.

The five artifacts now rest quietly in the Zhejiang Provincial Museum, where shards and transparent resin coexist in stillness. Every luminous boundary stands as proof of the fusion between traditional craftsmanship and modern technology.

If these ceramics could speak, perhaps they would simply say:

"Even where we were broken, the light still finds its way in."

Advancing Cultural Heritage Preservation with 3D Scanning

From high-precision 3D scanning and digital reconstruction to transparent 3D-printed restoration, this project demonstrates how digital technologies are reshaping ceramic conservation. By combining the 3DeVOK MT 3D scanner, digital modeling, and DLP 3D printing, Zhejiang Provincial Museum and its restoration partners have created a workflow that preserves historical authenticity while making every restoration intervention visible and traceable. As museums continue to embrace digital preservation, technologies like 3D scanning will play an increasingly important role in protecting cultural heritage for future generations.