Digital Impressions: Creating 3D Models of Clay Tablets
A digitization & education project at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam
18 Dezember, 2025
The Netherlands, Amsterdam
The heritage collection of the University Library at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam includes various objects, such as fragile clay tablets that are precarious to handle. By embarking on a project using 3D scanning and printing techniques, these artifacts can now be explored both digitally and physically in education.
Initially, we offered five 3D clay tablet models on edusources. Limited resources made it challenging to expand, improve and promote this collection. The collection originated as an experiment and did not yet have an educational context. By linking it to the Object-Based Teaching & Learning (OBTL) methodology, we aimed to enhance its quality and educational value. With a larger, enriched collection, the heritage collection can become more accessible, foster more diverse interactions, and inspire other institutions to adopt OBTL. With funding from the Npuls "Boost Your Collection" initiative, we have refined, expanded, and enriched our online collection of 3D models. By integrating these into Object-Based Teaching & Learning, we have aimed to enhance their educational value and promoted collaboration between students and teachers as co-creators of learning materials.
Collaboration and education
This project explored the potential of the 3D-models in education. Working closely together with Assyriologists, curators, students and educational advisors, we developed educational modules that are now openly available on edusources. These include the lesson plan “The Invention of Writing in Mesopotamia” for secondary schools, which incorporates the use of the 3D-models of the clay tablets. We also developed a guide for teachers and educational support staff that presents several practical methods of Object Based Teaching and Learning (OBTL) linked to the learning objectives to which they cater. The guide includes numerous links to articles and case studies.
Link to the source
Digital Impressions: Creating 3D Models of Clay Tablets, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (2025)
Video | Digital Impressions: 3D printing Ancient Clay Tablets | Demonstrator Lab Amsterdam (2025)
Related sources
The Invention of Writing in Mesopotamia: A lesson plan for teaching with digitized clay tablets, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (2025)
Website | Object-Based Teaching and Learning | Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) | 2025