Photogrammetric 3D Digitisation of Bajuni and Pokomo Cultural Artefacts: A 65-Artefact Proof-of-Concept at Fort Jesus, Kenya

A proof-of-concept study demonstrates the feasibility of photogrammetric 3D digitisation for preserving cultural artefacts under resource constraints, using 65 Bajuni and Pokomo artefacts from Fort Jesus, Kenya. The research established a locally executable workflow combining photographic capture (7,283 images across 44 artefacts), Structure-from-Motion processing, and dense Multi-View Stereo reconstruction, with 3DF Zephyr Lite selected for its cost-effectiveness and hardware compatibility. The study highlights the socio-technical challenges of museum digitisation, including software coordination, metadata management, and quality assurance, while providing a foundation for future digital heritage applications such as multilingual access and immersive engagement.

Ahmed, A., Okoko, A., & Kiprotich, C. (2026). Photogrammetric 3D Digitisation of Bajuni and Pokomo Cultural Artefacts: A 65-Artefact Proof-of-Concept at Fort Jesus, Kenya. South Sahara Multidisciplinary Journal, 4(1), 220–243. https://doi.org/10.61250/ssmj/v1.i4.12