Models of the Cisterns
2005
Directed by André Pelle
Collection The Skills of Archaeology
In the 19th century, there were over 700 cisterns scattered throughout the city of Alexandria. Dating from Roman, Byzantine, medieval and Ottoman times, they formed a veritable underground city. This film shows the design and manufacture of 1:20-scale models of the cisterns, allowing them to be viewed in three dimensions. These magnificent models are masterpieces of precision, produced with infinite patience by Michel Coqueret, giving architects and archaeologists an immediate understanding of the volume of these magnificent monuments.