The 3D model of Brigde 7 in Mitzpe Schivta showcases one of the bridge of the Ottoman Military Railway that ran between Beersheva and Qusseima in the Negev Desert. The railway was constructed between 1915 and 1916 to supply German and Turkish soldiers fighting the British in Egypt during World War I. The ambitious project consumed enormous resources, despite the Ottoman Empire already being bankrupt. In the Negev, building materials for the construction of bridges, wells and station houses were sourced from archaeological sites. One example is Mitzpe Shivta, located just 1 km north of the railway. Historical photographs and documents provide evidence of stone looting at the site. The 3D model highlights the architectural details of the bridge, which were likely built using especially corner stones from Mitzpe Shivta’s buildings. Despite a lack of resources, time constraints, and harsh climatic conditions, the construction of the bridges reflects skilled craftsmanship of stonemasons.

Technical information about the model (OB007): It was created in October 2023 using a DJI Phantom 4 Pro. The software was Bentley Context Capture. The model provided here is available in multiple formats: a merged model in .nxz and .ply format (Merged_Model) and individual tiles in .obj format (Tiles_OBJ).