The 3D visualization of archaeological sites is a new way for scientists to authenticate and chek the hypotheses of restitutions for ancient extinct sites.
The arrival of 3D laser scanners gives the opportunity for creating digital duplicates of archaeological items.
The setting up of these technologies requires a formal methodological reflexion to avoid the pitfalls of illusory novelty. 3D modeling floods in archaelogy scientific programs as well as the media. Virtual restitutions of archaelogical sites can be seen here and there, giving the public images without any scientific oversight. They often required significant budgets even though they will be used only once, as part of the program or the event it was financed for.

Facing up to this situation, the 3D PFT positioned as a conservatory for archaeolocal 3D data. One of the activities of the 3D PFT is archiving and perpetuating the scientific files under the control of the scientific authors. In the same way, the 3D computer models created by the 3D PFT will be preserved and placed at the disposal of the scientific community.

An international network Virtual Reality Center dedicaced to archaelogy is being developed on one hand with the University of Pennsylvania, USA and on the other hand with the CULTNAT (National Center of Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage) depending on the Bibliotheca Alexandria (Egypt). Standardizing work methods and data exchange is the purpose of this network.