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A giant statue of Buddha destroyed in March by the Taliban in Afghanistan is
to be rebuilt. The 53-metre tall figure was carved from the Bamiyan valley
mountainside in the third or fourth century AD. Researchers at the University of
Zurich have agreed to create a virtual 3D representation of the Buddha, using
high-definition photographs taken during a 1970 survey. Craftsmen at the
Afghanistan Institute and Museum in Basle will use the 3D model to build a
six-metre-tall replica. They hope the Afghan people will invite them to recreate
the full-size statue once the country is stable again.