Caryatid Porch undergoing Restoration by Lasers and Ultrasound

If you've visited the Parthenon lately, you may have noticed what appears to be a glassed-in area behind the reproduction Caryatid statues. It turns out that this isn't a newly-created office space, but instead is a temporary chamber allowing high-tech analysis and cleaning of the interior walls and ceiling of the area. The tools include combining different types of laser beams after analyzing the walls using ultrasound. The results on part of the Parthenon itself are extraordinary, revealing long-lost traces of color and even some inscriptions which were invisible under decades of dirt, soot, and pollution.

The technology is a home-grown one developed by Crete's Foundation for Research and Technology. The initial process is expected to be complete in about a year, but continued treatments will remove additional pollutants as they are deposited on the marble.