A good archaeologist needs brawn as well as brains to reconstruct a fragmented relic-pieces of objects such as stone statues can be heavy and must be manipulated carefully, since each move risks damage. Sometimes restorers even build external frames to hold fragments in position while other pieces are fitted, and there's always concern when the time comes to glue parts together that each is in the right place.

But computer-based imaging is changing how archaeology is done-possibly eliminating much of the heavy lifting. Researchers at the Museum of Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses in Xi'an, China, want to eliminate muscle and mishap from the restoration process by handling fragments in virtual space. There, the pieces could be endlessly arranged and rearranged and imperfections smoothed over. The team has an army of artifacts to work with: The scientists have been experimenting with ways to reconstruct digitally some of the 3,000 famous life-size terra cotta statues uncovered at the Museum's site.