For contouring the relief of small palaeontological or
sedimentological objects the method of
Shadow Moiré Topography, already successfully applied
in other fields, is recommended. When a whitened
three-dimensional object is seen or photographed through a
grating and the illumining light bundle passes
through the same grating, equidistant planes of shadow can
be produced. The latter generate contour lines
on the object where they intersect its surface. The theory of
Shadow Moiré Topography is explained by the
principles of geometric optics. A simple and cost effective
apparatus is proposed and examples of contoured
objects are figured.