A progressive coding and decoding method of three-dimensional (3D) mesh data used in the fields of motion picture experts group-4 synthetic and natural hybrid coding (MPEG-4 SNHC), virtual reality modelling language (VRML) and the like. In transmitting 3D objects composed of 3D mesh data, it is very important to progressively restore transmitted data as well as to effectively code the 3D mesh data. In the progressive restoration, in the event that a transmission data error is generated, partial restoration of the transmitted data is allowed. Thus, it is possible to minimize the amount of mesh data to be transmitted again. The progressive restoration method which is resistant to such transmission errors can be effectively applied in wireless communications or low transmission rate communications. In the progressive coding and decoding method, connectivity, geometry and photometry necessary for progressively coding 3D mesh data are constructed and then coded/decoded, thereby providing data resilience against errors.