Articles by Daniele Ferdani

This paper proposes an updated reconstructive hypothesis of the structures that form the forum of Roselle (GR) in its last monumental phase (Trajan-Hadrian), drawing on new data from the PRIN PNRR GreatT project. The area underwent a gradual process of regularisation and monumentalisation from the Etruscan to the Roman period, with frequent reuse or modification of pre-existing structures. The buildings were therefore digitally modelled as three-dimensional volumes. This reconstruction proved crucial for evaluating – through simulations – structural interpretations concerning the articulation, form and dimensions of the various structures as well as for clarifying uncertain chronological aspects of the remains. Moreover, visualisation through graphic rendering and real time 3D navigation interfaces contributes to an immediate understanding of the spatial layout of the area and the visual perception of the structures. The preserved remains, together with the presence of an excavation trench in the centre of the square – which currently makes the space appear divided into two distinct sectors – complicate the diachronic interpretation of the complex. The proposed reconstruction enabled further visibility analyses applied to the 3D models in order to investigate topographical choices of location and orientation, as well as to test metadata management systems required for the reconstruction process, particularly within the web3D environment.

The archaeology of standing buildings and archaeological survey are the essential prerequisite to properly investigate and interpret the evolution of historical buildings. Technological advances in recent years have led to an improvement in the methodologies and tools for three-dimensional survey and data analysis. However, so far, many of these tools and methods are not fully integrated in the archaeological practice, and their potential is only partially exploited. In some cases, technology becomes the goal and not the tool to answer research questions. Often, its implementation is only limited to documentation, while the analytical contribution is ignored. The article illustrates a method already well established in the research activities of the DHiLab laboratory of the CNR ISPC, which makes use of three-dimensional survey and visualization techniques as support tools for the analysis and interpretation of the medieval fortification of San Marino, including the three Towers and the city walls. The aim is to solve interpretative issues and answer complex research questions in order to better document and analyse the urban context and to reconstruct its architectural evolution in the late medieval and post-medieval periods.