Articles by Alessandra Caravale

2023 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Developing a digital archaeology classification system using Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning techniques

Alessandra Caravale, Nicolau Duran-Silva, Berta Grimau, Paola Moscati, Bernardo Rondelli

Abstract

The Authors propose a knowledge map to analyse and access scientific contents related to Digital Archeology by leveraging various Machine Learning (ML) techniques. The case study concerns the articles published in our international journal «Archeologia e Calcolatori» in the decade from 2011 to 2020 and, as a benchmark, the publications in the ‘Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology’ (CAA) conference proceedings and journal. The titles and abstracts of the publications featured in these two data sets were analysed using a supervised classification approach into the subfields of computer science, based on the ACM’s taxonomy, and by applying topic modelling techniques to discover emergent topics, Named Entity Recognition to identify specific archaeologically relevant entities, and geotagging techniques to link articles with the geographical locations they discuss. The results achieved, although preliminary, provide some methodological suggestions: i) the opportunity to build custom analyses by taking advantage of the increasing availability of open data and metadata; ii) the scope of the contribution of archaeology, and in particular of computational archaeology, to the Heritage Science interdisciplinary domain; the heuristic and predictive role of different ML techniques to gain a multi-faceted access to data analysis and interpretation.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.2, 9-32; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.2.2023.01

2021 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Archaeological Computing and the MetroArchaeo International Conference Award: an introduction

Alessandra Caravale

Abstract

Introduction to the section ARCHAEOLOGICAL COMPUTING: SELECTED PAPERS FROM THE 2020 IMEKO TC-4 METROARCHAEO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.2, 155-156; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.2.2021.13

2020 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

From databases to archaeological online resources. The logic of object classification

Alessandra Caravale

Abstract

Since the 1970s, the development of archaeological databases has characterised the history of archaeological computing. The paper presents a summary of the pivotal early projects, with a particular focus on Italy and France, up to the current projects shared online. They are constantly monitored by the international journal Archeologia e Calcolatori, that since 1990 is an observatory of theoretical and methodological aspects of computing and information technology applied to archaeology.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.2, 133-144; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.2.2020.13

2020 Open Access Review Download PDF BibTeX

Note e Recensioni

Alessandra Piergrossi, Alessandra Caravale, Virginie Fromageot-Laniepce

Abstract

Notes: "What is F.A.I.R.?", by A. Piergrossi (p. 253-257). Reviews: "Antonio Bertini, Immacolata Caruso, Gemma Teresa Colesanti, Tiziana Vitolo (eds.), Cultura in transito. Ricerca e tecnologie per il patrimonio culturale, Roma 2020, L’Erma di Bretschneider", by A. Caravale (p. 257-260); "Elisabeth Zadora-Rio, Henri Galinie (dir.), L’église de Rigny et ses abords. De la colonia de Saint-Martin de Tours au transfert du centre paroissial (600-1865), Caen 2020, Presses Universitaires de Caen, Édition numérique en libre accès (https://www.unicaen.fr/puc/rigny/)", by V. Fromageot-Laniepce (p. 260-262).

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.1, 253-264; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.1.2020.12

2019 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Archeologia e Calcolatori. Classificazione geografica e tematica per la condivisione della conoscenza

Francesca Cantone, Alessandra Caravale

Abstract

The 30th anniversary of ‘Archeologia e Calcolatori’ has offered the chance to focus on its rich repository of scientific contents and to envisage further strategies to better classify the journal’s papers. Mapping web resources is crucial in organizing and managing cultural information in the Semantic Web and Internet of Things (IoT) perspective. In this context, the editorial board has decided to adopt geographical and chronological annotation strategies and to implement established gazetteers of geographical and historical entities. The first step in this annotation project was to experiment with the ‘Recogito’ Pelagios tool, an international initiative aimed at facilitating better associations between online resources documenting the past. Furthermore, an analysis has been undertaken by means of Social Network Analysis techniques, which in the last years has been developed to cover a wide interdisciplinary field of study, including social and behavioral sciences, economics, psychology, anthropology. The paper illustrates the main results, to highlight connections between themes and technologies in the papers published over the last ten years.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 93-107; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.07

2019 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

La banca dati bibliografica degli anni Novanta. Dati quantitativi e analisi statistiche

Alessandra Caravale, Letizia Ceccarelli

Abstract

Recent research work, carried out as part of the international project on 'The History of Archaeological Computing', jointly promoted by the Italian National Research Council and the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, has created the premises by which to publish online the database of the Bibliography of Archaeological Computing. The database was regularly implemented during the first ten years of publication of the international scholarly journal 'Archeologia e Calcolatori' (1990-1999), and covers a period ranging from 1989 to 2000. The dataset was revised and made available online in the 'Virtual Museum of Archaeological Computing', featuring more than 2,700 titles. Data structuring and updating led us to re-appreciate the analysis of the results, published for the first time in the tenth issue of the journal, by also linking the period under investigation with the achievements of the previous decades and anticipating the challenges of the years to come. This article sets out both the research work now being carried out to classify bibliographical information and the results obtained from the statistical analysis of the dataset.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 109-122; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.08

2019 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Il laboratorio di informatica per la Villa di Cottanello (RI): lo studio delle terrecotte architettoniche

Alessandra Caravale, Antonio D'Eredità, Carla Sfameni, Giorgio Trojsi

Abstract

Since 2012 the Istituto di Studi sul Mediterraneo Antico - CNR has been conducting an interdisciplinary research programme at the Roman villa of Cottanello (RI). The results of these investigations have been published in a recent work (Pensabene, Sfameni 2017). This paper presents some new studies on the villa, related, in particular, to the development of a website created with the CMS Museo and Web. The implementation of the website gave the opportunity to expand the research on the architectural terracottas, that represent one of the most important and conspicuous groups of ancient material found during the excavations. In particular, the article presents the online database of terracottas, their three-dimensional graphic reconstruction and some archaeometric analysis. The paper provides also an overview on other residential contexts, in which similar decorative terracottas were found.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 159-182; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.11

2018 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Accessibilità e disseminazione dei dati nell’esperienza dell’ISMA

Marco Arizza, Alessandra Caravale, Alessandra Piergrossi

Abstract

The article describes research carried out by the Istituto di Studi sul MediterraneoAntico (ISMA). The CNR-ISMA is involved in many excavations for which permits are granted by the Archaeological Superintendency and in several open access publishing projects. In relation to these research projects, the article discusses the position of the researcher of a public institution regarding access and dissemination of data.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2018, 29, 101-109; doi: 10.19282/ac.29.2018.12

2017 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Le risorse bibliografiche di archeologia in rete. Un panorama in evoluzione

Alessandra Caravale

Abstract

The article describes some bibliographic works carried out as part of the research line devoted to archaeological computing at the Istituto di Studi sul Mediterraneo Antico (ISMA), CNR. The work analyses, in particular, the rich bibliography on archaeological computing in the 1990s published on the website Virtual Museum of Archaeological Computing (http://archaeologicalcomputing.lincei.it/) and the digital bibliographies of Massimo Pallottino, Sabatino Moscati and Mauro Cristofani, some leading figures in our Institute’s history. Next, the text explores some examples of bibliographic resources available online (those relating to open texts and those relating to simple bibliographic references) and also describes some recently launched projects dedicated to virtual libraries and digital infrastructures in the field of human sciences.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.1, 257-270; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.1.2017.15

2016 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

I bronzi del Museo Claudio Faina di Orvieto: una banca dati

Alessandra Caravale

Abstract

A recent project related to the research line dedicated to Archaeology and Information Society of ISMA-CNR is the website Sethlans. Bronzi del Museo Faina (http://bronzifaina.isma.cnr.it/). This website, planned using the CMS open source Museo and Web (OTEBAC), is dedicated to the bronzes in the Claudio Faina Museum in Orvieto. The numerous bronze objects are catalogued in a database, complete with colour and black and white images and virtual links to other databases available in Internet. The paper also briefly describes other ISMA projects, like the one dedicated to the Virtual museum of archaeological computing.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2016, Supplemento 8, 229-235

2015 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Archaeological computing and ISMA projects

Alessandra Caravale

Abstract

Paper presented at the Italic inscriptions and databases workshop.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2015, 26, 17-18; doi: 10.19282/ac.26.2015.04

2012 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Archeologia in rete. Le riviste open access: risorse e prospettive

Alessandra Caravale, Alessandra Piergrossi

Abstract

This article is intended to provide an overview of archaeological open access journals, with particular reference to Italy and a general survey of the situation in France and the Anglo-Saxon countries. The Internet is now established as an important tool for the dissemination of knowledge and exchange in research; all sectors are adapting to this new environment, including that of classical studies, which more than any other remains attached to traditional forms of knowledge transmission and publication. Alongside published journals, online open access journals (of which we describe some examples related to the above mentioned geographic areas) are increasing considerably, and are acquiring an important role for the publication of research studies. The article also provides a brief overview on open access features and creative commons licenses.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2012, 23, 187-207; doi: 10.19282/ac.23.2012.11

2009 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

La catalogazione informatica del patrimonio archeologico

Alessandra Caravale

Abstract

The article presents a brief description of the principal institutions which, during the 1970s and 1980s, were in charge of the computer cataloguing of their respective national cultural heritages, with specific emphasis on archaeological heritage. Particular attention is dedicated to the Italian experience, with some reference to the situation in England and in France during the same period. The 1970s and 1980s are, in fact, two particularly remarkable decades, in which centralised national projects followed the first isolated experimentations, and developed tools, such as lexicons and thesauri, as well as techniques for indexing and information retrieval. The article focuses in particular on the activity conducted in Italy by the Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione (ICCD), as well as that of the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa. As far as England is concerned, the author describes the pioneer research work of the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME), founded in 1908, and, more recently, that of the Archaeology Data Service (ADS); for France, the author focuses on the work conducted since 1964 by the Inventaire général des monuments et richesses artistiques de la France.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2009, 20, 179-187; doi: 10.19282/ac.20.2009.16