Articles by Paolo Perfido

Archaeology contains a strange contradiction in itself. It is compelled to destroy all that emerges from the past in order to know and keep memory of it. It removes from its original position findings brought to light during digging. Ruins, graves, everyday objects are documented, photographed, catalogued and carried away. Then, they are no longer replaced in their former position save exceptional cases. This procedure emphasises the importance of graphic and photographic documentation of archaeological sciences. From this perspective, the Apulian Archaeological office has recently carried out experiments in the application of informatics to survey and graphical documentation in some excavations made in the province of Bari. This experience has helped to define a set of methodologies to allow CAD programmes to be used even by inexperienced operators. Thanks to these methodologies complex situations like graves, ruins and sections have been easily documented with great precision and in a short time.