Articles by Subject

Subject field

Documentation, conservation and restoration

2024 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

3D/4D visualisation for documenting and editing images of pre-roman Italy: the ICAR database

Natacha Lubtchansky, Alban-Brice Pimpaud

Abstract

It has been over twenty years since the ICAR database of figurative scenes from pre-Roman Italy (Etruscan, Italic, Italiote) was first made available online to researchers, students and the general public (http://icar.huma-num.fr/, 2002-, ISSN 2491-2301). The database is a tool for documentation and research into ancient iconography, bringing together the major corpora of images from pre-Roman Italy and providing the main information (archaeological, historical, stylistic, discovery, conservation, bibliographical) relating to them. Since 2000, ICAR has been developing its activities in association with various iconographic research programmes. Over the last ten years the database has also taken into account the modern documentation of the ancient artefacts and offers a data interoperability portal bringing together all the international collections preserving modern reproductions of Etruscan painting. Within this framework, we developed an exploratory tool (ICAR 4D) to combine high-definition 3D digitizations of two Etruscan painted tombs (the tombs of the Bigas and of Orcus in Tarquinia) with all the drawings and paintings produced over more than a century since the discovery of the two monuments. This tool uses cross-browser and open-source libraries to digitally expose and allow 3-D real-time online examination of both tombs’ models and their rich graphical documentation.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.1, 173-192; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.1.2024.13

2024 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

BIM e archeologia: i casi studio degli anfiteatri romani di Verona e Pola

Luca Doria, Caterina Previato

Abstract

In recent years, the experience gained in the field of historical built heritage has led scholars to propose Building Information Modeling as a new approach to archaeological research, fostering the birth and development of a new method to be ascribed to the vast family of BIM processes: ArchaeoBIM. What are the advantages and limitations of this technique? What specific skills does it require? What is its value in terms of costs and benefits? What difficulties does it present? To what results does it lead? The following contribution aims to answer these questions and to analyse the potential, advantages and limits of this particular field of application of BIM through the presentation of two case studies, namely the Roman amphitheatres of Verona and Pula, for each of which a BIM model has been created based on data obtained through traditional archaeological research methods. To this end, after an excursus on the genesis and development of BIM and its application to contexts belonging to the historical built environment and archaeology, the workflow followed, the tools used, the difficulties encountered and the results obtained will be illustrated for each case study.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.1, 427-445; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.1.2024.26

2024 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Un Virtual Immersive movie per la fruizione del patrimonio archeologico: il viaggio nella “Tomba della Regina” di Sirolo-Numana

Paolo Clini, Renato Angeloni, Mirco D’Alessio, Giacomo Bardelli, Stefano Finocchi

Abstract

The paper presents a workflow aimed at documenting, disseminating, and making archaeological heritage more accessible. To preserve scientific rigour and data accuracy, also providing an emotional experience to the audience, the entire process was carried out through the collaborative efforts of three professionals: the archaeologist, the digitization expert, and the entertainment industry professional. The case study is a pre-Roman necropolis located in the “I Pini” archaeological area (Marche Region, Italy). The site presents several circular burials, one of which belongs to a female figure known as the “Queen”, which became the central focus of the narrative. The first working step was the digital documentation of a selection of the findings from the “Queen’s” tomb, currently displayed at the Antiquarium Statale of Numana, followed by the virtual reconstruction of the burial. Then, the obtained 3D models were used to generate a Virtual Immersive Movie (VIM) which allows visitors to immerse themselves in the virtual reconstruction and interact with the archaeological findings using a Head-mounted Display. The evaluation of the user experience proved the effectiveness of the VIM. The scores obtained from the questionnaire will also serve as inspiration for further enhancements, aiming to deliver a more interactive and improved educational experience.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.1, 473-490; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.1.2024.28

2024 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Entertainment buildings in the Roman empire: a quantitative approach

Lucia Marsicano, Marco Montanari

Abstract

The project features the creation of a webGIS containing heterogeneous data about entertainment buildings in the whole Roman Empire: stadiums, circuses, theaters, and amphitheaters. Information available in earlier studies have been integrated with more recent historical information, modern maps, and satellite data. This geo-database of the Roman structures gives access to information such as localization, name, country, if there are any archaeological remains and if the monument is still visible. The results of the presented work are useful to 1) analyze the relationship between buildings and surrounding lands, 2) perform advanced hypothesis about the accessibility to the structures or the role of these type of buildings in the urbanistic context, 3) understand relationship between entertainment and society and 4) identify concentrations of structures in certain regions. This research is mostly focused on the study of satellite images, published and historical sources. A substantial level of attention has been dedicated to the reusability and availability of the collected data.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.2, 55-62; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.2.2024.07

2024 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

The Abade Artificial Archaeological Site Project

Diogo Menezes Costa

Abstract

The Abade Artificial Archaeological Site Project (AAASP) employed computer simulations to recreate a 19th -century Brazilian mining village that was destroyed in an environmental conflict. The simulations integrate laser scans of ruins, 3D modeling, historical data, and material evidence to reconstruct the site in a virtual environment accurately. After researching 31 simulation programs, the project utilized AnyLogic software (https://www.anylogic.com/) for the final phase. One base model was the ‘Serial Killers’ simulation in AnyLogic, modeling criminal behavior in an urban setting. This laid the groundwork for the more extensive historically accurate ‘Abade 10’ simulation, precisely replicating the Lavras do Abade conflict within set parameters. The ‘Abade 10’ model incorporates system dynamics, agent behaviors, connections, and an experiment simulating the 3-day conflict timeline in 1887. Preliminary findings indicate all victim agents were fatally assaulted within 30 minutes in the simulations, aligning with historical records of intermittent attacks before the village’s destruction. Upon completion, the AAASP aims to be an open repository that allows other researchers to validate, adjust, and enhance the model with new data. The project demonstrates the potential of virtual archaeology to test hypotheses, plan fieldwork, share models globally, and inspire public engagement by immersing users in accurate ancient environments.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.2, 137-146; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.2.2024.15

2024 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Virtual recreation as a valid scientific representation for raising public awareness

Pablo Sicre-González, José Ortiz-García

Abstract

Virtual Archaeology is a developing scientific discipline that seeks to open windows into the past. Born from the ‘Seville Principles’, it is a powerful tool in the virtualisation of heritage, promoting a multidisciplinary approach and overcoming professional individualism. A case study is presented on the virtual recreation of the Roman city of Épora in Montoro (Córdoba, Spain) using historical-archaeological and literary data. Virtual reconstruction differs from virtual recreation in its focus on the physical representation of archaeological elements, while virtual recreation focuses on the visual recovery of the past of a specific archaeological site or context, which is not fully or partially confirmed. The study shows how Virtual Archaeology tools and protocols can be improved and highlights the need for specific forums to collectively discuss and improve the discipline.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.2, 147-156; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.2.2024.16

2024 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Reviving the past: utilizing the Extended Matrix tool for Deacon Thomas Dayr virtual reconstruction

Sara Fabbri

Abstract

The use of the Extended Matrix in the planning of the Mount Nebo virtual archaeological park allows for the creation of virtual models. The models facilitate the rediscovery and understanding of sites in the surroundings of the Moses Memorial on Mount Nebo that are difficult for tourists to access, ensuring the virtual preservation and memory of these sites. The use of the Extended Matrix as the basis for virtual reconstructions guarantees a philologically correct reconstruction based on reliable sources. The possibility of verifying the sources used and the reconstructive process of the author, at any time, ensures a transparent reconstruction. Sharing this data also makes it possible to have access to large databases that can be implemented and modified over time to keep them up to date.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.2, 187-196; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.2.2024.20

2023 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

A statue of Athena in the sanctuary of Apollo in Hierapolis (Phrygia): from the fragments to the 3D reconstruction

Grazia Semeraro, Katia Mannino, Vincenzo Ria

Abstract

In 2005-2006 the excavations in the Sanctuary of Apollo conducted by the Italian Archaeological Mission in Hierapolis in Phrygia (MAIER) brought to light about sixty fragments of a larger-than-life marble statue of Athena. This paper presents the discovery, highlighting the role played in the research by digital technologies, especially 3D modelling and reconstruction techniques, the application of which mitigated the highly fragmentary nature of the evidence. The first section of the paper highlights the importance of the context of discovery of the fragments, which were found, together with other sculptural and architectural elements, in front of Temple B, in a deposit of discarded material related to the destruction in situ of part of the sanctuary’s decorations in the Byzantine period. The second section describes the plan drawn up by the MAIER to publish a comprehensive scientific description of the sculptures of the Sanctuary of Apollo. The project aims to reconstruct the sculptural decoration of the sacred area in the Imperial period, combining information on the types of statuary and the iconographic subjects and themes with excavation data and the epigraphical documentation from the sacred area. The project includes the study of the statue of Athena, for which this paper provides the description and the results of the historic and artistic analyses. The final section is centered on the process that led from the creation of the digital model to the virtual reconstruction of the statue of Athena and, lastly, to the 3D printing of the reconstructive hypothesis. Digital models were created for many of the sculpture fragments of the Sanctuary of Apollo. Saved in a database designed to store data on the sculptures, these models facilitate the study of the documentation and have proved to be extremely useful for the dissemination of the finds to the public, especially in problematic situations that limit or impede access to the evidence, as was the case during the Covid-19 pandemic.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.2, 297-316; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.2.2023.16

2023 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Metodologie integrate per lo studio e la ricostruzione della quadriga bronzea di Ercolano nel Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli

Stefania Pafumi, Francesco Gabellone, Fabiana Cerasa

Abstract

The bronze quadriga of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, recovered in fragments at different times in the history of the Herculaneum excavations, represent a case study of interdisciplinary importance. Its reconstruction has never been attempted so far, due to the many factors of uncertainty that weigh on its knowledge. A new study, reconstruction and enhancement project was launched in 2020-2021 by the CNR-ISMed in cooperation with the National Archaeological Museum of Naples with the aim of producing new scientific knowledge and restoring the beauty and uniqueness of the recomposed original monument to public use. The interpretative problems related to the quadriga are numerous, complex and, concerning archaeology and its methods, they span from the study of sources and excavations records to in-depth knowledge of Roman statuary, casting techniques and the iconographic and stylistic characteristics of Roman bronzes. In this scenario, the application of methodologies and technologies combined with traditional investigations represents an innovative integrated method. Thanks to the digital verification of hypotheses, it can produce, on solid scientific bases, a virtual reconstruction of the investigated monument. This not only makes the costs for scientific research more sustainable, but enables restoration work to be directed by optimising time and resources.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.2, 317-338; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.2.2023.17

2022 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Applicazione del rilevamento geomatico alla Domus della regina d’Inghilterra a Pompei (VII, 14, 5): risultati preliminari

Alice Capobianco, Sara Gagliolo

Abstract

This work arises from the collaboration between the Laboratory of Archaeological Research Methodologies and the Laboratory of Geomatics of the University of Genoa, based on a multidisciplinary approach, combining archaeological and engineering skills. Since 2016, the team of archaeologists from the University of Genoa has been working inside the Pompeii Archaeological Park in the shops of insula 14 of Regio VII, an important area within the urban context as it overlooks Via dell’Abbondanza, the most important road, and it is located in a central position, in proximity to the main public areas, such as the Forum. From the beginning of the project to the present day, the archaeology team has analysed the tabernae from a stratigraphic point of view. So, simultaneously with the excavation activity, a stratigraphic analysis of the walls and coatings was carried out, involving both the commercial establishments being excavated and the three large houses of the insula, mainly focusing on the most western one, named ‘Casa della Regina d’Inghilterra’. In September 2020, a survey campaign was carried out by geomatics engineers aiming to applying innovative survey methodologies to the architectural complex of the entire insula and, specifically, to the ‘Casa della Regina d’Inghilterra’. In particular, the survey data were collected by total station, GNSS, laser scanner, combined with terrestrial and UAV photogrammetry. This paper presents the preliminary results obtained from the geomatic survey campaign, leading to the creation of an accurate photogrammetric model which can be used as a basis for a reconstructive model, whose hypotheses will be confirmed or denied by a future structural analysis.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.1, 17-34; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.1.2022.02

2022 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Scansioni dinamiche in archeologia dell’architettura: test e valutazioni metriche del sensore LiDAR di Apple

Andrea Fiorini

Abstract

Cutting-edge mobile phones and tablets marketed by Apple, equipped with a LiDAR sensor, are able to measure the three-dimensional position of objects and reconstruct their surface. At present, specific publications illustrating the potential of this sensor in the field of archaeology are not known. The first part of the article explains its functioning; the second deals with its limitations; the third describes its use in an architectural survey of two buildings; the fourth proves its usefulness in the architectural field, particularly in the study of archaeological standing buildings (archaeology of architecture). In light of the tests performed, it can be stated that the LiDAR offers centimetre-level accuracy and is therefore of great interest in the field of archaeology, also considering its relatively low cost, its ease of manoeuvring and fast acquisition of data, compared to other scanning systems. The LiDAR may become a common tool in the field of archaeology in the future if investments in this technology continue, producing sensors capable of measuring more accurately (the current maximum coverage is 5 m) and software (apps) that can produce flawless textures and more uniform sampling of space. In its current state of development, the sensor is not suitable for precise modelling of small-size objects, while it is useful for the archaeological documentation of masonry, architectural elements and walls. In addition, it is the ideal tool for obtaining floor maps and three-dimensional models of small-sized environments.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.1, 35-54; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.1.2022.03

2022 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Dal rilievo all’analisi di superfici complesse: il caso della pseudo-cupola di Galla Placidia

Manuela Incerti

Abstract

Previous studies conducted on the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia (between AD 432 and AD 450) have allowed us to identify the geometric rule used for the creation of its starry sky and to propose the initial considerations about the morphology of its pseudo-dome. At first sight, the turns of the stars describe regular circumferences that seem to lie on a plane, in reality their trend is a space curve resulting from a projection on the surface of the ceiling from a point centrally located, approximately at the height of the base of the windows. The geometry underlying this tracing is based on a series of cones whose angle at the vertex increases progressively, and whose materialization is possible thanks to the knowledge of the operating principle of the astronomical instrument called Triquetro and Ptolemy’s table of chords. Apparently irregular, the ceiling is set on a parallelogram and is not traceable to operations of revolution of a curve, a cross vault or a pavilion vault. The section of the mesh with a set of horizontal planes with a distance of 10 cm has generated a set of curves, all different from each other, which we perceive connected by an unusual rule, not yet investigated. An initial analysis allowed to verify that we are dealing with hyperbolas. The present work proposes to continue the investigation of these curves and to hypothesize a construction technique that can be adopted in the context of a building site.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.1, 55-72; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.1.2022.04

2022 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Il mausoleo di Cecilia Metella tra documentazione grafica analogica e digitale: un approccio metodologico multidisciplinare

Carlo Inglese, Simone Lucchetti

Abstract

The paper presents the first results of the Cecilia Metella Project, at the ‘Parco dell’Appia Antica’. The prominent monument is dedicated to the noble Roman woman, whose life can only be deduced from what can be read from the epigraph carved in marble. Although the monument is probably the most famous and characteristic one of the regina viarum near the city, even today the knowledge of the mausoleum – at least from the point of view of digital acquisition and analysis of the graphic documentation – appears incomplete and therefore deserves to be deepening. The new technological frontiers and their integrated use in the field of cultural heritage allow scholars to have more accurate and complete tools at their disposal. These multidisciplinary applications make it possible to acquire, in a rapid and quick way, the physical and spatial dimension of very complex and stratified archaeological contexts such as the mausoleum of Cecilia Metella. In this context, the richness of the graphic evidence of the mausoleum allowed for in-depth comparative analyses regarding the iconographical documentation and its relationship with the physical monument acquired with modern survey techniques. This study therefore aims to update the state of the art of the tomb and to define a methodological protocol for the acquisition and critical analysis of the monument.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.1, 73-90; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.1.2022.05

2022 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Il contributo dell’Università degli Studi del Molise allo studio delle tecniche murarie di età romana attraverso l'uso di metodologie informatiche. Due esempi di applicazione

Maria Notardonato

Abstract

This article is the result of a research project currently being conducted at the University of Molise (Italy), aimed at drawing a cognitive framework of Roman building techniques in today’s Molise Region. The methods used to pursue this objective are specifically linked to masonry walls analysis, with an innovative interdisciplinary approach, entailing the use of a database, which is the result of the work of an international team of researchers (ACoR), in addition to the use of experimental methods to analyse the metric and the GIS platform to manage the geo-localization of the sites. Two different case studies are included in this paper, such as a Roman villa, i.e. a private building, in the municipality of San Giuliano del Sannio (CB), and a theatre, i.e. a public construction, in the municipality of Venafro (IS). Thanks to the different nature of the two examples, a different approach was used in analysing the parameters. For the private villa, the method employed was a stratigraphic reading of the structure, performed analytically; whereas for the public building, given its construction complexity being examined and the lack of results from the archaeological investigation, a sample method with metric parameter analysis was applied – already tested on the sites of Olimpia, Ostia and Cuma. The main aim is to contribute, through an extremely accurate analysis, filing, and geo-localization system, in the understanding of an area which is still under-researched and in which architectural information are extremely fragmented and little known.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.1, 113-134; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.1.2022.07

2022 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Metodologie a supporto ricerca storico-archivistica e per la trasparenza del modello HBIM del Lazzaretto di Ancona nel progetto di Luigi Vanvitelli

Raissa Mammoli, Marina Inì, Ramona Quattrini

Abstract

In the Cultural Heritage domain, the potential of BIM for the built heritage is well known. However, research in Historical Building Information Modeling (HBIM) is still developing and deserves new experiments. Currently, the main objectives are the model transparency, meaning that sources and reliability of information can be linked to the model and retrieved from it, for a better interoperability and multi-disciplinary collaboration. Given the proliferation of 3D models, both informed and uninformed, and their increasing quality, there is a need to protect this heritage and provide useful uses beyond visualisation. This research not only addresses the challenge of creating an informed three-dimensional model capable of showing and documenting the evolution and transformation of the building, but also aims to achieve an output that can be used by historical experts who contribute to the creation and validation of the information apparatus. The case study is the Lazzaretto in Ancona, designed by Luigi Vanvitelli in the 18th century: it is an example of a building that shows the material culture of its time. The information gained from the primary sources, which contribute to the analysis of early modern notions of contagion, are merged with the analysis of the built environment. The proposed HBIM model is the result of interdisciplinary research between history and digital survey/representation and aims to provide the greatest transparency of knowledge in both areas. The informed model shows how the data improvement through HBIM platforms is a powerful tool to support historical-archival research and guarantees the transparency of the model.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.1, 157-178; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.1.2022.09

2022 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Rilievo per la modellazione e la gestione informativa HBIM. Approccio multicomponente per l’analisi strutturale e il restauro di edifici storici

Elena Gigliarelli, Giovanni Cangi, Luciano Cessari

Abstract

The architectural survey for the restoration of a monument is closely linked to the conservation objectives, the research methodology, and the application of multiple direct an indirect investigation techniques for the construction of adequate geometric and informative models. In particular, the paper aims to understand and evaluate a building from its structural characteristics, developing a methodology that, from the geomatic survey, deconstructs the building itself into elements and articulates them in a HBIM platform, which integrates a set of five semantic models representing the architectural components and construction abaci. The approach applies this survey method and modelling workflow to the study of some post-Byzantine monasteries in Albania with a focus on the structural conditions of the church of S. Maria in Goranxi that presents problems of instability due to phases of expansion and over construction.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.1, 135-155; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.1.2022.08

2022 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Il contributo dell’archeologia digitale allo studio e all’interpretazione dell’edilizia storica. Il caso di San Marino

Daniele Ferdani, Emanuel Demetrescu, Gianluca Bottazzi, Paola Bigi

Abstract

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.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.1, 181-200; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.1.2022.10

2022 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Analisi e documentazione archeologica dell’edilizia storica in aree a rischio sismico: dall’atlante dei tipi costruttivi murari all’impiego delle moderne tecnologie di rilievo

Andrea Arrighetti

Abstract

Knowledge is an essential operating procedure in any project involving direct intervention in historic buildings. Reading the stratification of natural and anthropic events on the architecture, providing the careful evaluation of its historical-constructive complexity, is a crucial step towards a full knowledge of the formal and physical characteristics of the building under analysis. The contribution, starting from the revision of the sheets used for documenting historical buildings in areas at seismic risk within the Ministry project of the ‘Atlante dei Tipi Costruttivi Murari d’Italia’, aims to illustrate, by means of a distinctive case study, that of the Pieve di Sant’Agata, how the contribution of modern surveying technology has significantly improved the recording of archaeo-seismological data both qualitatively and quantitatively. This information, once interpreted, provides a full historical, constructive and seismic understanding of the architectures, helping the process of historical knowledge of the context under study and, at the same time, the documentation, evaluation and planning of the restoration work.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.1, 201-218; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.1.2022.11

2022 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Dallo studio alla ricostruzione: fonti e metodologie per la rappresentazione di un contesto perduto. Il caso dei granai e fienili al complesso di Domiziano (Foro Romano-Palatino)

Fabrizio Sommaini

Abstract

Nowadays, new surveying technologies and 3D modelling techniques allow high precision reconstructions of lost historical contexts. Indeed, in recent times, modern and broader perspectives of the archaeological research push to analyze post-ancient contexts with stratigraphic methods. The case of study concerns granaries and barns erected in the Early-modern age on the ancient ruins belonging to the Complex of the Emperor Domitian (Roman Forum-Palatine). At the end of 19th century, these modern structures were demolished. Now, significant traces on the ancient architectures (3D photogrammetry survey) and the large number of iconographic sources (organized in a digital database) give the possibility to reconstruct this block of vernacular buildings, with significant implications both on the scientific documentation and on the dissemination.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.1, 219-238; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.1.2022.12

2022 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Rilievo, documentazione e ricostruzione di un centro monumentale con fotogrammetria e modellazione tridimensionali: il caso della città romana di Sala

Rossella Pansini

Abstract

The paper analyses the practise of surveying and reconstruction of the buildings in a Roman North Africa monumental centre by means of photogrammetry and three-dimensional modeling. Photogrammetry, in particular, proves to be an efficient and economic method for field analysis, although it has limitations in terms of processing time and the need for very powerful computers. Photogrammetric models, characterized by a high volumetric and colorimetric quality, constitute an ideal basis for reconstruction by means of 3D modeling, particularly in the case of research, such as this one, related to the Archaeology of Construction.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.1, 239-256; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.1.2022.13

2022 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

La digitalizzazione per la documentazione, lo studio e la fruizione di un sito archeologico. La VR experience del teatro di Ricina

Paolo Clini, Renato Angeloni, Mirco D’Alessio, Roberto Perna, David Sforzini

Abstract

This paper presents a workflow developed thanks to the collaboration between archae- ologists and engineers, aimed at the documentation, representation and virtual fruition of an archaeological site. The purpose is to exploit the data acquired through digital solutions and the consequent elaboration of a reality 3D model to support archaeological studies and to effectively disseminate their results. The presented case study is the Roman Theatre of Ricina (Villa Potenza, MC). The building has preserved much of its masonry, but it is very different from that which could be appreciated by the audience of theatrical performances in Roman times. The work has been developed according to three steps: 1) digital documentation of the site and elaboration of a reality-based 3D model; 2) study of the archaeological finds thanks to the reality-based 3D model and design of a possible reconstruction, represented through a second 3D model elaborated by anastylosis; 3) development of a Virtual Reality environment for the fruition and the interaction with the two 3D models. The final output is therefore an immersive VR application that offers the possibility to access to the theatre both in its current form and in the original one. An experience that is not limited to a simple visualization rather presenting itself as a guided tour across the centuries.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.1, 279-296; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.1.2022.15

2020 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

L’architetto, l’archeologo e Nostradamus

Luigi Marino

Abstract

When performing restoration work, it is not only the technical elements that come into play, but also social, economic and cultural aspects. This approach sees restoration as one continuous flow of ideas and operational plans, based on a fusion of disciplines and on collaboration between multiple players. These players, in various ways and for different motives, all take part in a restoration project, from diagnostics and planning to construction site management and even until the final result can be enjoyed by users, and they do so by constantly respecting the uniqueness of each individual situation. The collaborative relationships and partnerships formed on a restoration site foster a sense of belonging and mutual responsibility. The process of restoration may present a valuable opportunity for the community to come together, offering chances to raise cultural and civil awareness whilst encouraging people to collectively reflect on rediscovering and safeguarding local history. After all, a region may be embodied in a monument which the community can look to in order to identify and recognise themselves. The training of restoration architects is of particular importance in regions frequently affected by natural disasters or where local construction practices are being gradually left behind and traditional ways of living are undergoing radical transformation. If a restoration policy is to be considered conscientious and respectful of local communities, it must actively involve local people in restoration work. Attention should be paid to how these communities may dynamically evolve over time, as well as to the stresses and strains they are under. As such, projects must take account of a multitude of aspects: local cultures, the teaching of co-existence, the evolution of concepts regarding the conservation and restoration of historical and cultural sites and, finally, the remembrance and appreciation of traditions, as these traditions may be both unique and useful in imparting knowledge and providing first-hand evidence of traditional construction techniques.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.2, 85-93; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.2.2020.08

2020 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

A reconstructive proposal of Diocletian’s Baths for the 5G experimentation in Rome

Francesco Gabellone

Abstract

The 5G is the fifth generation of networks. It will officially arrive from 2020 to connect millions of devices all over the world with high speed and low latency, to enable advanced projects based on smart technologies, Internet of Things, smart cities and a new generation of smart houses. The use of this new high-speed connection will positively involve, in the near future, the virtual enjoyment of cultural heritage, allowing to offer new and more powerful solutions, especially in the field of immersive VR/AR visualization. On these premises we have carried out a project that aims to virtualize some spaces within the Diocletian Baths through innovative, immersive, emotional and persuasive solutions. The results are based on simple panoramas and 360° VR videos. However, they are enhanced with the stereoscopic vision and, above all, the animation of the scene, thus increasing the “sense of presence” of the user. The immersive visit within ancient spaces is populated with life, human figures and elements that increase the spatiality of reconstruction (sense of scale, presence, verisimilitude).

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.2, 189-198; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.2.2020.18

2020 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Structural monitoring of the Ninfeo Ponari by fibre optic sensors, photogrammetry and laser scanning

Michele Arturo Caponero, Marialuisa Mongelli, Maura Imbimbo, Giuseppe Modoni, Eugenio Polito, Ernesto Grande

Abstract

The Ninfeo Ponari is an ancient building dating back to the first century BC as part of a rich domus, located in the ancient Roman city of Casinum. It consists of two bodies: a rectangular room covered by a barrel vault and an atrium with no roof with a shallow pool in the middle, both paved with mosaics and decorated with wall paintings. The structural condition of the building is critical and its preservation is at risk, as it is located on a hill slope where some substantial sliding activity is occurring. Moreover, it is not protected by an efficient rainfall drainage system. Aim of this paper is to illustrate the strategies and the digital techniques recently applied to initiate a permanent monitoring of the building structural condition.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.2, 223-232; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.2.2020.21

2020 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

The shape of colour. The cave of San Michele on Monte Tancia (Italy)

Marco Carpiceci, Andrea Angelini

Abstract

Starting from the indications derived from the cartographic representation, the goal of the research project described in this paper was to experiment with different tests on the frescoed surfaces of rock-cut architecture for the visualization of the real shape of the subject. For the first time a 3D survey was carried out by the authors in the cave of San Michele on Monte Tancia to test different techniques of processing the numerical models in order to achieve the plane representation of random surfaces, including those with the frescoed plaster. This activity is part of a broader research program related to the investigation of rupestrian architecture, addressing problems of data representation.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.2, 233-244; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.2.2020.22

2020 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Applying digital tools as an effective support for conservation research and design process: the Rocca Janula castle in Cassino, Lazio

Magdalena Wałek

Abstract

The paper deals with the very extensive and complex topic of the conservation and adaptation of the medieval defensive castle of Rocca Janula in Cassino for the headquarters of the non-governmental organization Corvi di Giano. The castle is a very important building due to its location and its history. Its location makes it one of the two landmarks of the city’s landscape. Due to its connections with the Montecassino Monastery, it has a great cultural significance for Poland and Italy. The research described in this paper is an attempt to re-integrate the fortress into social life. The project is an example of the application of digital recording methods such as photogrammetry, HBIM technology and 3D printing. The integration of these methods allowed creating a database by which valorization practices were implemented and conservation guidelines were formulated.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.2, 245-256; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.2.2020.23

2020 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

AHP-based methodology integrating modern information technologies for historical masonry churches diagnosis

Valentino Sangiorgio, Silvia Martiradonna, Fabio Fatiguso, Giuseppina Uva

Abstract

Surveys conducted in the aftermath of recent earthquakes have shown that the structural and anti-seismic performances of historical masonry churches are related not only to structural damages and masonry quality but also to other key features such as effectiveness of connections, damages of wooden elements or criticalities related to humidity. Technical and scientific communities are interested in developing or improving existing procedures for the fast-visual survey and diagnostics in order to measure and analyze all the parameters affecting the building performance. In this paper a new procedure, that can be implemented in a Decision Support System (DSS) based on the Analytic Hierarchy Processes (AHP), is developed to perform a rapid visual survey and diagnostics of masonry building through a set of condition ratings. The originality of the presented work is fourfold: 1) the AHP allows to include in the analysis qualitative and quantitative data such as the quality of masonry and connections effectiveness; 2) the proposed survey and diagnostics performed by suitable condition ratings allow an extensive application in order to identify the most damaged buildings that require more detailed structural investigations; 3) the proposed AHP-based approach is integrated in a DSS to provide a powerful computerized tool, useful to large scale data acquisition; 4) the comparison with a standard diagnostics is performed to validate the procedure and emphasize the advantages of the novel diagnostics.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.2, 257-268; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.2.2020.24

2020 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Rule-based inferencing diagnosis in HBIM

Silvana Bruno, Antonella Musicco, Rosella Alessia Galantucci, Fabio Fatiguso

Abstract

The aim of this paper is the implementation of a methodological workflow for the diagnosis of masonry settlings, within the HBIM approach, developing a rule-based logical inference tool in Visual Programming Language. The rule-based inferencing diagnosis is a guided process, which increases the confidence factor about settlings and actual causes, on the basis of surveyors’ technical insights and evidences. The final step is the suggestion of appropriate interventions. The results show that inference logic is directly applicable to the diagnosis problem; their efficacy depends on i) the structured parametric and data modelling of decay patterns in the HBIM model and ii) the knowledge base training. The application has been validated on a case study, Masseria Don Cataldo (Bari, South Italy).

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.2, 269-280; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.2.2020.25

2017 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Costruzione e ricostruzione dell’Accademia di Villa Adriana: dall’analisi del monumento alla restituzione. Problemi e soluzioni nell’uso della tecnologia digitale

Adalberto Ottati

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to illustrate a study addressing the comprehension and architectural reconstruction of part of Hadrian’s Villa, the so called Accademia. The reconstruction of the monument has a double purpose: the understanding of the buildings and the creation of a virtual musealization. Archaeological data combined with digital reconstructions are aimed at making areas that are not accessible to visitors visible to users. In recent times, several reconstruction projects have been undertaken, producing relevant visual impacts. However, a careful study of the archaeological evidence often failed to support the reconstruction process. During the research project, a detailed survey of the archaeological evidence was conducted, using photogrammetry, photo scanning, and laser scanning techniques. The study produced important information accounting for both the building site and the construction choices made during the erection of the monument. The analysis generated new elements that allowed us to propose some new hypotheses regarding the identification and restitution of volumes, as well as the interpretation of some topographical, architectural and possibly ideological features. For this reason, the paper does not simply enquire into the reconstruction of an ancient building, but into the process of methodological experimentation required to understand, store, process and make data accessible, within the particular context of the Accademia. The methodological experimentation, based on a correct balance between new technologies and traditional research methods, helped us understand the monument, providing content to a reconstruction that otherwise would have been empty.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.1, 179-200; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.1.2017.11

2017 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Tecniche di documentazione dei tappeti musivi del sito archeologico di Umm Al-Rasas – Kastron Mefaa (Giordania), con Appendice di P. Galatà, S. Zavagnini

Fausto Gabrielli, Damiano Portarena, Mauro Franceschinis

Abstract

The research expedition of the CNR-ITABC in the archaeological site of Umm Al-Rasas, near Madaba (Jordan) was partially supported by the Italian Foreign Ministry. It started in 2013 and was mainly focused on the 3D documentation of two Byzantine churches with magnificent floor mosaics, dedicated to Saint Stephen and Bishop Sergius respectively. To improve the analysis of the archaeological structures, different investigation techniques were used and reciprocally integrated, in an effort to create geometric models enabling the interpretation of data related to the masonry and floor mosaics, as well as to the documentation of the archaeological area. In order to facilitate handling and mobility, lightweight tools were chosen and Micro Photogrammetry and Close Range Photogrammetry methods were applied. A correct description of the floor warp was achieved thanks to laser scanner techniques and the resulting geometric data were integrated with the chromatic data coming from photogrammetry, obtaining a 3D restitution of the two adjacent structures and a metric and spatial analysis of their morphological features. New devices, specifically designed for the project, helped to solve some practical problems that the survey operations had to cope with during the fieldwork. This paper illustrates the results of the survey, which will be useful to develop restoration projects in order to make the whole archaeological site attractive to tourists.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.1, 201-218; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.1.2017.12

2017 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Reconstruction of Villino Florio’s wooden ceiling using 3D technologies

Francesco Gabellone, Ivan Ferrari

Abstract

This work originated from a simple question: is it possible to reconstruct a destroyed architectural decorative element starting from documents that describe its details, shape and constitutive materials? An important limitation in the past was the lack of technologies and materials that could replicate an object like this in detail. Only a few years ago technology was not yet able to ensure accurate reconstruction characterized by an adequate formal aesthetic level both in terms of materials and finishes. Nowadays, this gap has been filled thanks to the development of Computer Numerical Control machines (CNC) in production processes. In this contribution, we present part of the restoration of Villino Florio in Palermo, built by the architect Ernesto Basile on behalf of the Florio family between 1899 and 1902 and partially destroyed by a fire in 1962: it is one of Italy’s first architectural works in the Art Nouveau style, and is considered a masterwork within the European panorama. The restoration, directed by the Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. Di Palermo, also involved the monumental staircase, with a complex wooden floral pattern (‘ramage’) used to decorate the ceiling. Starting from the relief of the environment and from the old photographic documents, a 3D model of the ramage was retrieved. This formed the basis of information necessary for the subsequent reproduction of the subject with CNC machines on oak modules, assembled and finished just as they appeared in the photographs before the fire. A numerical approach made it possible to control the entire process by adopting structural solutions to avoid overloading the ceiling with excessive weight.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 587-590; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.49

2017 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Etruscan rock-cut tombs with decorated façades. A 3D approach

Tatiana Votroubeková

Abstract

This paper reports an aspect of the on-going project of my dissertation thesis at the Institute for Classical Archaeology at Charles University in Prague and concerns the application of multi-image photogrammetry technique in the documentation of the Etruscan rock-cut tomb façades. Etruscan rock-cut tombs with decorated façades are located in the inland area of Southern Etruria (currently Tuscany and Lazio, Italy). This paper focuses on the architecture of the tombs dated to the Hellenistic period (from the 4th century BC to the end of the 3rd-beginning of the 2nd century BC), when a significant change in architecture of the tombs took place. The aim of this paper is to show how 3D models acquired with the multi-image photogrammetry technique can serve as a tool for the archaeological analysis of the tomb façades. The acquired data and 3D models can be used for the documentation and digital preservation of the tomb decorations, which are exposed to heavy erosion mainly caused by water and vegetation. This paper also explains how acquired data can serve as well for the creation of the virtual reconstruction and virtual anastylosis of the tomb façades with missing fragments of decorations or fragments scattered around sites or in museums.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 609-615; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.53

2016 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Sperimentazione del sistema ministeriale SICaR w/b per la gestione e la consultazione informatizzata dei dati sulla policromia

Eliana Siotto, Clara Baracchini, Ulderico Santamaria, Roberto Scopigno

Abstract

The need for integration and sharing of data on ancient polychromies requires shared working methods and tools. This paper illustrates a first effort in the direction of testing the web-based Information System documentation for the Restoration of Yards (SICaR) of Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism (MiBACT). This test activity suggested some changes that have been subsequently implemented in order to record archaeological and scientific information and manage standardized data on ancient polychromy in cultural heritage documentation.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2016, 27, 131-151; doi: 10.19282/AC.27.2016.07

2016 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Modelli digitali 3D per documentare, conoscere ed analizzare l’architettura e la costruzione nel mondo antico: l’esempio della Sala Ottagonale delle Piccole Terme di Villa Adriana

Benedetta Adembri, Adolfo Alonso-Durá, Francisco Juan-Vidal, Gianna Bertacchi, Silvia Bertacchi, Luca Cipriani, Filippo Fantini, Beatriz Soriano-Estevalis

Abstract

For its unique features and size, the Hadrian’s Villa site has always been the object of studies and investigations. Italian and foreign institutions, as well as research organizations, are working together with the common purpose of understanding and protecting the universally recognized ensemble of buildings and works of art, belonging to the World Heritage List since 1999. Within this interdisciplinary framework, over the past decade, new technologies for digital documentation in the field of cultural heritage have gained more importance with respect to the traditional field of architectural/archaeological surveying. Through expeditious surveying (with no physical contact with the object and different measurement resolutions) several 3D reality-based models were created in the last years, with special regards to the Villa’s pavilions characterized by more complex and daring shapes. The aim was a better understanding of specific problems in those cases where archaeological investigation methods may take advantage of a correct and complete digital surveying of elevations in general and in particular of vaulted spaces, intrados and extrados surfaces. 3D digital models of complex roofing, as shown in the case study of the Small Baths, provide additional advantages concerning the use of finite elements analysis (FEA). Both the digital models (current state of conservation and reconstruction hypothesis) underwent to an accurate stress analysis that enables further achievements for site conservation and management and for ancient constructive and designing techniques.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2016, 27, 291-316; doi: 10.19282/AC.27.2016.15

2016 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Prospettive sull’utilizzo del Building Information Modelling (BIM) in archeologia

Alberto Licheri

Abstract

The significant technological advances in restoration methods and the potential of three-dimensional graphical representation of monuments have brought huge benefits to the understanding and communication of the archaeological heritage. At the same time, they have formed, and continue to be, a critical issue that has forced the scientific community to question and discuss the methods and principles universally recognized and shared that are applied in virtual archaeological reconstruction. The impetus given by the evolution of the software representation of three-dimensional graphics, also open source, prompted a massive production of images of hypothetical virtual reconstructions which adhere more or less to the historical data. This modus operandi has come up against the fundamental principle of scientific transparency and critical interpretation of the work. To deal with this problem a possible evolution of computer-based visualization applied to archaeology is required to analyze and question the three-dimensional models produced, so that they can be modified on the basis of the new acquisitions and new interpretations. A model that seems appropriate and feasible for achieving this is the Building Information Modelling (BIM), or the model of data and information that constructs a building, based on the standard format open source IFC.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2016, Supplemento 8, 197-202

2015 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Il restauro della Domus Tiberiana e la nuova piattaforma di raccolta ed elaborazione dei dati scientifici SITAR

Maria Grazia Filetici, Mirella Serlorenzi, Raffaella Palombella, Lino Traini

Abstract

For decades, the complex of Domus Tiberiana has been the object of continuous monitoring and restorations of structures for understanding the phenomena of displacement and ruin; at the same time, archaeological excavations and architectural surveys have continued. In 2013 new projects aimed at the general restoration of the monument and at its reopening to the public were launched, and a comprehensive and integral program of renovation of historical and archaeological knowledge of the monument was begun. The prerequisite for conservation and archaeological research is the management of a lot of data, published or not, produced over time: this was possible thanks to the use of SITAR, in which data were systematized. In this way, it was possible to improve the knowledge of the history of research and by highlighting the outstanding issues in the historic-archaeological and static-structural knowledge of the monument, it was possible to improve the planning of the most urgent restorations and the most useful archaeological investigations for detailing the lesser known aspects of the monument.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2015, Supplemento 7, 253-270

2012 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Un sistema informativo geografico per l’architettura vernacolare dei centri storici: dal modello dei dati alla diagnostica. Il caso di Cancellara (PZ)

Marilisa Biscione, Maria Danese

Abstract

When attempting the recovery and reutilization of historic architecture, an in-depth knowledge of the artifact and its physical, environmental and historical context represents the first step required for its protection. Another important step is the choice of a methodology for transforming heterogeneous data into organized data. The aim of this research is to propose a method to construct a data map of the architectural heritage and the multidisciplinary aspects that qualify it (construction techniques and materials, material decay factors, signs of disastrous events in the past on buildings and the urban fabric, etc.). Thanks to the GIS environment it is possible to link together geometric, spatial and relational elements and then to develop quantitative and qualitative analyses based on spatial methods for typological and structural classification and to evaluate surfaces and structures. The design of the GIS architecture is fundamental, in order to contain data coming from different paths of knowledge acquisition (observed in loco or coming from documentary sources, derived from spatial analysis or instrumental investigations). In this way an important instrument for diagnostics, urban planning and conservation management can be created. The project is in its initial phase. The case study concerns the indigenous architecture of the historical center of Cancellara (PZ).

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2012, 23, 51-64; doi: 10.19282/ac.23.2012.04

2012 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

La documentazione dell’edilizia storica in ambito urbano: applicazioni del raddrizzamento fotografico al caso del ‘Foro provinciale’ di Tarragona

Maria Serena Vinci

Abstract

The article presents the results obtained from the application of two different kinds of software, Photoplan (Kubit) and Image Master (Topcon), to the photographic rectification used as a graphic support methodology for the technological and building analysis of the Provincial Forum of Tarraco. The study of archaeological structures in a modern urban context often imposes limitations and obstacles of a different nature (space, time, financial resources, etc.). In order to overcome such drawbacks, photographic rectification can be used for the bi-dimensional documentation of archaeological structures, as a tool widely affirmed and accepted in a scientific context. Presently there are several different kinds of software available on the market, so that it is difficult to make a choice among the wide range of possibilities. Nonetheless, the advantages and disadvantages of these kinds of software depend mainly on the specific aims and the particular work context. Hence, the choice of Photoplan or Image Master was based mainly on the evaluation of their respective flexibility and speed in both data collection and data processing, considering the size and the location of the structure of interest. For our purposes, the best solution was to alternate the two kinds of software, as they turned out to be quite complementary.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2012, 23, 101-120; doi: 10.19282/ac.23.2012.06

2012 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Fotogrammetria, nuvole di punti e rischio sismico. Applicazioni e riflessioni su una metodologia di rilievo

Piero Gilento

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present the experience of a photogrammetric survey started in May 2009 to record the current state of some religious buildings involved in the earthquake of April 6th which affected L’Aquila and its municipalities. This experience gave us the opportunity to evaluate and verify a solution for a metric survey of buildings, which is based on photography applied in a post-earthquake scenario. An archaeological recording can become part of a wider process of knowledge and reconstruction, in which there is interaction between several agents (engineers, architects, archaeologists, etc.); in this way the approach to the survey problems was discussed taking into account specific needs. The paper illustrates the process of analysis and synthesis that led to the representation of architectural and archaeological data, and especially attempts to define, through specific case studies, the targeted use of the photogrammetric solution.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2012, 23, 299-310; doi: 10.19282/ac.23.2012.18

2012 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Relevés topographiques et modélisations 3D des parties hautes de la cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres

François Fouriaux

Abstract

During the restoration work conducted on the original decoration in the heart of the cathedral of Chartres, the archaeological service of the city of Chartres conducted a series of surveys and made a study of the evidence left from the various phases of construction. A general overview of the masonry (vaults, high windows, and triforium) was completed by means of a research project and precise survey of the location of the putlog holes and the holes in the vault. From the detailed manual survey it was possible to create a complete three dimensional topographical plan and thanks to this data, to create a precise model of those parts of the cathedral showing the irregularities in construction like the width of the bays, the height of the vaults, the diameters of the rosettes, the height of the lancet windows. This set of information was georeferenced and compared to the architectural plan that had been drawn by J.-B.-A. Lassus (1807-1857) and published in 1842. This method allowed us to define and correct this latter document which turned out to be more a stylistic analysis than a precise topographical survey. The final report on this operation has not yet been completed but in this article we are offering a presentation of the methodology applied and the first results.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2012, Supplemento 3, 301-312

2010 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Ruderi riletti: approccio e problemi di modellazione tridimensionale nel sito archeologico di Monte San Martino (progetto SMaLL-Trentino sudoccidentale)

Enrico Cavada, Matteo Rapanà

Abstract

Modern 3D modeling techniques (e.g. laser scanning and photogrammetry) make it possible to create accurate, realistic and measurable digital 3D models of cities, buildings, terrains, artifacts and archaeological sites. The model of the Church of San Martino was created not only for the visualization but, in particular, for the study of the 3D application in archaeology and the comparison of the information provided by these techniques with data obtained by traditional techniques. The digital model of the church was created using a time of flight laser scanner. Besides this, HDR pictures were taken with a Kodak DCS ProSRL/n digital camera for the texturing of the 3D model and photo-realistic visualization. The 3D building was georeferenced using GPS data for the correct insertion into the surrounding Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Some operations in the lab (range data alignment, editing, mesh generation, geometric simplification and texture mapping) transformed the 3D data points into a complete 3D model (300 working hours). Precise measurements of distances, surfaces, thicknesses and volumes of the structures or architectural elements were performed. Particular elements were also recognized and emphasized thanks to the creation of the 3D model. These elements were inserted into a database according to their characteristics and this led to the generation of several 3D thematic maps (i.e. building phase maps or litho-topes). The integration of the digital model of the church into the DEM could be used for the clarification and understanding of settlement trends and territorial organization in the past.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2010, 21, 145-165; doi: 10.19282/ac.21.2010.07

2007 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Pre-Biblio, bibliografia georeferenziata della Preistoria e della Protostoria italiana: struttura del progetto e primi risultati

Fabio Parenti

Abstract

The paper presents the new relational database Pre-Biblio on the Prehistory and Quaternary geology of Italy. It will be mainly composed of two correlated databases, «sites» and «bibliography» and some others such as the biographies of the most important scholars, the taxa of fossil remains contained in the sites, the palaeobasins. Each bibliographic reference will be linked to sites, which will be georeferenced on the 1:25.000 topographic maps of the «SIGEC» GIS system of the Ministry of Culture. An accurate survey of Italian and foreign literature regarding archaeology, vertebrate palaeontology, geology and related sciences from Villafranchian to Early Iron Age has been conducted in the most important libraries of Italian Institutions specialized in Quaternary studies and Prehistory. An estimated total of about 25,000 sites, 60,000 references and 800,000 links represents the core of the project, which could be concluded in five years with a team of eight specialists. The paper also provides a preliminary appraisal of the chronological distribution of published sites covering the whole Italian territory, according to which the protohistory (Bronze and First Iron Ages) accounts for half of the estimated body of data.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2007, 18, 57-74; doi: 10.19282/ac.18.2007.04

2007 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Geometrical 3D laser scanner model of a Chalcolithic vessel (Gor, Granada, Spain)

José Antonio Esquivel, Inmaculada Alemán, Francisco Javier Esquivel

Abstract

The most recent computer technologies of 3D geometrical modelling provide a great array of tools for archaeological investigation. This paper presents an application of the 3D laser scanner to study the metric and morphometric parameters of a Chalcolithic pottery vessel based on a 3D meshed triangular model. This model is referenced geometrically by high-precision fitting to the real object, enabling the study of some of the most important archaeological characteristics with great accuracy (texture, damage, profiles, etc.) as well as a reconstruction of those damaged parts. The computerized model has been used to study the metric and geometric parameters of the vessel, applying different statistical tests to analyse the width of vessel and the variability of some constructive parameters. These analyses allow us to compute any measurement, such as the surface area of vessel, the center of masses, the volume, and the regularly spaced contour levels of the interior and exterior. The results indicate the skill of the potters of the Copper Age and their knowledge of some elementary mathematical concepts of geometry and metric.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2007, 18, 229-241; doi: 10.19282/ac.18.2007.11

2005 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

S.I.R.A.X. Sistema informatizzato per l'archiviazione e gestione delle lastre radiografiche di beni culturali

Giuliano de Marinis, Fabio Milazzo, Alessandro Di Maggio, Agnese Guadagno, Marusca Pasqualini

Abstract

The S.I.R.A.X program was conceived in order to create organised and consultable archives of X-ray radiographs. In 2003 in fact, the Archaeological Superintendency of the Marches Region set up an X-ray camera and inaugurated an important project to catalogue the 3000 X-rays taken by the Archaeological Superintendency of Tuscany between 1970 and 2000. This is one of the most important X-ray archives in existence and the Restoration Laboratory of Ancona conceived the S.I.R.A.X. program in order to reorganise it along with the other X-rays which they had taken themselves. S.I.R.A.X. is organised along two main lines: the management form is for data entry activity and the creation of an identification card for a more detailed individual report; the consultation mode facilitates the information retrieval. The program presents a simple and immediate interface which is easy to use, not only by experts but also by people not usually involved in this kind of activity. In accordance with this plan, S.I.R.A.X. will be made available on the Internet as soon as possible.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2005, 16, 59-81; doi: 10.19282/ac.16.2005.03

2005 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

ARKIS-NET: un web-GIS per il progetto di conservazione assistito

Paolo Salonia, Antonella Negri

Abstract

The ARKIS-NET project is focused on an innovative vision of the conservation of cultural heritage, in which the role of the access to different knowledge levels to dynamically use information is fundamental. ARKIS-NET is an evolution of ARKIS (Architecture Recovery Knowledge Information System), an Information System developed in recent years and dedicated to the management, analysis and representation of heterogeneous data, from the artefact scale to the territorial one, used as support to conservation, safeguard and fruition of cultural heritage. ARKIS-NET provides the foundation for disseminating high-end heterogeneous data, organised and represented in GIS form, and mapping services via the Internet. An user-friendly interface allows remote users to make analyses and query on data, integrating them with local data.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2005, 16, 167-176; doi: 10.19282/ac.16.2005.09

2005 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Tecniche laser scanner per il rilievo dei beni culturali

Daniela Peloso

Abstract

Laser scanner technology permits a rapid elaboration of digital models of surfaces and complex geometries which would be impossible to survey with traditional topographic instruments. It therefore represents the proper technology for surveying archaeological sites and objects of Cultural Heritage. In this paper the characteristics of different commercial instruments are described and their different resolutions in the acquisition of the coordinates and in measuring reflection. The presentation of some practical examples now gives us the opportunity to describe the operative process of 3D restitution from planning and performing the survey up to the development of specific procedures for the elaboration of data.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2005, 16, 199-224; doi: 10.19282/ac.16.2005.11

2001 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Elaborazioni grafiche computerizzate nello studio della decorazione di un gruppo di lamine in bronzo da Eretum

Paola Santoro, Marcello Bellisario

Abstract

The group of bronze sheets with repoussé decoration, kept in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek and coming from the princely burial in Tomb XI at the Colle del Forno necropolis, has been identified as the decoration of a chariot and the magnificent upholstery from horse trappings. This group represents a collection of extraordinary interest regarding figurative culture in the Tiber river area in the Late Orientalizing Period, an identification proven by a second group of objects kept in the same museum. The decorative repertory represents one of the most refined expressions of the artistic style called “Orientalizzante fiorito”, which is best known from the decoration of bucchero pottery, carved ivories and ostrich eggs. Computer graphic techniques have been used for the documentation and study of this repertory, using as a base the excellent photographic documentation provided by the Glyptotek. This methodology, experimented through the use of a graphical workstation at the Istituto per l’Archeologia Etrusco-Italica, provides the opportunity to create a graphical documentation very close to the original technical and graphical cipher and qualifies itself as a very important tool for reading elements regarding the incision technique. However, close collaboration between the specialist and the archaeologist is essential in order to validate this as a useful scientific method of documentation.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2001, 12, 307-321; doi: 10.19282/ac.12.2001.15

2001 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

From photography to drawing: a segmentation technique for mural paintings

Geneviéve Lucet

Abstract

In this article the authors present a method for obtaining a line-art representation of a mural painting using colour photography. First, the information concerning colour components was separated and then the contours of graphic representations were extracted. The result is an exact copy of the original and this level of precision makes it an important solution to the problem of registering and recording mural paintings. This method has been shown to be a useful solution for the documentation of the state of conservation of paintings, as well as a means for keeping track of restoration work; furthermore, it provides a fundamental method for analysing paint compositions. The approach was developed bearing in mind the possibility of use by non-specialist computer users: no programming knowledge is assumed and the use of shareware software was always preferred.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2001, 12, 323-334; doi: 10.19282/ac.12.2001.16

2000 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Un'applicazione GIS per il sito archeologico di Villa Rufolo a Ravello

Angela Peduto, Ugo Santoro

Abstract

This paper describes a methodology for using the GIS Arc/Info system as an operating tool to study excavation finds and structures on an archaeological site. The choice of the archaeological sample site (Villa Rufolo, Ravello - Italy) and the definition of information and methodologies useful to its study and management were the result of collaboration between a photogrammetry partnership (S.F.M.) and the “N. Cilento” archaeological laboratory of the University of Salerno. The GIS architecture was developed starting from the analysis of methods common to both the research methodologies (landscape recognition and stratigraphic excavations), which define the phases of archaeological data manipulation. The main aim was to create a tool which, starting from the planimetric documentation of each excavation, could link the various environments to their related stratigraphic units through data derived both from the individual structures and from artefacts. Following Arc/Info data models, all information was arranged into a relational database. The Stratigraphic Unit (US) attribute forms the link which connects the graphical elements, geographical and spatial database, and the descriptive database. Data stored can be analysed using many criteria, and the GIS always makes it possible to display the graphic results of the analysis. Besides the management, integration and manipulation of the archaeological data assigned to the territory under investigation, with Arch/Info various data levels can be combined for the purpose of producing new types of information; this information is usually acquired by employing techniques of data overlapping and through statistic and classification processing of all the stratigraphic units related to the site. The next stage of our project will consist of a careful check of the results of the statistical and classification processes and the use of this model at other archaeological sites so as to exploit the GIS potential for comparing excavation data as well as the geomorphologic and geographic features of the various sites.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2000, 11, 139-151; doi: 10.19282/ac.11.2000.07

2000 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Rilievo, monitoraggio geometrico e rappresentazione di strutture a cupola

Cinzia Bacigalupo, Luciano Cessari, Gabriele Fangi

Abstract

Analysis and geometric measurement represent the main diagnostic tool to define the state of conservation of historic buildings and to plan their restoration. In the case of complex structures, the accurate monitoring and survey of the morphology aid in understanding the static situation in relation to the original design and materials used. This information is fundamental for the generation of virtual models and for simulating the evolution of deviations. This paper presents the results of a survey of two Islamic domes in Samarkand (Uzbekistan) which suffer from serious static problems. The integration of the different methods of survey performed with laser distantiometers, traditional geodetic instruments and digital photogrammetric techniques has been found to be vital in order to accurately reproduce the geometrical pattern of these structures. We obtained dimensional and geometrical measurements of the thickness of the walls, the morphologic defects, the variations of the axes and of the supporting surface of the domes. All of the geometric data, obtained in continuous form, was then used for the digital reconstruction and 3D simulation of the domes.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2000, 11, 191-197; doi: 10.19282/ac.11.2000.10

2000 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Procedure standard per la registrazione degli interventi di restauro: ipotesi di applicazione a Khor Rori, Oman

Roberto Orazi

Abstract

Maintenance and restoration activity of archaeological structures are often recorded only on paper and not according to standardised procedures. For this reason a large amount of information produced daily can be neither referred to or elaborated. The geographical location of building materials and deterioration patterns, the relations between decay and environmental data, quantitative information on restoration work, products and techniques, are some of the types of information normally generated in the conservation sector which at present are not being used to improve the quality of the restoration activity or to accomplish the institutional task of strategic programming. The main purpose of this research project was to devise a qualitative and quantitative method to evaluate the behaviour over time of products used for the protection and restoration of architectural surfaces, and to establish a single criterion for certifying their performances. Only after the procedures used to record the different kinds of data (geometrical survey, building materials, deterioration patterns etc.) have been standardised will it be possible to correlate and elaborate them, exchange information through a system of local and remote networks, and produce synthesis outlines. The proposal has been tested on the monumental complex of Khor Rori in the Sultanate of Oman. The fortified city, built at about the end of the first century BC, for the protection of a natural harbour, was located on the main maritime route that crossed the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and the Nile, connecting Rome and the Mediterranean Basin to India (the Frankincense road). The study and the restoration of Khor Rori, chosen as a “pilot project” by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and financed by public organisations in Italy and Oman, will help to clarify the historical, commercial, and cultural relations between the Mediterranean and the Southern Arabian peninsula. This study has been conducted with the support of Siatel S.n.C. of Perugia and the Studio Menci of Arezzo.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2000, 11, 199-218; doi: 10.19282/ac.11.2000.11

2000 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Tecnologie informatiche per la gestione delle conoscenze nella conservazione del costruito storico

Paolo Salonia

Abstract

The study outlined here was conducted in order to show how the combined representation of a monument’s geometry, together with the morphology and distribution of the damage, the component materials and their physical characteristics, the historical-architectural analysis and environmental factors can be used to facilitate our understanding of the degradation processes. A correct management of the various aspects of our knowledge of our architectural heritage and the evaluation of its state of conservation, which are required for making a plan, implementing it and verifying the results, can only be achieved by constantly matching the specificity of the monument, after its exact geometry has been restored using elements obtained by means of historical and architectural analysis, the survey of the structure, building techniques and materials used, including those which describe its material status, considering individual buildings as a whole and systems of buildings as a group in its context. Information Technology (IT) was selected as the best means of creating environments that were the most suitable for the aims pursued and for use as an operating instrument. It was decided to translate the theoretical disciplinary model into a computer-based procedure in which the functions specific to the GIS - Geographic Information Systems - were transposed to an architectural scale. To this end, an Information System - ARKIS - is currently being configured. It is designed for the organisation, representation and utilisation of knowledge obtained from data regarding the architectural subject in question, its immediate context and its territorial location. Some actual applications are presented.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2000, 11, 219-240; doi: 10.19282/ac.11.2000.12

2000 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

La modellazione virtuale per l'architettura antica. Un metodo verso l'isomorfismo percettivo

Davide Borra

Abstract

This paper deals with the problem of virtual modelling for ancient architecture. After examining the different roles played in the project management of a virtual model - the scientific tutor, the modeller and the communicator - the representation of the modelled object is designed according to different detail levels (formal, operational and aesthetic), with emphasis on their dynamic and interactive features. The paper then describes the operational steps for creating a virtual model and considers, in particular, how this may be applied to the study of ancient architecture, examining what this use implies in general, from an operational point of view and as far as the dissemination of knowledge is concerned.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2000, 11, 259-272; doi: 10.19282/ac.11.2000.14

1997 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

The virtual restitution of the mesoamerican site of Cacaxtla: a methodological point of view

Geneviéve Lucet

Abstract

Besides allowing the visualisation of architecture from the past through the use of images, either virtual or real, virtual restitution in architecture implies the use of analytical methodologies that serve the purpose of a better understanding of architectural space as well as its genesis. The restitution contributes both to the process of building an appropriate tridimensional model adequate for multiple uses, and to the output of new information as the restitution process develops. In the present work, the applied methodological approach is discussed in relation to a virtual restitution of the Mesoamerican archaeological site of Cacaxtla leading to an idealisation of its original condition.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1997, 8, 129-138; doi: 10.19282/ac.8.1997.09

1996 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

ARCHEOGRAF: agility for the documentation of archaeological excavations

Luis Valdés, I. Mikel Martinez, Izaskun Pujana

Abstract

In archaeology, when data is gathered directly at the digging, we face a long series of steps that slow down and complicate this process. In general, they are inconveniences assumed by the archaeologist with no further ado; they are a drawback associated with or inherent in field work. But these circumstances may or may not be acceptable; they may or may not influence the quality of the interpretation, enable short term review or have unintentionally manipulated it by selecting what and how we document at the digging. When we work with serious time restrictions, with a limited budget and in poor conditions and at the same time want to get the best documentation to safeguard for the future and to be able to use during the development and study process, our attitude changes and we would wish to have an option that streamlines those vexatiously slow moments. That is when we ponder the options for automating as many processes as possible in the field. Since 1985, we have been working on a digging, the uniqueness of which makes us wish to document each step with total accuracy. The information arises, sometimes, after many square meters of opened surface. Therefore we cannot fail to document anything. Add to this the fact that che digging itself and the interpretation of the place gave rise to a flood of controversy. Therefore there exists a double need to document the site completely. The work involved in drawing the charts and profiles soon became vexatiously, slow. The very numerous elements of interest that we wanted and the succession of layers of information were a "bottleneck" where the economic budget vaporised. It was at the beginning of the work when we thought about "streamlining" through selective gathering of data. But we did not do so; we looked for alternatives, we tried them out and we substantially improved the performance. In the final analysis, we had only improved the results in the field. We still had two steps left in the laboratory and, at the end, we would have only one rigid and modifiable chart at a very high cost. We all know how economic fluctuations effect budgets for digging. We needed to reduce our drawing costs in the field as well as in the laboratory in order to be able to destine that time and money to other segments of the research. Since 1993, an interdisciplinary team has been working on the ARCHEOGRAF project. Right from the start we focused on obtaining a tool that would assist drawing for diggings and that would reduce cost and time within a framework of four basic requirements: 1) be as universal as possible, 2) be totally computerised, 3) be easy and accurate and 4) be accessible for archaeologists. Today this tool is a reality meeting all the requirements that we had set out and opening new expectations for more advanced versions.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 887-899; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.74

1996 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Digital data and the conservation of the historic built environment

Jason Wood

Abstract

This paper illustrates the importance of digital records for the conservation of historic buildings and sites. The various survey techniques appropriate for the production of graphic documentation are explained, with an outline of the advantages of processing within a CAD environment. It introduces the debate on the scope and level of recording, and identifies problems and opportunities requiring further research. Finally, the paper stresses the need for integrated project management, and the development of recording strategies in conjunction with all other professional bodies involved in the conservation process.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 901-905; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.75

1996 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Come usare AutoCAD e vivere ugualmente felici (l'ennesimo sistema per la raccolta dei dati storico-conservativi)

Giancarlo Buzzanca, Enrico Giorgi

Abstract

This research project on the graphic documentation used in restoration grew out of a collaboration between ICCROM and the ICR. Among the objectives of the group were the formation of a documentation technique and the development of a useful, light and user friendly information instrument for the registration of graphic and documentary data. The principle goal was to reach a situation in which the restorer/conservator or the draughtsman could record, in a definitive way and directly on site, all the data related to the mapping techniques, distinct for each category and class, which characterise the graphic documentation of a restoration operation, without having to give up their personal happiness. This should be accomplished without altering in a drastic way the intrinsic complexity of the software used, while avoiding any prior hyper-specialist technical preparation. It is on site that it is necessary, to maximise tbc enormous potential offered by data elaboration systems that can store and process such enormous amounts of data in a simple way. There are two major classes of problems to solve. On the one hand all the psychological barrieres created by the personal resistance of the technicians strongly, and sometimes emotionally, tied on their role as documenters armed with pencils and crayons. On the other hand all the problems of a technical nature that are linked to the digital acquisition of the graphic base, to the planning of the form of the documentation, to the standardization of the topology of the hatch patterns and the personalization of the accessory procedures to the CAD programme.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 907-916; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.76

1996 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Archaeological building reconstruction and the physical analysis of excavation documents

Cornelius Steckner

Abstract

Visual information is not only a source for multimedia applications. Every mapped but also represents a location in 3D space. So any bit-mapped visualisation of a surface also represents the 3D hull of an object. Therefore visual information is a source to rescore the shape of physical solids from their "envelopping" closed surfaces, and serves as the information needed to reconstruct buildings and their related artefacts. In respect of 3D surface measurement, a "virtual reality" is understood as a virtual solid in its original size to be measured and analysed. These measurable world object simulations represent the information of form to shape three-dimensional things. These are not brought to physical existence, but represent measurable solids to analyse statistically controlled properties with their related and following functions. From the photograph of a broken amphora the body is completed to calculate its weight and volume and even the fitting shape of the boat to transport a load. Of course the same model of extrapolation applied to buildings will not focus the statics of buildings but the environmental building physics and its following functions.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 923-938; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.78

1996 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Digital imaging of standing buildings in Insula VI,1 at Pompeii

Sara E. Bon, Rick Jones, Bernice Kurchin, Damian J. Robinson

Abstract

The large-scale recording and investigation of standing archaeological monuments by conventional methods presents considerable problems of labour and expense. Modern techniques provide cost-effective methods applied in Pompeii, using widely available technology in digital imaging, computer hardware and software. These approaches provide important benefits both for research and for conservation policies. They facilitate the analysis of the structural history of the buildings, which forms a crucial part of the research programme of the Anglo-American Pompeii Project. However their advantages for the speedy documentation of the current condition of extensive areas of standing monuments are of more general application.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 939-950; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.79

1996 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

AutoCAD for archaeology. A new era in archaeology

Natalie R. Messika

Abstract

The paper presents a new method in analysing archaeological data using computer programs-mainly AUTOCAD with AME. The method combines recording of archaeological field work (such as survey topographical maps, drawing plans and sections) - with analysing layers, strata and artifacts in 3-D view. It was also used in other projects in this region, mainly for studying large architectural elements. Our method provides a more accurate device, and opens new possibilities in examining current archaeological issues.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 951-954; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.80

1996 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Digitization of the O'Gorman's mural at the central library of the National University of Mexico

Geneviéve Lucet, Araceli Casas, Carlos Chanfón

Abstract

A discussion is made about the problem of the graphic registering of a large mural, symbol of the Mexican culture of the fifties. Vantages of digital information are well known. Nevertheless, digitization of a 3712 m2 mural in order to capture information of the state of the mural before and after restoration, and analyse damages applying image processing tools, oblige to a solution that takes into account the particularities of the problem. The solution must ensure high precision of the survey to be a tool for restorators and must control general snapshot conditions to obtain images with equal characteristic that will allow the repetition of the same algorithm for the "Computer Aided Restoration" step. How were selected pixel definition, image size, camera location, image acquisition and digitization systems, and enlightenment condition was controlled? These are the topics developed in the present work.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 955-961; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.81

1996 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Un sistema esperto a supporto della scelta di intervento conservativo su beni culturali

Emilio Mello, Claudio Arias

Abstract

The computer system SEMPRE (Sistema Esperto Montedison per il Restauro) was carried out as a support for the conservation of cultural heritage metal and stone objects. By two basic functions it may give information about the techniques and the products to be employed and may retrieve related examples in reference archives. The user can represent and save his knowledge of the case within the system by these two functions.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 963-972; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.82

1996 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Simulazione e/o Seduzione (la rappresentazione mediante modelli di reperti, relitti, oggetti ed altro)

Costantino Meucci, Giancarlo Buzzanca

Abstract

By using a mathematical model it is possible to express a formal representation of any object: such a representation is expressed in numerical language and is not automatically influenced by the physical object under study; rather it expresses "knowledge and ideas" relative to the phenomenon that, by means of models, is "interpreted" in this way. In general a model is an object that is constructed artificially in order to simplify the observation of another object. The intention is not to modify the actual physical properties of the things, but rather to represent ideal objects so as to be able to analyse their ideal properties. This allows the collection of information concerning real objects. Our research intends to verify the possibility of the use of mathematical analysis conducted using the method of reconstruction of finished elements on models that are reproduced with increased accuracy; the objects of this modelling have been archaeological shipwrecks. We have attempted to reconstruct, by means of data elaboration systems, realistic models of real objects without relapsing into specific logistics of pure modelling and/or pure mathematical research. The procedures that we followed derived from precise projectual needs, from the particular technical solutions available notwithstanding the restrictions imposed by the usable resources. It is necessary to use these calculation methods since they allow us to describe correctly, three dimensionally, the elementary geometry of the object while respecting rigorously the presence of the real one in the same space. In this way the use of information techniques is not reduced to a mere touch of modernity on the traditional techniques but becomes a meaningful support to the design procedure. This presentation shows some concrete examples and some lines of research that are presently being followed.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 973-982; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.83

1995 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

La modellazione tridimensionale del documento archeologico: livelli descrittivi e processamento digitale

Antonio Gottarelli

Abstract

In describing graphics description with electronic tools, solid modelling is the application in which several techniques (2 and 3 dimensional CAD, image processing, animation) act together. Solid modelling is therefore a very important topic, both from methodological and practical aspects. This paper deals with the process of generating a digital model, and discusses the following statements: A. The analysis of archaeological evidence is based on the description of a real (and therefore continuous) and complex space through the identification and coding of its components; this activity is then undertaken through a modelling process. The models used for the analysis must have at least the basic requirements for the electronic description of the objects: a quantitative requirement – to be able to describe numerically and analytically the objects in space (vector data); a qualitative requirement – to able to describe their physical/optical features (visual/raster data); a synthesis requirement – to be able to consider the codes and the rules of union of the components (text and topological data). B. The data collected have to be acquired, worked out and edited coherently with the need of their subsequent use within the software devoted to the virtual elaboration of the shape (i.e. the sample rate must be the same during the acquisition of visual and numerical data ). C. The electronic reassembly of the shape must take into consideration all the different levels used in the coding, in order to have both a topographic and topological description of the object.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1995, 6, 75-103

1995 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Tra archeologia e realtà virtuale: verso l'archeologia virtuale

Alessandro Sarti, Maurizio Forte

Abstract

The research activity developed at the Scientific Visualization Laboratory of CINECA (Interuniversity Computing Center, Bologna, Italy), concerning the virtual navigation of archaeological landscapes, has produced important results in archaeological data visualization. We have implemented the application of virtual reality in the archaeological field relating to archaeological landscape exploration, archaeological site visualization, and ancient topography reconstruction. The virtual navigation is not full immersion but uses the 3D Crystal Eyes System, an ultrasound tracking system with six degrees of freedom. The system runs on an Indigo SG Extreme workstation. Some of the data was processed prior to visualization using GRASS GIS with a 3D viewer module

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1995, 6, 105-118

1995 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Documentazione grafica assistita da elaboratori. Note operative

Giancarlo Buzzanca, Enrico Giorgi

Abstract

This article describes work and experience in the computer documentation of restoration work. The final aim of this project is to develop a new standardized methodology for manipulating data relating to the process of conservation and restoration. The authors are members of an ICCROM/ICR special research group on graphic documentation and a NORMAL Commission sub-group for graphic documentation of mural paintings. The concept of standards is paramount. Standardization, information transfer and communication are stressed, especially in the area of training. Indeed, this approach unifies the description of documentation of restoration treatments performed by professional restorers and trainees from the two partner institutions. In view of the escalating use of computers in the field of conservation, it seems that little has been done to evaluate their impact and appropriate fields of application: the new converts have photographed themselves sitting at the computer keyboard much as our forebears were depicted with a prize buck. The attempt here is to plan for practical use by suggesting a method and specific operating techniques. Our aim is to supply user-friendly procedures (which help run more complex applications) to those who, with good reason, are neither expert in graphics software nor interested in becoming so. The quality of a computer system is not measured by spectacular rainbow effects but by the quantity of information available, its quality and retrievability. The diverse operating environments are defined - the open system and the closed system - analogous to the restoration worksite and the laboratory for chemico-physical analyses. On the one hand is the restoration worksite, the open system, where data are obtained; on the other is the laboratory, or closed system, where one collects and studies the data. What, then, is represented, and how? What is the structure of the information in relation to the model of the information and the model of the object? How should the graphic material be imported into the computer? How can one navigate through the various types of information while protecting the specific nature of each type? Information on hardware is scarce; there is not enough on software; there is a great deal on abstruse theoretical implications. In essence, hardware should allow software to run - no more than that. The principal idea is that the organization of information is the value-added factor produced in the process of registering data in a computer. These notes also describe some attempts at personalizing menus (icons, hatching, etc.) in AutoCAD (and other related software) and multimedia experiments using ToolsBook on a cycle of mural paintings in the Roman Forum.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1995, 6, 119-138

1995 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

L'uso dello scanner come tecnica di documentazione dello scavo archeologico

Marco B. Squintani

Abstract

The use of a scanner in archaeological excavation is a powerful tool for electronic documentation. A precise method to take advantage of this new hardware peripheral has been documented. There are four essential components: a camera, a portable personal computer, one handy-scanner (at least) and good software for image processing (bitmap and vector). The main advantages offered by this collection are that one obtains high metric precision, quick recording times and wide flexibility in data manipulation. A very complex structure (a knapping floor) from the archaeological excavation of Riparo Tagliente (VR), dating to the Epigravettian (late Upper Palaeolithic), was used to conduct the test. Starting with a mosaic of photographic images, it was possible to obtain the morphology of the paleosurface in an electronic format. After the automatic electronic input it is then possible to modify the shapes and qualities (thickness, colour, position . . .) of single objects like flints, bones, stones and so on. It is also possible to enhance the images with the application of filters to optimise contrast, brightness or clarity, to zoom into particular areas or to magnify a single object, and to work on different layers. The output on paper may be the partial or total restitution of the final image, or the print of a single group of objects in different formats and scale drawings. However, the main advantage is that of obtaining documentation during the excavation and building a complete database of alphanumerical, statistical and distribution data and object images.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1995, 6, 139-158

1995 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Mapmaking and computers

Simon Price, Wilfred Morris, Lucia Nixon, Jennifer Moody

Abstract

The authors, who have been working since 1987 in Sphakia (Sw Crete), present some practical thoughts about how to use computers to improve the production of archaeological maps for publication. The research project, carried out by a multidisciplinary team of researchers, has foreseen an intensive survey work in the eparchy and the subsequent production of period maps for the final publication and of maps to display details of sherd find spots and other transect data. The computerized recording processing and enhancing of these maps was undertaken using the program SuperPaint 3.0. On the basis of their practical experience, the authors show how computers can help in the topographic and cartographic analysis of information and offer greater flexibility in the final presentation of results.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1995, 6, 159-171

1994 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Il ceramigrafo: un sistema integrato per il disegno della ceramica al calcolatore

Maurizio Cattani, Maurizio Forte

Abstract

Ceramigraph is an electronic and mechanical system designed to draw pottery through automatic processing and therefore excluding the problems of manual drawing. The system, particularly suitable for large quantities of pieces, is composed of a high precision 3D pantograph, connected with a Personal Computer and a digital tablet. The main features of the drawings are the following: digital; vectorial; processed by software; classifiable (on the basis, for example, of the Freeman code); printable on normal or glossy paper at any scale; recordable on databases, CD rom, syquest, floppy disks, and so on (the size of vector files is very small; for example on a 1.44 floppy disk, 100 drawings can be recorded). The classification and the representation of the graphical information processed in this way are fundamental for the typological and typometric interpretations.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1994, 5, 317-332

1993 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Un esperimento di visualizzazione scientifica per l'archeologia del paesaggio: la navigazione nel paesaggio virtuale

Maurizio Forte

Abstract

Computer simulation of natural phenomena is one of the most attractive and modern subjects for image synthesis. Simulation is the result of many processes, computed with mathematical models, which can be visually represented on a graphic screen. The synthetic image of the model generated can then be compared with other available information, and thus the image becomes an instrument for furthering knowledge. Two problems exist in the visual simulation of natural environments and 3D navigation. The first one is the construction of a reliable and detailed Digital Elevation Model (DEM or Digital Terrain Model, DTM); the second one, closely tied to ambient simulation, is terrain rendering, that is, the reproduction of the colour vision in the observer. DTM’s can be generated from isoliner or regular point data, using classical models (linear interpolation and Kriging) or fractal models (Brownian interpolation). In this example the aim is to create a landscape model (including archaeological sites) using a DTM and satellite or aerial images; these applications involve the following steps: acquisition of isolines from cartographic maps at any reasonable scale; DTM generation; digital image classification to determinate the pixel distribution map for the DTM; image synchronization (digital aerial photographs or satellite images synchronized with the DTM); texture mapping and generation of 3D images. In practical terms, the texture mapping involves the overlaying of the original image point by point on the DTM: the result is a realistic and significant landscape 3D image. This kind of simulation is especially useful to enhance the geomorphological characteristics of the landscape in connection with its evolution and the ancient settlement. Inside the image the researcher can move, navigate and explore, as in the real world. The example described concerns the Etruscan town of Marzabotto in the Reno Valley (Bologna). A realistic and representative 3D image was achieved which includes important topographical and geomorphological information about the archaeological site and the Reno Valley, the natural resources, and the correlation between the Reno river and the Etruscan town. A digital vertical aerial photography was overlayed on the DTM of this area, generated from cartographic isolines and contour lines. The processing consists of different steps: the first one is the digitisation of the aerial photograph (scale 1:30.000), in order to create a numeric input for part of the Valley of Reno, including the archaeological area and the DEM model with a topographical sample. The aerial photograph was digitised using a CCD camera and converted into a numeric format in raster file (RGB 24 bit plane, resolution 595 x 394 pixels). It was aligned with the DEM model using a regular grid with a resolution similar to the one of the digital image. Special hardware (SGI workstation) was used for the final rendering; the polygon rendering did not follow the usual texture mapping technique, but instead a geometric texturing was produced (one polygon per pixel). This technique allows a lower sampling noise (antialiasing) without heavy software interpolation. In this way the only problem is related to the dependence on the graphic library GL which is implemented either on a Silicon Graphics or RISC 6000 IBM platform.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1993, 4, 137-152

1992 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Archeologia e tecniche di eidologia informatica

Antonella Guidazzoli, Maurizio Forte

Abstract

The digital image processing technique is a complex computational tool which allows the powerful extraction of relevant information from digital data. A research project has been developed at CINECA (InterUniversity Supercomputing Center, Bologna) in cooperation with the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, in order to produce specific image processing tools for archaeological applications. The application fields are: digital analysis of aerial photographs; remote sensing; automatic classifications; automatic drawing; Digital Elevation Models (DEM); texture mapping; 3D landscape navigation.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1992, 3, 37-76

1992 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

La video-documentazione elettronica dello scavo archeologico (V.M.D.). Studi ed esperienze per il progetto di una periferica dedicata

Antonio Gottarelli

Abstract

The main advantages of archaeological excavation electronic video documentation are to be found in the highly informative potential of recording sound and movement with respect to documentation. This opens up the many potentials of electronic image management, both in data acquisition and processing. The first benefit deals with the possibility of direct computer interfacing, the real-time control (via the monitor) of each frame sequence, and more generally the useful tendency of video devices to be automated for recording. The second main benefit deals with the extended possibilities of electronic image enhancing and processing, that can be efficiently used in archaeological research.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1992, 3, 77-99

1992 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Fotogrammetria finalizzata all'archeologia: il contributo del calcolatore

Fabio Piccarreta

Abstract

Photogrammetric display gives the archaeologist the possibility of personally constructing maps to meet his needs through the selection of features shown, prominence assigned to them and through the accurate and detailed rendering of relief. The aid of computers is very important, both for database construction and for the full utilisation of analytical photogrammetric systems.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1992, 3, 101-120

1991 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Il CAD commerciale per l'archeologia

Maria Grazia D'Agata

Abstract

The article is addressed to the archaeologist, usually a “non expert” beneficiary of the innovative computer science techniques, but, at the same time, bearer of very complex requests. It proposes to give a concise and up to date view of the state of CAD software, especially as regards tridimensional graphics.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1991, 2, 123-127

1990 Open Access Article Download PDF BibTeX

Un calcolatore disegna e registra ceramica antica: il sistema ARCOS-1 negli scavi di Velia, comune di Ascea (Salerno)

Fritz Krinzinger, Wolf-Rüdiger Teegen, Michael Schick

Abstract

The ARCOS System (ARchaeological COmputerized System), created in Karlsruhe, permits the automatic recording of ceramic objects and their subsequent processing and graphical representation. The System consists of two elements: ARCOS-1 is a mobile configuration for image recording; ARCOS-2 is a stationary data processor. The authors describe in particular the test carried out during the excavations at Velia (Salerno) in the summer of 1987. This test led to the graphical documentation of about 200 ceramic artefacts.

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1990, 1, 179-209