Articles by Subject
Subject field
Survey and excavations
Le necropoli di Pontecagnano: archivi e supporti digitali per la tutela e la ricerca a 25 anni dall’elaborazione del GIS
Antonella Massanova, Carmine Pellegrino
Abstract
The paper is dedicated to the Geographic Information System developed for the filing and the analysis of Pontecagnano necropolises, where over 10400 tombs dated from the Etruscan to the Samnite phase (9 th-3rd century BC) have been excavated so far. The first version of the GIS was developed between 1999 and 2000 and initially tested on an area of the Western necropolis. It consists of an alphanumeric descriptive database, developed using Microsoft Access 2000, linked to a cartographic section implemented with the MapInfo software. The paper concludes with a preliminary presentation of the update of the information system, which is going to migrate to an open-source software.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.1, 41-50; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.1.2024.04
Esperienze da Monte Abatone a Cerveteri
Fernando Gilotta, Luca Lucchetti, Teresa Patriziano
Abstract
An overview is presented of ongoing initiatives within the frame of the Monte Abatone Project, focused on the large urban necropolis of the Etruscan city of Caere (Cerveteri). Excavation campaigns; a multi-layered GIS, suitable for archive data and new acquisitions onfield; an experimental processing and modeling of the multi-scalar Information System – architectural (BIM) and topographic (GIS) – of the Campana Tumulus; challenging restorations of thousands of sherds: all this should contribute to have a clearer picture of the necropolis and of the historical and cultural profile of the city.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.1, 51-66; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.1.2024.05
Per una ricostruzione dei paesaggi funerari in Etruria settentrionale: i casi di Pisa e Volterra
Emanuele Taccola, Lisa Rosselli, Massimiliano Grava
Abstract
The contribution aims to illustrate the potential of digital cartography in reconstructing the funerary landscape of Pisa and Volterra. These study cases represent different scenarios, albeit within the northern-Etruscan context. While in Pisa, the visible remains are almost non-existent, and the documentation is sparse and fragmented, the available information for Volterra is more complete and accurate. The research has resulted in two different databases integrating archaeological and cartographic information within a geographic information system produced by public administration. The two freely accessible GIS platforms offer an overview of the collected data and enable filtering, querying, and analyzing records to meet specific objectives. The article concludes with a methodological note on the importance of information systems in analyzing archaeological data and the requirement to create standard protocols for collecting and disseminating geographic data.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.1, 81-98; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.1.2024.07
Archaeological data management and spatial analysis tools in the study of necropolises: case studies from Bologna and Spina (6th-3rd cent. BC)
Elisabetta Govi, Andrea Gaucci, Chiara Pizzirani, Anna Serra, Carlotta Trevisanello, Riccardo Vanzini, Enrico Zampieri
Abstract
This contribution deals with the use of relational databases (RDB) and GIS for the spatial analysis of Iron Age funerary contexts in the Italian peninsula through two projects by the Chair of Etruscology at the University of Bologna. The two selected case studies of Bologna’s western necropolis and Spina’s Valle Trebba necropolis represent distinct phases of research and discuss the challenges in updating historic systems and creating dialogue between systems adopted at different times. The Bologna case provides the opportunity to discuss the quality of data from old excavations in reconstructing funerary landscapes using GIS. The case of Valle Trebba exemplifies the difficulties in planning and managing information on 1215 tombs and over twelve thousand objects through an articulated relational archiving system. The iconography of Attic pottery allows us to understand the management of qualitative data. As far as spatial analysis in a GIS environment is concerned, we reassessed the solutions adopted for the Valle Trebba project, which are currently unsatisfactory, as they do not meet the principles of accessibility of such tools, nor Open Data Standards.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.1, 99-116; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.1.2024.08
Data management and reconstruction of funerary landscape in pre-Roman necropolises between Este and Padova
Giovanna Gambacurta, Federico Bernardini, Fiorenza Bortolami, Martina Vanessa Filannino, Cecilia Moscardo, Angela Ruta Serafini
Abstract
The results of two distinct projects on two pre-Roman funerary areas are presented: the eastern necropolis of Padova between via Tiepolo and via S. Massimo (excavations 1990-1991), and the northern necropolis of Este in the area of Casa di Ricovero (excavations 1983-1993). The first project focused on building of a geodatabase to manage and archive documentation data, as well as to consciously plan resources allocation and research steps. The second project, on the other hand, focused on 3D reconstructions of two burial mounds in a BIM environment, with both research and dissemination aims. Therefore, it was possible to experiment with the limits, potential, and effectiveness of this method in an unusual archaeological context, characterised by monuments built mainly with perishable materials and lacking architectural structures.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.1, 117-134; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.1.2024.09
Analisi di visibilità delle fortificazioni d’altura di epoca arcaica nella Valle Peligna (Abruzzo). Ipotesi, analisi informatiche e ricostruzione
Abstract
This paper analyses a new form of environmental visibility of ancient highland sites in Abruzzo (Central Italy) during arcaic period. This investigation offers unique opportunities for understanding the management of economic and political spaces of pre-Roman populations (i.e., Peligni). Through spatial analyses, the sites of valle Peligna are classified into different types. Then, they are contextualised within the historical and archaeological landscape. The results offer new clues for identifying a nonurban state system, which is well known in ancient literature but has yet to be traced in archaeological reconstructive models.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.1, 285-304; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.1.2024.19
La villa romana di Matrice (CB) tra geofisica e scavo
Abstract
The Roman villa at Matrice, located in Molise, central Italy, offers a rare opportunity to reflect on a typology of site that is sparsely documented. The building at Matrice presents distinctive elements of a rural villa of the 1st century AD, dedicated to agricultural, pastoral and wine production activities. However, these elements are adapted here in a decentralized area of the Roman State, where the local elites did not exhibit the same opulence of those belonging to major urban centres. The villa displays peculiar aspects and reflects local economic, social, and geographical conditions. After the excavation of the 1980s, archaeological research at Matrice was renewed in 2017 by a joint team from the British School at Rome, King’s College London, and the Ashmolean Museum of Oxford. The project used a preliminary geophysical survey to explore the area around the site, discovering new archaeological features. The following excavation season assessed the geophysical results and provided significant stratigraphic information. The paper focuses on the methodological aspect of the research, comparing the geophysical results with data from the excavation. It also underlines the potential implications of the new evidence for the understanding of the site.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.1, 329-348; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.1.2024.21
Methods and tools for generating the DTM of an archaeological site: the case-study of the photogrammetric survey of Nora (Sardinia, Italy)
Giulio Alberto Da Villa, Arturo Zara, Emanuela Faresin, Jacopo Bonetto, Cristiano Miele, Antonio Persichetti
Abstract
This paper describes the high-resolution survey of the archaeological site of Nora (Sardinia, Italy) using the aerophotogrammetric technique. The survey was conducted in October 2021 on a 14-hectare peninsula located in the Gulf of Cagliari. Previous attempts to survey the area, aside from the 1 metre/pixel LiDAR survey carried out by the Region of Sardinia, have been hampered by the challenges posed by the size of the area and the costs involved. The Digital Terrain Model was obtained from the 3D model created with the Agisoft Metashape© software by removing the buildings and the vegetation. The segmentation process was carried out using Cloud Compare and the resulting DTM was then analysed using the geomorphological analysis tools provided by QGIS. The seabed DTM was obtained through several survey campaigns between 2013 and 2015, using the same software. The terrestrial DTM was merged with the seabed DTM, resulting in a comprehensive 3D and 2D model of the peninsula and its surroundings. The final DTM was printed with rapid prototyping technologies to explore its potential use as a tactile model for promotion and dissemination in the field.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.1, 369-388; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.1.2024.23
Application of integrated 3D survey technologies in an Etruscan necropolis: the case of Sasso Pinzuto (Tuscania, VT)
Alessandro Naso, Rodolfo Brancato, Martina Zinni, Simone Amici
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to present the results of the research undertaken through a series of on-site surveys (2021-2023) at the Sasso Pinzuto site, located approximately 1 km SE of Tuscania (Viterbo, Italy). Situated along the eastern side of the Marta river valley, the necropolis layout is little known but it is extensive, including ca. 100 rock-cut chamber tombs. The 2021-22 archaeological campaigns started with a new topographical survey of the site and investigated two areas conventionally defined the Northern and the Southern Area. In the Northern Area, specifically within the vicinity of Tumulus 1, fragments of mould-decorated architectural plaques from a building discovered. In the Southern Area, a small plateau about 90 m from the Northern Area, four burial graves (n. 126, 127, 128, 130) and two chamber tombs (125 and 129) were excavated. This study sheds light to the great potential of applying digital technologies for a new understanding of the Etruscan tombs. Indeed, by using various non-destructive prospecting methods (aerial photogrammetry, fieldwalking survey, architectural drawings), coupled with precise location using RTK GNSS, and integration of legacy data in GIS, the site underwent a comprehensive reexamination.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.1, 389-406; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.1.2024.24
Dalla replica digitale alla modellazione informativa. Un approccio scan-to-BIM alla documentazione del microscavo e restauro della tomba 27 di Colle Vaccaro (AP)
Sofia Cingolani, Paolo Clini, Ramona Quattrini, Renato Angeloni, Francesca Angelo, Livia Sforzini, Antonella di Giovanni, Roberta Bollati
Abstract
The widespread integration of digital technologies in the field of archaeology, facilitated by increasingly powerful and economically accessible tools, is producing a profound transformation in the conventional methodologies employed by archaeologists. This contribution specifically delves into the documentation of excavation phases and artifacts, presenting a workflow tested on the tomb 27 of the Colle Vaccaro necropolis (AP) within the educational project managed by the Istituto Centrale del Restauro (ICR). The digital representation of distinct layers and artifacts, developed together with with micro-excavation and restoration operations, serves as a tool for real-time analysis and documentation. Crucially, it acts as a foundational element for constructing an information system geared towards subsequent and more comprehensive historical-archaeological analyses. The outcome of this contribution is the formulation of a semi-automatic process designed to ensure a geometrically accurate and informed three-dimensional representation. This workflow for documenting an excavation and its artifacts is designed to facilitate efficient data utilization both for scholars and professionals.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.1, 407-426; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.1.2024.25
El proyecto SIAPVA: un sistema de información arqueológica para el área de palazzo de Villa Adriana (Tívoli)
Álvaro Corrales Álvarez, Rafael Hidalgo Prieto
Abstract
The SIAPVA is a project with a marked digital character in which the acquisition of data obtained through invasive (archaeological excavation) and non-invasive (3D laser scanner, drone and GPS) methodologies is integrated. The records of the different sources of information converge in a GIS in which all the documentation is managed. Within the framework of a new phase of research on the archaeological site, the study undertaken is based on Digital Humanities approach. The real power lies in the fact that reports, invaluable archival photographs and plans exists digitally. It is on this basis that the authors have been able to addressed the analytical questions about this outstanding place, the imperial palace of Villa Adriana.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.1, 447-472; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.1.2024.27
The DSC authority file: a link between fieldwork and finds
Stefano Costa, Eleonora Fornelli, Anna Lorenzatto, Gennaro Iovino, Chiara Panelli, Fiorenza Proto, Renata Esposito
Abstract
Starting in 2017, the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio per la città metropolitana di Genova e le province di Imperia, La Spezia e Savona (SABAP-LIG) began activities to inventory archaeological assets through the ‘in batches’ inventory system based on the new MINP standard module. The activity was carried out with funds allocated by the General Directorate and has continued annually until 2023, leading to the compilation of about 13,000 modules. Since the first experiment, the DSC (Archaeological Excavation) authority file, which has been developed among the ICCD authority file standards for a while, but used sparingly. It has been identified as a crucial element of the activity because it can be used as a link between catalogue of records describing finds (MINP, MINV) and records describing archaeological sites. Despite the relative simplicity of the data model compared to state-of-the-art initiatives in archaeology data modelling, still it allows an improvement in finds management and knowledge about archaeological heritage.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.2, 39-46; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.2.2024.05
Using Kart and GitHub for versioning and collaborating with spatial data in archaeological research
Andrea Titolo, Alessio Palmisano
Abstract
Distributed Version Control Systems are one of the common ways through which scientists collaborate and keep track of different versions of their work. Moreover, scientists, programmers, etc., have been using platforms such as GitHub to host and share their resources versioned through Git. While not as widely adopted as in other disciplines, Git has also been used in archaeological research. In fact, DVCS allow scholars to collaborate remotely and offer the transparency necessary to align with Open Science and reproducible research practices. However, Git is highly inefficient when versioning GIS data. Kart, described as «an open source DVCS for geospatial and tabular data built on git», is a software addressing the need for collaboration and finer incorporation of geospatial data, providing also an integration with QGIS. Kart and code-hosting websites offers unique resources for archaeologists, from collaboration to more efficient workflows. In this paper, an example of how the authors are using Kart, QGIS, and GitHub in the project ‘Governance Policies and Political Landscapes in the Southern Levant under the Neo-Assyrian Empire’ will be presented. With this case study, the authors hope to provide a solution to the current gap in the workflow of documentation and collaboration among archaeologists using GIS.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.2, 107-118; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.2.2024.12
‘Open’ architecture of UAVIMALS prototype and its archaeological use
Federica Vacatello, Andrea Vannini
Abstract
The UAVIMALS system is a small airborne laser scanner prototype resulting from interdisciplinary research conducted by the Sapienza University of Rome and the Institute of BioRobotics of the Scuola Superiore S. Anna in Pisa. The project was financed by the National Geographic Society (Early Career Grant No. EC-50761T-18). Its aim was to develop an inexpensive and open source remote sensing system, test an engineered LiDAR sensor for autonomous vehicles, and create a specific aerial system for ‘micro-relief’ archaeological trace detection. The experiment conducted in the archaeological context of Leopolis-Cencelle (VT) demonstrated the effectiveness of a self-built open source hardware and software system that can be adapted to different types of archaeological visibility.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.2, 119-128; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.2.2024.13
Challenges and benefits in modelling ancient landscapes complexity through resilience and antifragility. RELOAD: a project on liminality in Northern Tuscany
Abstract
RELOAD intends to re-evaluate the marginal areas of northern Tuscany to demonstrate their central role in the dynamics of management and perception of space between the Roman conquest and late antiquity. Considering that landscape archaeology, complemented by an anthropological perspective, allows a deep understanding of the linked dynamics of social and ecological systems, the project is expected to fill a gap of knowledge about ancient landscapes in northern Tuscany analyzing the case of Volterra to provide innovative interpretative models through a multidisciplinary methodological approach and a diachronic perspective. Integrating all available sources with new data collection, RELOAD approaches landscape complexity in a flexible way. Introducing for the first time in archaeology the concept of ‘antifragility’, RELOAD engages in the wider debate about adopting concepts and techniques from different fields for archaeological and historical reconstruction. The paper presents the project and preliminary data regarding the challenges and the potential benefits of applying agent-based model simulations to test the validity of approaching the past through the lens of ‘resilience’ or ‘antifragility’ leading to alternative reconstructions of the human-environmental interactions.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.2, 311-322; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.2.2024.33
Old data, old methodology and new research. A case study of legacy data integration from the Cestrine Region, Epirus
Julian Bogdani, Domizia D’Erasmo
Abstract
In the context of the joint archaeological project in Çuka e Ajtoit (Albania) by Sapienza University of Rome and the Albanian Institute for Archaeology, new archaeological field research is being conducted in the Southern fringes of the Albanian territory. The area of interest extends from the site of Butrint (UNESCO Heritage site) to the Albano-Greek border, and corresponds to ancient Cestrine, renowned in the literary sources for its pastoral resources and Trojan connections. The study integrates the freshly acquired information collected during the field campaigns, characterized by a high degree of technological innovation, with old research data poorly published up to present. This paper concerns the photogrammetric processing of historical aerial imagery acquired for mapping purposes by the Italian Military Geographical Institute (IGMI) in the 1930s, during the war context of the invasion of Albania by Fascist Italy. The process resulted in the creation of a DTM and an orthomosaic by using SfM algorithms and GNSS topographical surveys, representing the shape of the landscape of the late 1930s, i.e., before the realization of extensive land reclamation programs by the socialist regime that have determined the radical changes of the current landscape.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.2, 323-332; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.2.2024.34
Mapping the archaeological landscapes of San Basilio (Ariano nel Polesine, Rovigo)
Jacopo Turchetto, Elisa Consolo, Giacomo Moro
Abstract
Between the end of the Seventies and the beginning of the Eighties of the Twentieth century, following the discovery of numerous occasional findings, the village of San Basilio (Ariano nel Polesine, Rovigo, Italy) had been the object of a series of archaeological campaigns, which made it possible to identify a pre-Roman settlement and a Roman villa/mansio linked to the passage of the via Annia/via Popillia. In the past few years, the research has been resumed in that area, carrying out both archaeological and topographical activities, aimed at reconstructing the organisation of the ancient landscape. The aim of this contribution is twofold: on the one hand, the planned research activities are presented and, on the other, the opportunity can arise to discuss about the potentialities of digital approaches in mapping the archaeological landscapes of San Basilio.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.2, 333-342; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.2.2024.35
Investigating resilient Roman agricultural landscapes in southern Italy. An integrated and open IT approach to modeling centuriation
Rodolfo Brancato, Veronica Ferrari, Immacolata Ditaranto, Pasquale Merola, Irene Rossi
Abstract
The In.Res.Agri project aims to optimize the understanding of Roman agricultural landscapes in Southern Italy by integrating topographical, archaeological, environmental, and textual data within an innovative data-science platform. It focuses on examining the resilience of Roman agrarian landscapes, specifically through elements such as centuriation, route networks, and settlement patterns. The project employs both traditional survey methods and advanced technologies to recover, interpret, and manage archaeo-topographical data related to centuriation. Key methods include using Machine Learning for the automatic detection of centuriated fields, spatial analysis of both legacy and new data, and the use of annotated epigraphic and literary sources. All collected data will be implemented into the Digital_Groma platform, which will feature a digital archive and a webGIS for data display and querying; data will be exposed adhering to FAIR principles. In.Res.Agri will focus on regions in Campania (Vesuvian Area, Irpinia) and Puglia (Tavoliere), exploring the link between contemporary landscapes and Roman centuriated agro-ecosystems. This research is crucial for understanding the impact of environmental changes on Cultural Heritage, aligning with the priorities of the European Commission and UNESCO. The Digital_Groma platform will be accessible to researchers, tourists, and public institutions involved in archaeology, urban planning, and cultural heritage protection.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.2, 387-400; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.2.2024.41
Use and processing of multispectral images in proximity remote sensing
Abstract
The contribution presents the results of a research that involves the use of data acquired by a multispectral camera transported by a UAV and their analysis and interpretation in the context of archaeological diagnostics. The experimentation expected the acquisition of multispectral images and the extraction of all the possible vegetation indexes on the basis of the spectral bands of the specific camera used (Sentera 6X). The tests, carried out in different contexts (Antium, Nersae), analyze the readability of the index data extracted from multispectral images in comparison with the marks visible in the panchromatic images, especially considering cases in which the marks are visible only in processed indices that interpolate the NIR band.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2024, 35.2, 401-410; doi: 10.19282/ac.35.2.2024.42
The Harris Matrix Data Package specification and the new init command of the Python hmdp tool
Abstract
This paper presents an update to an earlier proposal for a standardized open format for archaeological stratigraphy data, the Harris Matrix Data Package, and the accompanying software tool implementation. The update is two-fold: firstly, it aims at a clear separation between data format and the software tool, particularly by defining the data format in more detail and independently from the software used to create or analyze it; secondly, it introduces a new software feature that allows the creation of a new ‘data package’ from scratch. A third issue that was identified is the lack of tools for converting existing data to and from the Harris Matrix Data Package, but this issue is not dealt with in this paper.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 15-20; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.02
Emdb: yet another db for the stratigraphic record
Emanuel Demetrescu, Cristina Gonzalez-Esteban, Filippo Sala
Abstract
The collection of stratigraphic data has been done for years with offline tools like the Microsoft Access software, which was considered a user-friendly tool with the ability to print standardised context sheets (like the Italian ministerial US sheets) directly and ‘without’ the need for technical expertise. It is well known to the scientific community the limitation inherent in this type of approach: the data is not shared online and is not easy to be collaboratively edited; the data is locked within a proprietary format with repercussions on medium- to long-term preservation; and it is not immediately possible to integrate the data with other projects due to a lack of precise reference standard. Despite these issues, the offline approach remained viable in a whole range of situations where it is necessary to have a fast and easy-to-manage database. This contribution starts from the hypothesis that an offline standardised and encapsulated tool in an open format (such as SQLite, LibreOffice Base or MySQL), editable with open source software, can offer additional solution because it is easy to use and disseminate in the form of a free, downloadable template. EMdb aims to collect and manage not only stratigraphic data but also reconstructive unit sheets to cover the need to analyse, interpret and validate scientific hypotheses in the field.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 21-30; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.03
Il contesto urbano del teatro romano e l’area dell’ex Filanda Bosone a Fano (PU)
Annalisa D'Onofrio, Maria Raffaella Ciuccarelli
Abstract
This paper illustrates the usage and potential of the pyArchInit plugin, an open source tool created in Python language for the management and overall analysis of archaeological data on a single georeferenced platform (QGIS). Some of the functionalities of the application are highlighted in relation to the archaeological survey conducted in 2021 within the area of the Roman theater and the former Bosone spinning mill, in the historic center of Fano (PU), in the Marche region. Specifically, at the same time as the stratigraphic archaeological excavation operations were carried out, we proceeded directly on site, with the detailed management of both the identified stratigraphic Units and the finds recovered during the excavation, with direct data entry. In this way, it was possible to deliver to the Superintendence all georeferenced information layers in Gauss Boaga Est (EPSG3004) reference system, manageable in different GIS platforms and easily usable as a scientific research instrument for protection and planning of cultural heritage.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 31-38; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.04
pyArchInit at Castelseprio: progressive adoption of an integrated managing system for archaeological field data
Marco Moderato, Vasco La Salvia
Abstract
In the framework of the project ‘Castelseprio, centre of power’, the authors began excavating the structure known as Casa Piccoli in 2021. The area, already investigated by Piccoli in the 1970s, presents itself as an interesting case study for the application of an open and integrated solution for the management of stratigraphic data, specifically pyArchInit. Being an academic excavation project and, therefore, characterized by both research and training issues, it was decided to progressively and incrementally include the use of pyArchInit within the documentation protocols on site and post-excavation, over the three years of the permit granted by the Ministry of Culture for the excavations. Master’s degree students who participated in the excavation, at the end of the planned period, will have the basic skills to use the plugin also in a professional environment. At the end of the first two years of implementation, a SWOT analysis will show the results obtained within the site for both training and research purposes.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 39-48; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.05
MASPAG & pyArchInit, the newborn collaboration of Sapienza and adArte in the Sultanate of Oman
Guido Antinori, Marco Ramazzotti, Francesco Genchi
Abstract
During the fieldwork season in November 2021-March 2022, the ‘Missione Archeologica della Sapienza nella Penisola Arabica e nel Golfo’ (MASPAG), as part of the research activities supported and financed by the Great Excavations of Sapienza since 2019 and MAECI since 2022, planned and launched a new landscape archaeological project in the Sultanate of Oman. The first survey was carried out in an area of the Al Batinah South Governorate unknown to archaeology, combining remote-sensing and ground verification activities. This operation also saw the first result of the collaboration between the MASPAG research group and adArte srl, developer of pyArchInit open sources plugin for QGIS. The first season of the survey not only made it possible to estimate the archaeological potential of the study area, but also served as a workshop, opening a dialogue between universities and private companies, to discuss open source solutions in archaeology.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 49-58; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.06
Operative tools for BIM in archaeology: libraries of archaeological parametric IFC objects
Laura Carpentiero, Dora D’Auria
Abstract
Building Information Modeling is the most consolidated work method for engineering design of buildings and infrastructural works. It allows to create a comprehensive database starting from a 3D model of a building. Its use in archaeology permits to test and transform a working method, born for engineering design, in an operational support for archaeologists during and after the field phase. Our contribution focuses on the application of BIM to archaeological evidence. It presents the initial stages of a research project, whose aim is the definition of operational solutions for the creation of BIM models. To implement, on a scientific basis, the BIM methodology and make the modelling of archaeological structures easier, a model of semantic library, based on Pompeian archaeological evidence, has been created. The BIM contains archeological objects that can be reproduced and possibly modified for other projects. They represent a support to share on a large scale the representation in BIM. All archaeological library’s objects can be exported in the IFC format. This format can be opened and edited by all BIM software and worked on all OS; the export of archaeological objects in IFC format leads BIM closer to the FOSS world.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 69-76; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.08
iDAI.field: developing software for the documentation of archaeological fieldwork
Simon Hohl, Thomas Kleinke, Fabian Riebschläger, Juliane Watson
Abstract
The German Archaeological Institute (Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, DAI) conducts a variety of different types of field research, each with its own unique documentation requirements: excavations, surveys and architectural surveys. The resulting differences are reflected in the workflows, the recording methods and the documentation. In addition, the DAI’s international work has to comply with the guidelines of the respective heritage agencies in the host countries. iDAI.field is the system for documenting archaeological fieldwork at the DAI. From the very beginning it was developed to meet these very different requirements. The development spanned several years, major versions and associated, far-reaching technology changes. The latest iteration of the application relies exclusively on open source technologies and is published on GitHub under the Apache License 2.0 in accordance with DAI-IT’s open source policy. In order to open up the application to other interested researchers and/or developers, the focus of the last year has been the implementation of an extended configuration interface and the removal of dependencies from the DAI infrastructure. This article outlines the development history, introduces the currently available functionalities, and briefly discusses the data model, followed by an overview of the technologies used. It also describes the development into a real open source product and gives a short outlook on the future plans.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 85-94; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.10
Punto Zero, una nuova web application per la gestione e l’informatizzazione dei dati di archivio. Il caso di Ancona
Abstract
The case of city of Ancona highlighted the lack of specific software for the management and digitization of the archaeological data stored in the archives of the Superintendence. The archives contain many heterogeneous data that can help to understand the history of the archaeological sites, from their discovery up to the information archived from the numerous research or rescue archaeology excavations that have taken place over time. The normalization of all the archival data within a single relational database associated with their specific geographical nature, thanks to an overall view and an in-depth review of the data, shed new light on both edited contexts and archaeological evidence that had not yet received an adequate study and that had not been entered into a system that considers nearby data. This software does not replace existing cataloging systems, such as SIGECweb, but it aims to support the cataloging activity using the same standard and at the same time allowing the Superintendence to use the data for the protection activity and for their study.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 95-104; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.11
Sharing structured archaeological 3D data: open source tools for artificial intelligence applications and collaborative frameworks
Francesca Buscemi, Marianna Figuera, Giovanni Gallo, Angelica Lo Duca, Andrea Marchetti
Abstract
This paper focuses on collaborative methods and open source tools aimed to analyze and query 3D photogrammetric models of ancient architectures. The processing of virtual models led to the constitution of a training dataset of around 1300 wall facing stones from four archaeological sites in Crete. Through a purposely-conceived add-on of the open source software Blender, some algorithms expressed in Python are able to extract archaeologically significant features and to perform processes of Machine Learning and data mining. The resulting data are imported into a dedicated DB managed through a web application based on the open source framework Django. This workflow addresses some peculiar challenges of the application of Artificial Intelligence to archaeological heritage: the lack of training dataset, particularly related to architecture; the lack of best practices for geometry processing and analysis of 3D data; the use of poorly predictive data in semi-automatic processes; the sharing of data into the scientific community; the importance of the open source technology and open data.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 145-156; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.16
From legacy data to survey planning? The relationship between landscape and waterscape in Southern Tuscany during the Upper Palaeolithic: towards a predicitive-postdictive approach
Abstract
During the Upper Palaeolithic, Southern Tuscany was strongly affected by geomorphological changes that significantly altered its coastal seaboard. In particular, during the Last Glacial Maximum, the sea reached a level below 100 meters. As a result of this, the prehistoric coastland included also the present Tuscan Archipelago, in particular the Islands of Elba and Pianosa, assuming a different layout during MIS3 and MIS2. In this context, the process of prehistoric occupation took place, according to different needs and criteria. The present work explores the possibility of investigating the dynamic relationship between the prehistoric landscape and waterscape by a predictive-postdictive approach. Alongside the simulation of coastal changes, the study makes use of legacy data, taking into account those derived from artefact surface scatters collected over the past decades by various research groups. The latter provide further evidence of the prehistoric occupation process. In this scenario it is crucial to highlight areas that potentially still retain some relict features of the Palaeolithic landscape. These are examined in order to better understand settlement strategies taking place during the Upper Palaeolithic and, at the same time, to investigate the relationship between inland and coastal sites in a diachronic perspective. Although still ongoing, preliminary results provide new elements for the planning of future field surveys.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 237-246; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.26
Lo studio di siti archeologici di alta quota: metodologia e risultati del modello predittivo in ambiente GIS applicato nelle Valli di Lanzo (Piemonte, Italia)
Sandro Caracausi, Sara Daffara, Gabriele L.F. Berruti, Eugenio Garoglio, Marta Arzarello, Francesco Rubat Borel
Abstract
The aims of TPAA Project (Traces Prehistoric in the Alpine Environment) are the research, promotion and protection of the archaeological heritage in the Lanzo Valleys in Graian Alps, Western Alps (Turin, Piedmont, Northwest Italy). This paper illustrates the GIS predictive model results for the identification of archaeological sites in Lanzo Valleys and the 2019-2020 field survey. The archaeological data stem from occasional findings or traces of rock art. The aim of the GIS predictive model is to identify Potential Archaeological areas for the presence of archaeological sites and to hypothesize any reconstruction of human frequentation dynamics in Western Alps. Predictive GIS model has been elaborated through the interpolation and interpretation of the different environmental and archaeological data available. In the GIS predictive model, criteria such as the geomorphology, distance to water resources, aspect, slope and the use of land were considered. Also, the methodology is an evolution of the one that has already been successfully employed in the Sessera Valley. The results of the GIS model are compared with archaeological data collected during field surveys in the Potential Archaeological areas.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 247-256; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.27
Food, distance and power. Modeling a multi-factor protohistoric landscape in the Po plain
Abstract
The paper illustrates the creation and integration of the environment as a multilevel landscape in AMPBV Simulator, a spatial Agent-Based Model (ABM) developed in NetLogo programming language. The model was conceived with the aim of investigating, through a simulative approach, the events and the circumstances (both anthropic and environmental) that presumably led, between the end of the Late Bronze Age, in the 12th cent. BC, and the beginning of the Final Bronze Age, the protohistoric communities of the Southern Verona plain (known as the Northern Terramare polity) from a climatic phase of maximum development and articulation to an anti-climatic phase of sudden collapse. The study context is an interesting application for an investigation through ABM, both because of the complexity of the case scenario, in which several interrelated actors and factors must have played an important role, and because of the availability of a number of geographical and archaeological data providing both a term of comparison and an excellent information base. With the development of an artificial environment and by modeling processes potentially critical for the fate of the Terramare system, the aim is, on the one hand, to give such a complex study case a new tool for historical analysis and, on the other hand, to experiment Agent-Based Modeling and assess its potential as a methodology for archaeological investigation in the Po Plain.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 257-266; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.28
A predictive model to investigate the agro-pastoral exploitation of ancient landscapes
Abstract
Thanks to the reconstruction of agro-pastoral land use of a territory, it is possible to obtain much information, both of an ecological nature, and about the populations. By the reconstruction of these dimensions of a community it is possible to understand not only the aspects linked to the exploitation of a territory, the subsistence and demography of a given group, but also more generally the group’s social organization itself. With a series of GIS tools, capable of applying the FAO’s land evaluation techniques, it has been possible to generate a predictive raster model of the landscape with the degree of agro-pastoral suitability inside each cell. Thanks to this model, the agro-pastoral exploitation of a territory can be simulated, calculating the food production of each settlement, as well as the consequent demography maximum sustainability. Thanks to the identification of specialized productions sites and of settlements capable of producing a ‘surplus’, or vice versa ‘not-self-sufficient’, it will be possible to articulate socio-political models, hypothesizing exchange networks or relationships between the different sites. The text illustrates in detail the structure and functioning of the developed model, as well as its applications in the archaeological context of the ‘Ager Tarquiniorum’ during the Final Bronze Age.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 267-278; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.29
Testare sul campo la Least Cost Path Analysis: rifessioni intorno ai paesaggi dell’età del Bronzo della Sardegna centro-meridionale (Italia)
Marco Cabras, Cristina Concu, Paolo Frongia, Riccardo Cicilloni
Abstract
For about ten years this research team has been experimenting with techniques of spatial and visual perceptual analysis using GIS on the Nuragic landscapes (Middle and Late Bronze Age) of different areas of Southern Sardinia. Over time, various field campaigns have been developed on the monumental complexes built by the Nuragic communities. Towers, fortresses, villages, tombs of giants and sacred wells suggest a marked attention to the display of a message of power, strength and monumentality by the human group studied. An aspect often emphasized by these researches is the relationship of monuments with mobility and with the routes and strategic points of the territory, often verified through matches of different Least Coast Path Analyses (LCPA) that cross the territory by connecting different patterns of points. However, the real efficiency of the paths predicted by the GIS has never been directly tested on the ground. The paper presents the result of field analyses conducted by our group of archaeologists on the paths resulting from the GIS analysis in the Marmilla territories: travel times, energy expenditure and the real possibility of a path to actually cross a given territory are provided. Working with the LCPAs is still to be explored, however it remains a valid tool for territorial research, if an analysis unrelated to preconceptions and with a holistic evidence framework is carried out.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 279-288; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.30
Roman land use and its impact on the Pannonian landscape
Abstract
The Roman colony of Savaria was the first founded town in Pannonia (Colonia Claudia Savaria). Some inscriptions attest the so-called ‘deductio’, the settlement of veterans. After the first reconstruction of the centuriatio of Savaria no substantial archaeological attempt has been made in the last 40 years to verify the theory. In the last decade, research into the existence of the Savarian centuriatio has been pursued by using GIS methods, thanks to which we have managed to build a predictive model-network for the centuriatio, which is completely different from the previous reconstructions. The model has been continuously refined and validated by archaeological fieldwork and geophysical survey. The new reconstruction has led to new possibilities for interpreting the sites excavated in recent decades and the previously known Roman roads and aqueducts. Another interesting relationship between the watercourses running through the former colonia and the Roman centuriatio was also detected: the impact of Roman agriculture on the landscape transformation that has survived to the present day. Our pilot project, launched this year, plans to verify these effects using multispectral UAV surveys and geophysical measurements to show whether there were former streams along the presumed Roman channels that could provide evidence to support this hypothesis.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 289-298; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.31
The Roman limes in Germania Inferior: a GIS application for the reconstruction of landscape
Abstract
The Roman Limes represents the border line of the Roman Empire at its greatest extent in the 2nd century AD. It stretched over 5,000 km from the Atlantic coast of northern Britain, through Europe to the Black Sea, and from there to the Red Sea and across North Africa to the Atlantic coast. The remains of the Limes today consist of vestiges of built walls, ditches, forts, fortresses, watchtowers and civilian settlements. The limes system is focused both on the presence of natural physical barriers, such as the Rhine and Danube rivers in Europe and the Sahara Desert in North Africa, either on the presence of fortified sections such as the Hadrian’s wall or the Germanic-Rhaetian limes. The latter two are the best preserved and studied section. However, the limes sections in which natural barriers were exploited to mark the boundary of the area under Roman control are less well known. Over the past two decades considerable progress has been made in the knowledge of limes areas such as the Rhine sector. In this area the river was exploited as a natural barrier, and control of the area was based on the presence of two larger legionary camps around which, along the southern course of the Rhine, small auxiliary camps gravitated. Only some of these encampments have been investigated and their position confirmed by archaeological excavations. The position of the other encampments is still speculated and awaiting verification. In this contribution, in order to verify the position of these hypothetical forts, through GIS systems a visibility analysis and path distance analysis was carried out based on the location of certain sites and taking into account the ancient road routes and the geomorphology of the soil.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 299-310; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.32
Modelo predictivo de aprovechamientos vitivinícolas. La colonia romana de Hasta Regia, Hispania
Abstract
The Roman Limes represents the border line of the Roman Empire at its greatest extent in the 2nd century AD. It stretched over 5,000 km from the Atlantic coast of northern Britain, through Europe to the Black Sea, and from there to the Red Sea and across North Africa to the Atlantic coast. The remains of the limes today consist of vestiges of built walls, ditches, forts, fortresses, watchtowers and civilian settlements. The limes system is focused both on the presence of natural physical barriers, such as the Rhine and Danube rivers in Europe and the Sahara Desert in North Africa, either on the presence of fortified sections such as the Hadrian’s wall or the Germanic-Rhaetian limes. The latter two are the best preserved and studied section. However, the limes sections in which natural barriers were exploited to mark the boundary of the area under Roman control are less well known. Over the past two decades considerable progress has been made in the knowledge of limes areas such as the Rhine sector. In this area the river was exploited as a natural barrier, and control of the area was based on the presence of two larger legionary camps around which, along the southern course of the Rhine, small auxiliary camps gravitated. Only some of these encampments have been investigated and their position confirmed by archaeological excavations. The position of the other encampments is still speculated and awaiting verification. In this contribution, in order to verify the position of these hypothetical forts, through GIS systems a visibility analysis and path distance analysis were carried out based on the location of certain sites and taking into account the ancient road routes and the geomorphology of the soil.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 311-320; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.33
Shaping a juridical district: a postdictive approach
Abstract
How can we study the making of a medieval juridical space? Which were the agents that affected more? We try to answer to these questions thanks to a postdictive approach. We applied the QGIS algorithms to model the potential political space. We used several agents to get different outcomes. We tried both environmental and human agents to avoid the more deterministic side of this approach. We focused on the plain of Lucca in Northern Tuscany to study the making and development of its bishopric. Then we turned to the southern side of this region to study the district of a castle already excavated and whose territory is known quite well: Selvena. In this last example, we applied a regressive procedure, starting from the 19th century communities boundaries and making hypotheses about the relationship with medieval districts. This procedure can be applied to any context where a certain amount of data is available.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 321-328; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.34
Spatial analysis as a tool for field research. Case-studies in progress for urban and landscape contexts
Abstract
This paper concerns spatial analysis applied to urban and landscape scale; main aims are the reconstruction of the evolution in a specific settlement and the detecting of potential location for archaeological sites. Spatial analysis takes advantage of a GIS dataset containing different systems of sources (excavations, historical maps, toponymy, medieval documents, geomorphological data). Case studies at urban scale concern Monselice (Veneto) and Salpi (Northern Apulia). A retrogressive analysis aims to reconstruct the medieval urban fabric starting from the late morphology of these cities, using the modern cadastre or a magnetic survey. The Kernel Density Estimation and the evaluation of parcels orientation have been applied for a comprehension of the urban structure. At territorial scale, case studies regard two sectors of Northern Apulia. First step of these ongoing researches concerns the detection of landform (by TPI-Topographical Index, Geomorphons) and Wetness Index (TWI). This work helps us detect potential areas for settlements which are not preserved (dependencies of the city of Montecorvino and of the monastery of S. Egidio) and validate the outcomes of TWI (S. Marco in Lamis); moreover, it provides new hints about the relationship between settlement pattern, geomorphological elements, territorial/hydrological arrangement related to centuration.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 329-340; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.35
How to reconstruct the human mobility in mountainous area. A case from North-Eastern Italy
Abstract
The aim of this research is to define a new methodology in order to reconstruct the historical human mobility network in mountain areas in a perspective of ‘longue durée’. Through the match of different types of data, in particular historical and archaeological sources, the analysis of environmental features and the application of a series of algorithms on a GIS platform, we produced a series of maps of possible mobility networks. The comparison between them and with the historical cartography emphasizes both continuities and breaks over time and outlines the reliability of the elaborations obtained. Our focus is a small region in the North-Eastern Italy, called Feltrino (BL), on a time frame from the Bronze Age to the modern times
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.1, 341-348; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.1.2023.36
The spatial interactions between remains in large dwelling spaces
Abstract
Large dwelling spaces, characterised by a continuous human occupation and for different practices, represent crucial archaeological contexts in reconstructing the organization of production and consumption activities within prehistoric communities. However, the archaeological record related to such depositional contexts often appears spatially disordered and dominated by a chaotic distribution, the result of the interaction of human and natural agencies over time. On this matter, computer modelling offers a wide range of methods to disentangle the apparent spatial chaos and assess the dynamics behind the distribution of the remains, both those deriving from human activities carried out on the spot and those resulting from later disturbances. In this framework, one of the main issues is the reconstruction of the complex of materials and tools from some human activity. This paper explores the effectiveness of Gcross function analysis to investigate dynamics of interactions between different categories of remains in a large dwelling space, addressing the question of how each category of remains interacts in the space with the others. As a case study, the analysis focuses on a wide area within the Bronze Age fortified settlement of Coppa Nevigata (Southern Italy).
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.2, 33-50; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.2.2023.02
Defining Southern Etruria Final Bronze Age settlement models using an integrated GIS and Machine Learning approach
Abstract
This research aims to use quantitative and repeatable GIS techniques, as well as Machine Learning algorithms, to study the settlement patterns in Southern Etruria during the final phase of the Bronze Age (1150-950/925 BC). The region of Southern Etruria is located in present-day Latium, Tuscany, and Umbria. The study, which includes 166 settlements, focuses on identifying the morphological characteristics of these settlements by means of raster analysis. Using a Machine Learning approach, the research will compare real settlements with random points within the region to understand the specific characteristics of the settlement pattern in the landscape. The study will also examine the use of feature selection and features importance methods to select the most significant features of a multivariate dataset.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.2, 51-68; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.2.2023.03
Integrating Point Pattern Analysis and Logistic Regression approaches for exploring the settlement pattern of the Versilia and Garfagnana mountains in Roman times
Salvatore Basile, Antonio Campus
Abstract
Mountain archaeology has a long research tradition and in recent years the number of studies on this topic has increased considerably, shedding new light on the dynamics of mountain’s communities. Versilia and Garfagnana districts (Lucca, North-Western Tuscany) largely fall between the Apuan Alps and the Apennine ridge. Although these territories have never been systematically investigated, the collection of all available archaeological legacy data indicates a settlement pattern of undoubted interest for the Roman times. This paper aims at exploring the settlement pattern of these mountain territories, integrating Point Pattern Analysis and Logistic Regression to achieve a predictive map of archaeological presences and to analyse their interrelations with the environment. Analyses prove the spatial dependence of finds with geomorphological and pedological variables, but also with the distance to major watercourses and solar irradiation. Based on the considered variables, the predictive map confirms that the foothill and gentler slopes facing E-SE areas have suitable characteristics for permanent settlement. Moving towards the more inland and higher altitude territories, the non-event areas increase proportionally, especially along the ridges, and the steeper, north-facing areas. Thus, the results make it possible to integrate the archaeological framework, clarifying human-environment dynamics, and directing new studies.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.2, 87-104; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.2.2023.05
Digital rescue of an archaeological site at risk: the prehistoric village of Portella (Sicily)
Abstract
The prehistoric village of Portella (Salina, Eolian Islands, ME), occupied during the Middle Bronze period, was discovered by chance in the 1950s and excavated in three different phases, from the moment of discovery until 2008. The site is well preserved because, after partial destruction, it was rapidly covered by landslides of volcanic rock. That notwithstanding, the erosive activity had negative effects, too: the lateral erosion of the ridge is destroying part of the village; possibly a portion was already collapsed at the time of discovery. We can consider this erosion an unstoppable process that needs programmatic, continuous monitoring of the site. In the article, we will discuss how it is possible to make one ‘screenshot’ of the monument’s status with the help of new technologies, specifically, photogrammetry through UAVs. To enhance fruition, a virtual tour of the site was also created. This allows people with physical disabilities or reduced mobility to access, though virtually, the site. In conclusion, other possible areas of application of this low-cost and expeditious methodology are suggested, in particular inaccessible or overcrowded sites.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.2, 105-122; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.2.2023.06
La necropoli messapica di Monte d’Elia ad Alezio (Lecce): integrazione di rilievi topografici e indagini geofisiche a supporto delle indagini stratigrafiche
Ivan Ferrari, Francesco Giuri, Giovanni Leucci, Giuseppe Scardozzi
Abstract
The Messapian necropolis of Monte D’Elia (used from the 6th to the 2nd cent. BC) is about 300 m S of the modern town of Alezio (Lecce, Apulia), which lays on one of the most important ancient settlements of the Salento peninsula (ancient Messapia). The site was investigated between 1981 and 1985 by the Apulian Archaeological Superintendence. In 2020, archaeological investigations have been resumed by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Salento, with the participation of researchers from the Institute of Heritage Science of the National Research Council. Their research activities focused on geophysical prospecting and topographical surveys, performed thanks to the combined use of laser scanner and digital photogrammetry by drone. This contribution illustrates these research activities, which are aimed at understanding the general plan of the necropolis, through the integration of the information published in the 1980s with data from new investigations and surveys, and, more generally, at the reconstruction of its topographic organization and extension.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.2, 143-162; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.2.2023.08
Le cave antiche di Porto Miggiano (Santa Cesarea, Lecce): analisi metrologica e rilievo topografico dei settori estrattivi
Giuseppe Scardozzi, Ivan Ferrari, Francesco Giuri
Abstract
The ISPC-CNR is conducting research activities aimed at identifying ancient quarries that supplied the public building sites in the Athenaion of Castro, where excavations revealed dry-stone city walls made of calcarenite blocks and built in three phases between the 4th and 2nd cent. BC. The paper is focused on the large coastal quarries of Porto Miggiano, located approximately 4.5 km NE of Castro, where the extraction was carried out in function of sea transportation of the blocks. The extraction sites were documented through laser scanning and photogrammetry by a drone. In the main quarry, which covers an area of approximately 0.4 hectares, thanks to the metrological analysis of the stepped faces, four extraction areas were identified corresponding to at least five cultivation phases. The oldest and most extensive one affects the central sector of the quarry, where large blocks compatible (for dimension and macroscopic aspect) with those of the third phase of the Castro city walls, dated to the beginning of the 2nd cent. BC, were extracted.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.2, 163-184; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.2.2023.09
Digital technologies and the archaeological topography of Castellito (Sicily): the reconstruction of a Roman villa
Rodolfo Brancato, Claudia Lamanna, Vittorio Mirto, Laura Manganelli
Abstract
This paper presents the results of the research undertaken through a series of on-site surveys and studies (2019-2022) of the site of Castellito di Ramacca (Catania, Sicily). The site, located on the top of a low hill (106 msl), was partly excavated in the late 20th century and interpreted as a Roman rural building, possibly with a special function (road station). Its name is also attested in ancient sources (Capitoniana). The site was re-evaluated using various non-destructive prospecting methods (aerial photogrammetry, fieldwalking survey, architectural recording), precise location with RTK GNSS and integration of the legacy data in GIS. This approach confirmed a new addition to the already known villa complex and contextualized it as a focal point of the rural settlement system. Based on the topographical data obtained from the survey campaign, conducted by integrating of different techniques, we propose a reconstruction of the villa’s elevation at its peak in Late Antiquity. This study illustrates the great potential of applying digital technologies for a new understanding of Roman villa remains.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.2, 185-206; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.2.2023.10
Multispectral and high-resolution images as sources for archaeological surveys. New data from Iraqi Kurdistan
Riccardo Valente, Marco Iamoni, Eleonora Maset
Abstract
The paper presents the results of a two-year archaeological survey carried out in the Iraqi Kurdistan, namely within the Navkur Plain that has been extensively explored by the University of Udine since 2012. The surveys were planned in advance using Remote Sensing products available online and processed with Google Earth Engine, a large-scale cloud computing service specifically designed to process geospatial big data and especially satellite imagery. Images from Landsat 5, Landsat 7 and Sentinel-2 platforms were selected, processed and assessed. After two years, an overall number of 46 new and previously unknown sites have been localized and surveyed, contributing to the knowledge of the past history of this portion of the Kurdistan region and testing the use of Remote Sensing cloud-computing applications in the context of Near Eastern archaeological research.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.2, 207-223; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.2.2023.11
Legacy imagery, continuous satellite monitoring and targeted drone surveys for the study of deserted medieval fortified settlements in the hinterland of Ravenna, Italy
Abstract
The nucleation of the rural population was a widespread phenomenon during the Middle Ages that interested many areas of Western Europe. However, many of these sites are now deserted with the underlying phenomena causing these abandonments not always easy to reconstruct. Archaeologists have been interested in these medieval settlements since the middle of the 19th century, and remote sensing has played a decisive role in mapping hundreds of them. This also applies to many parts of the Po Valley but not the Romagna plain, where hundreds of medieval sites are known but almost exclusively based on written sources. However, the increasing availability of aerial and satellite images offers a valuable opportunity to bridge this knowledge gap. The systematic study of legacy images allowed the mapping of new defensive elements and reconstruction of the general plan of six deserted medieval fortified settlements in the broader hinterland of Ravenna. PlanetScope 3m resolution images were later exploited to continuously monitor these sites during periods prone to crop marks formation to detect the presence of wide crop/soil marks (e.g. ditches). Six successful field verifications demonstrate that these ‘coarse’ images are sufficient to plan drone surveys that can allow the mapping of additional smaller features.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.2, 225-246; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.2.2023.12
The Domus of the Calendar: a qualitative comparison analysis of digital data obtained from 3D laser scanners, SfM methodologies and portable devices
Alfonso Ippolito, Claudia Palmadessa, Mahsa Nousrati Kordkandi, Juan Camilo Arias Tapiero
Abstract
Data acquisition digital methodologies have become a reliable tool for surveying buildings with heritage values. Laser scanning has become the preferred method for performing 3D digital surveys because of its high accurate results; even though, the cost associated with it is usually high. Emerging technologies have been able to produce low-cost data acquisition methods, and they are currently being incorporated as part of digital survey projects. Using the ‘Domus of the Calendar’ as a case study – an exceptionally unique archaeological and architectural site that was incorporated to the structural foundation system of the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore – the present investigation aims to evaluate the data quality of two low-cost emerging technologies, namely SfM (Structure from Motion) and the iPad LiDAR system. This evaluation was developed by comparing low-cost technologies data acquisition capabilities with those of the laser scanner. The data for this test was obtained during an integrated survey campaign aimed at executing a critical analysis of the many historical layers of the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica. The results obtained from this investigation highlights the reliability of the different techniques implemented and suggest a useful solution for different and recurrent multi-scalar contexts.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2023, 34.2, 247-262; doi: 10.19282/ac.34.2.2023.13
Come nasce una base GIS per l’archeologia opensource, sviluppata da archeologi per gli archeologi: lo scavo di Poggio Gramignano, Lugnano in Teverina (TR)
Luca Mandolesi, Roberto Montagnetti, David Gerald Pickel
Abstract
This contribution traces the history of pyArchInit, the first QGIS plugin created directly by archaeologists for the management of archaeological sites. The article describes the structure of the plugin, its features and the main innovations brought to the field of archaeological data management compared to the commonly used applications (CAD and Office package). Furthermore, practical examples of its use and potential will be provided through the description of the methodological procedure, based on pyArchInit, put into the field during the excavation of the archaeological site of Poggio Gramignano - Umbria - Italy. Such excavation is directed by Prof. David Soren of the University of Arizona and has revealed the remains of an important Roman villa reused in the Late Roman period as a cemetery for children.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.1, 93-112; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.1.2022.06
Cluster analysis, classificazione numerica e remote sensing. Metodi di analisi integrati applicati alla survey presso San Basilio di Ariano nel Polesine (RO)
Giulia Iadicicco, David Vicenzutto, Silvia Paltineri
Abstract
This paper focuses on a multidisciplinary approach used mainly in the post-processing of the data collected in the intensive survey carried out in 2018 in San Basilio di Ariano nel Polesine (RO). At first, the interpretation of aerial photos and the DTM processing for the area of San Basilio have been used to identify features of the ancient landscape before the field survey, in order to better plan the investigations; the results of the analysis on remote sensing and DTM data have been also used during the post-processing phase. Then, the data collected in the field have been digitalized, organized and processed in a database and a GIS, using both cluster analysis and data classification. The research has allowed us not only to confirm and expand the context of the historical and environmental evolution of the area during pre-Roman and Roman period, but also to reflect on the methodology used for the data collection and processing within an intensive field survey. In particular, cluster analysis and numerical classification methods have been compared in order to better understand their potentialities and limits in the data analysis.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.2, 53-76; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.2.2022.04
Modélisation spatiale au Proche-Orient phénicien à l’époque hellénistique (IVe-Ier s. av. n. è.)
Abstract
This article focuses on a multidisciplinary and experimental approach on the relationships between the Phoenician cities (Lebanon, Syria, Israel) and their hinterlands in the Hellenistic period (4th-1st century BC). The article presents the successive stages of this approach. The first one is the construction of the corpus and the recording of the historical and essentially archaeological data in a relational database. The next step is addressed to spatial modelling. In other words, it means applying a spatial analysis to the data. For this purpose, we select a model, the gravity model, which relates the distance between archaeological sites, their comparative importance, and their capacity to interact between each other. Then we set up the model, thanks to our historical and geographical knowledge of the region. The results are visualisations, i.e., potential maps that include modelled networks extending across the region. They must be commented on in the light of the historical and archaeological knowledge that we have about the area: they confirm or question our reading of the Phoenician territories and get into dialogue with the archaeological and historical data, to improve our understanding of the cities. Then, we carry out a second experimentation, with the addition of six archaeological sites in the corpus, identified by archaeological survey and dated to the Hellenistic period. A new spatial modelling is carried out, with the same model and the same parameters. The partial reconfiguration of the networks is again commented on. The conclusion, finally, deals with the contribution of the approach, as a new tool available to archaeologists and historians in the study of Phoenician territories.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.2, 77-94; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.2.2022.05
Soundscape and catchment analysis for a spatial geography of Medieval monastic estates in southeastern Tuscany (11th-12th centuries)
Stefano Bertoldi, Gabriele Castiglia, Angelo Castrorao Barba, Cristina Menghini
Abstract
This contribution is the result of experimenting with methodologies linked to the understanding of soundscapes in the context of medieval monasteries. In our specific area, the approach was not focused on the cognitive concept itself so much as the perception of the spirituality of the ringing of bells. The premise was to understand whether, and how, the bells functioned as a soundmark for controlling the territory. The case studies examined are the Abbey of Farneta, the Monastery of Camaldoli and the Abbey of San Fedele, today located in the Province of Arezzo: the three religious structures differ in their historical development, geographical position, and economy. However, what links them (and what links the great majority of medieval monastic complexes) is a tight control of their territory for production purposes, in order to guarantee the profitability of their material heritage. Analyses of the diffusion of the sound of the bells was compared (and integrated) with visibility and catchment analyses. The aim was to understand whether this type of analytical approach could contribute to the definition of a monastery’s ‘catchment area’. The data that emerged describe a complex economic landscape in which identified anomalies at settlement level can be worth analyzing and trying to understand.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.2, 95-114; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.2.2022.06
Researches at the Monte Abatone necropolis (Cerveteri)
Fernando Gilotta, Valentina Carafa, Giulia Morpurgo, Carmelo Rizzo, Alessandra Cirafici, Alessandra Avella, Pasquale Argenziano, Teresa Patriziano, Marina Micozzi, Federica Galiffa, Luca Lucchetti, Martin Bentz, Dennis Beck, Florian Birkner, Christian Briesack, Philippe Kluge, Lang Matthias, Alessandra Coen, Martina Zinni
Abstract
The Authors illustrate the ‘Monte Abatone Project’, focusing on the important necropolis South of the ancient city of Caere. The area in its archaeological and topographical features was not further studied since the geophysical campaigns (1957-1961) by the Lerici Foundation. The main focus is the large area around the Campana Tumulus, previously left unexplored in the large plan by the Lerici Foundation. Excavations in 2018-2021 on the South side of this area led, conversely, to discover a possible ‘family’ cluster of tombs, dating to at least between the early Orientalizing and the early/middle Archaic period: these tombs were of fossa, semi-constructed, single-chamber and C2 types. Also, further unknown sectors of the necropolis were found not far from this cluster, with a concentration of tombs of the early semi-constructed type (first half of VII cent. BCE), provided with small tumuli, ordered in two approximatively parallel rows and all oriented North-West. This suggests the existence of a planning by some form of ‘urban’ authority, at a time – beginning with the Early Orientalizing period − that marked a considerable acceleration in the economic growth of the city and its civil-political structure. The area West and North of the Campana Tumulus was also investigated, including surveying the edges of the plateau that led to the identification of tombs (VI-III cent. BCE) excavated in the past and partially backfilled, and terraces for funerary rites which are oriented, like the Tumulus, toward the city plateau. Extensive use of laser scanning and photogrammetry allowed to produce a model of the Monte Abatone plateau, a 3D model of both the Campana Tumulus, never surveyed since the first half of the nineteenth century, and other excavated tombs.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.2, 135-152; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.2.2022.08
Applicazioni GIS e di remote sensing satellitare per la conoscenza e il monitoraggio dell’area urbana di Falerii Novi e del territorio circostante
Abstract
This paper presents some results obtained by the application of remote sensing methodologies in the study and monitoring of the Roman city of Falerii Novi and its surrounding area. This landscape changes quickly and for this reason is suitable for non-invasive investigation, which ensure the regular tilling of the land and allow the monitoring of the conservation of the ancient buried structures. Specifically, the research concerns the experimental application of the recent image processing methodologies on five high-resolution satellite images (one QuickBird-2, two GeoEye-1 and two WorldView-2 acquired between 2003 and 2014). The aim of this processing phase is to enhance spectral, spatial and radiometric properties of the images and so, to facilitate the identification of the archaeological marks related to buried structures. The photointerpretation was necessarily supported by the examination of the bibliographic sources, and was validated, where was possible, by field checks. In general, no significant archaeological marks have emerged in the urban area, but the strategic use of the spectral properties of the images has allowed the identification of the areas with the greatest erosion of the surface soil and those of greatest deposition of the colluvial soil. In the extra-urban area, on the other hand, vegetation marks relating to a probable suburban villa in the immediate territory to the South of the city and to the route of the Via Amerina to the North have been identified.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.2, 175-196; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.2.2022.10
From surfaces to volume: towards a volumetric reconstruction of the archaeological deposit
Giulio Poggi, Fabrizio Falchi, Luisa Russo, Mirko Buono
Abstract
3D recording methodologies have been successfully integrated into the archaeological fieldwork practice, resulting in a widely accepted series of advantages for the documentation of the excavation. However, post-processing analysis is often neglected and recording protocols do not consider possible developments for exploiting the potential of 3D data. At the excavation of Vetricella, in Italy, the ERC nEU-Med project developed a digital documentation protocol aimed at reconstructing the volumetric physical space occupied by each stratigraphic unit, generating more than a thousand contexts over the course of four archaeological seasons. In this contribution we are going to present how the volumetric approach has influenced the whole methodology of documentation since the recording stage, introducing a standardized workflow aimed at reconstructing solid geometries from 3D surfaces. In this protocol a great attention is paid to the strategies, timings and needs of the fieldwork practice, without overlooking important archaeological aspects such as data accuracy and the chance to generate data for more quick on-field interpretation. The final outcome is a new visualization and analysis of the space with the use of volumetric models, which results in greater accuracy in displaying physical and stratigraphic relationships, as well as generating volumetric quantitative data. In the end, some examples drawn from Vetricella will be employed to show how solid 3D geometries and volumetric quantities can be used in support of the archaeological interpretation of the site.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.2, 197-214; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.2.2022.11
“Field data collection app” e ricognizioni archeologiche: Geopaparazzi
Elisa Paperini, Francesca Anichini, Gabriele Gattiglia
Abstract
This paper aims to demonstrate how field data collection applications can represent a good resource in archaeological surveys. As an alternative to the classic paper documentation, using a smartphone application saves time both during the survey (automatic geolocation, GPS tracking) and in the post-processing (easier data import in a computer software, reduction of typo-errors and prevention of transcription errors). The focus of this paper is Geopaparazzi, an open source application for Android that allows customized and easy collection of field data by using a smartphone; collected data are ready to be processed by computer software like GIS. Geopaparazzi 6.1.0 was tested in four archaeological survey campaigns, three in Versilia (Italy, Tuscany) and one in Lampedusa (Italy, Sicily). The two environments are profoundly different: Versilia is a mountain landscape, and Lampedusa is a small island. Moreover, the data collected are different but these differences helped to understand how adaptable the application can be.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.2, 215-234; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.2.2022.12
Archeologia funeraria e tecnologie digitali: la tomba del principe di Corinaldo dalla documentazione alla fruizione
Abstract
By retracing the main experiences carried out by digital archaeology on some well-known funerary contexts, the article presents the preliminary results of the ongoing 3D documentation in the necropolis of Corinaldo (Ancona) and on the tomb of a Picenian prince of the 7th century BC. The tomb was discovered thanks to the research carried out by the University of Bologna. The first activities focus on a program of enhancement and fruition of the important context, within an ongoing procedure of preliminary excavations in the vicinity of the site that will lead to a redevelopment of the area.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2022, 33.2, 235-254; doi: 10.19282/ac.33.2.2022.13
Understanding the effect of trampling in a spatial perspective: a case study from a long-lived-in dwelling space of the Bronze Age settlement of Coppa Nevigata (South-Eastern Italy)
Abstract
Long-lived-in dwelling spaces provide a huge number of valuable data by which to figure out human activities and patterns of space use by prehistoric communities. However, cultural dynamics can intervene during deposit formation processes and transform depositional sets of rubbish involving artefacts and ecofacts. Notably, trampling resulting from human activities represents the most intrusive agent that affects spaces continuously used over a certain timespan. Therefore, comprehending the effect of trampling represents a key-step to assess the distribution of items in the archaeological record and to establish a solid base on which to build valid models of the use of space. This paper proposes a methodological approach to figure out the diverse effects of trampling. The methodology has been tailored on a specific case study, a long-lived-in dwelling area of the Bronze Age settlement of Coppa Nevigata (South-Eastern Italy), dated to the 12th cent. BC. Here, cycles of use and of the discarding of pottery produced a massive number of shards, whose primary deposition has been probably subjected to alteration by trampling. On this premise, the impasto pottery record has been considered as viable proxy to investigate the effects of this cultural agent on the archaeological record. The analysis proceeds by three main steps: a data entry process structured to optimize the recording of shards dimension, fragmentation rate analysis of shards and spatial analysis of well-preserved vessels. This integrated approach allowed an assessment of the reliability of distribution and conservation of the archaeological record in the studied spaces, providing crucial information to better understand use of space patterns through a second analytical step: spatial analysis of artefacts and ecofacts. An aim of this paper is to provide an analytical process replicable for further Late Prehistoric contexts.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.1, 25-42; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.1.2021.02
Archaeological survey of the western boundary strip of Iran through using remote sensing techniques
Kamal Aldin Niknami, Hayyan Jabarzadeh, Mahsa Vahabi
Abstract
A huge irrigation project is being conducted in the Iranian western border and satellite investigation of the area was initially performed in order to identify archaeological settlement sites before they were threatened by the so-called Garmsiri water project. Because of the diverse geography and the inherited critical war conditions such as mined lands, the investigation of ancient sites in this region is not easy; therefore, satellite-based methods can play an important role in the detection and documentation of archaeological sites. The main hypothesis of this study is that all settlements have internal and external characteristics allowing to detect the presence of archaeological sites. The identification of a series of these characteristics in a spatial area will lead to the discovery of archaeological sites. Three general methods which this study utilizes to identify the location of the site include: 1) Identification using satellite images; 2) Identification using the predictive model based on GIS; 3) Integration of satellite images data applying the prediction model. Thereby, those points having a series of internal and external characteristics related to settlement sites were introduced as potential ancient sites. In the field survey, 57 points were confirmed as settlement sites. The perspective of this study helps archaeologists to explore the surface and subsurface remnants of ancient sites without conventional field-walking survey.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.1, 63-80; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.1.2021.04
The contribution of artificial intelligence to aerial photointerpretation of archaeological sites: a comparison between traditional and Machine Learning methods
Ilaria Cacciari, Giorgio F. Pocobelli
Abstract
On the basis of the research activity carried out as part of the Archeo 3.0 project ‘Integration of key enabling technologies for the efficiency of preventive archaeological excavations’, the authors explore the feasibility and limits of the automated approach for the recognition of archaeological marks. This approach is mainly motivated by the relevance that aerial photographs play in the reconstruction of ancient topography of human settlements. For this aim, a collection of historical aerial photographs of both the city and the necropolis of Vulci has been considered. These photographs, in colour and B/W, have been previously used in a PhD thesis in Ancient Topography in which the traditional methodology (photointerpretation and cartographic restitution) has been fully exploited. In this work, a systematic study is presented in order to compare the results obtained with Machine Learning techniques vs traditional ones. This comparison allows us to discuss the strengths and limits of both methodologies.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.1, 81-98; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.1.2021.05
Análisis arquitectónico y aplicación de metodología BIM en el santuario extraurbano de Tusculum
José María Guerrero Vega, Antonio Pizzo
Abstract
Building Information Models (BIM) are presented as a tool with interesting possibilities in the fields of knowledge, management and dissemination of architectural and archaeological Cultural Heritage. This study describes the work process and the results of the development of such a digital model for the extra-urban sanctuary of the city of Tusculum, one of the best-preserved buildings of the site, yet less known and studied. Within the framework of a new phase of research on the archaeological site, the stratigraphic and constructive analysis of the wall that delimited the original terrace of the complex has been carried out. This has allowed to determine a chronological sequence and to establish the bases for the modelling of both the current state and some of its evolution phases, thus enabling a proposal for restitution of some of the previous states of the complex. The aim was to build a model that synthesizes the current knowledge and that has open and flexible characteristics, so that future research can enhance, complement or correct it.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.1, 99-116; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.1.2021.06
Morphometric analysis for geoarchaeological research: from testing different methods to results verification in the Romagna plain
Michele Abballe, Marco Cavalazzi
Abstract
The Multi-Scale Relief Model (MSRM) is a novel algorithm developed for the visual interpretation of landforms. This was tested within the Romagna plain, the south-eastern part of the Po Valley (Italy), to establish whether it was able to detect fluvial ridges within this alluvial landscape. Since the MSRM is not the only method to carry out morphometric analysis, it was compared with other techniques previously used in landscape archaeology, such as the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), the Topographic Position Index (TPI), and the Deviation from mean Elevation (DEV). At the same time, the SRTM 1 Arc-Second Global was compared with a Local DEM based on ground control points. Subsequently, the result of the MSRM algorithm was tested through targeted desktop- and field-based research. This validation phase proved essential to test the accuracy of the DEM-derived products. Furthermore, it allowed us to verify the existence of the detected fluvial ridges, to propose a chronological range for some of them, and, finally, to collect new archaeological evidence.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.1, 117-136; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.1.2021.07
Estensione delle valli di Comacchio tra 1000 e 1500 d.C.: geoarcheologia, cartografia storica e informatica
Abstract
The paper proposes the representation of the evolution of the Comacchio Valleys between the 11th and 16th centuries CE. The bases for this representation are provided by stratigraphic, topographical, cartographic and historical-documentary data; the frame is offered by information technology. The possibility of reconstructing the physical characteristics of a landscape in a diachronic perspective with a certain degree of detail offers valuable insights not only in order to refine our knowledge on the given topic but also in view of the evaluation of the archaeological potential and planning of research.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.1, 137-154; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.1.2021.08
Accurata, ma sostenibile: soluzioni operative per la documentazione grafica e fotografica dello scavo sul sito di Vignale
Elisabetta Giorgi, Luca Luppino, Nicola Lapacciana, Jacopo Scoz
Abstract
In the last couple of years, as part of the archaeological project ‘Uomini e Cose a Vignale’ several tests were conducted, focused on fast and effective methods for the graphic and photographic documentation of the archaeological excavation. This paper presents three case studies, which have produced promising results. All of these were conceived and carried on in order to be based on cost-effective and straightforward procedures, which can be further experimented by other research groups. The final outputs are both sufficiently precise and adequate for the online sharing. The first case study focuses on developing an effective pipeline, based on UAV and 3D modeling, and easy enough to allow every member of the excavation team to carry on autonomously the documentation of its excavation area. The second case study has been aimed at 3D modeling of archival data in order to increase their informational potential. The third case study consisted in the elaboration of a high-definition photoplan of a wide (9x3 m) late antique mosaic. The proposed case studies show that the use of sustainable and low-cost procedures and tools leads to the production of graphic and photographic documentation maintaining good quality standards and suitable for communication purposes.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.1, 155-174; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.1.2021.09
Archeologia virtuale del passato contemporaneo. Dal rilievo alla ricostruzione digitale del campo PG 65 di Altamura (BA)
Giuliano De Felice, Adriana Camerino, Remo Pavone
Abstract
In the last decades, archaeologists have learnt to overcome the chronological limits, arriving to conceive the application of archaeological methods to contemporary objects and sites. But what happens when we try to apply the rules and methods of virtual archaeology to a context of the contemporary past? While the same tools can be used, some very important differences warn us to be careful: sometimes the contemporary archaeological heritage cannot be reconstructed in the usual way, despite the huge amount of data and sources available. The example of the virtual reconstruction of POW no. 65 in Central Apulia gives some elements to envisage possible applications of computer graphics techniques to very recent cultural heritage assets, moving a step forward towards a new paradigm of digital presentation of archaeological heritage.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.1, 195-212; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.1.2021.11
Searching for ancient sonic experience in present-day landscapes
Abstract
Research on ancient sensory experience has questioned ocular-centric research as the primary form of knowledge production in archaeological investigations. With enough information about the material composition of an ancient building, the acoustic properties of the interior spaces can be modeled for greater understanding of the daily experience of past users. Acoustics can reveal what people heard in the past, an experiential starting point to begin asking how someone heard in the past. Thus, acoustic study of place offers the potential to deepen understanding of the emplaced past experience as well as limitations to what conclusions can be drawn directly from gathered data. One area that remains underdeveloped is the research of sounded experience in ancient outdoor settings. This paper presents ongoing acoustic research at the ancient Greek sanctuary to Zeus on Mount Lykaion, applying psychoacoustic analysis to comprehensive recording efforts. Moments of sonic connectivity and isolation in this mountainous site align with past building outlines and prominent landscape features, suggesting that the sanctuary landscape likely played a key role in ritual experiences. The sonic dynamics of the landscape can still be experienced – and measured – today. The paper details the current approach to data collection and analysis on the mountain and includes some of the challenges afforded by applying acoustic study in the ancient built landscape.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.1, 439-456; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.1.2021.24
From finds to landscape: archaeological analysis and virtual modelling of the Davanzali necropolis in the Picenian emporion of Numana (AN)
Abstract
Among the studies recently promoted by the University of Bologna on the Picenian necropolis of Numana (Sirolo-Numana, AN), a two-year research project has been dedicated to the application of digital archaeology techniques on a topographically consistent lot of tombs in the Davanzali area. Thanks to the financing of the University program ‘Almaidea’, a team coordinated by the author focused on the virtual reconstruction of the necropolis, in all its aspects: from the finds to the funerary landscape. This contribution presents a synthesis of the research and introduces the articles written by the members of the team (A. Gaucci, E. Zampieri, M. Silani, S. Garagnani). The different contributions illustrate the project goals, methods and results. The conclusion of this article highlights the research potential for both the study (especially for pottery) and the context valorization.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.2, 17-26; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.2.2021.02
Virtual Archaeology and the study of necropolises as a system: methodology and practice in the case study of Numana (AN), Italy
Abstract
The paper briefly introduces methodologies and practices of Virtual Archaeology applied to the pre-Roman funerary contexts of Numana (Ancona). Starting from the traditional approach and the concept of necropolis as a system, we will focus on the methodological issues and potentialities related to the use of digital models for the archaeological analysis of grave goods and their contexts.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.2, 27-34; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.2.2021.03
The Davanzali necropolis of Numana (AN): from the archaeological context to the virtual environment
Abstract
The paper focuses on the issues of archaeological interpretation of the Quagliotti-Davanzali necropolis of Numana (AN) in relation to the virtual reconstruction of the context. The first step of this process is the reconstruction of the necropolis at the time of the excavation. This reconstruction is realized through the analysis and elaboration of the wide archival documentation produced during the archaeological campaigns. The study then focuses on the archaeological analysis of some specific sectors of the necropolis and on how digital models can effectively support this investigation. The limits and the potentialities of the experimented methods for the creation of the models are subsequently highlighted. Finally, a reflection is proposed on the future perspectives of the project in relation to the overall study of the necropolis, with a preliminary application of 3D modelling on the entire funerary area, in particular in its last phase of attendance. Indeed, for this last stage an optimal interpolation between the excavation data and the new research carried out in the field can be achieved, with a view to an integrated reading and a consequent virtual representation of the ancient funerary landscape.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.2, 35-44; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.2.2021.04
Reconstructing the funerary landscape: natural environment and topography of the necropolis
Abstract
The short note illustrates the activities carried out within the ‘Almaidea’ project of the University of Bologna for the reconstruction of the ancient funerary landscape of the Davanzali necropolis in Numana. While waiting for new geological-geomorphological research aimed at the acquisition of data at a territorial scale, the landscape shapes, reconstructed so far on the basis of published data, are recalled for the contextualization of the necropolis sector under study. Attention is focused on geomatic techniques for the documentation of the different ancient topographical plans, the starting point for subsequent topographical reconstructions of the evolution of the landscape of the necropolis over the centuries.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.2, 45-51; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.2.2021.05
Quick digitization techniques: the case study of Numana necropolis
Abstract
The general digital reconstruction of the necropolis in Numana was carried on following a methodology targeted to a quick survey at different scales: from the single ceramic or artifact to the whole archaeological landscape. Fostering the application of common computer graphics techniques, an easily replicable process was set up, in order to produce 3D models mainly adopted for archaeological analysis and collection of data that could have been acquired in different times, with different approaches.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.2, 53-62; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.2.2021.06
3D modelling from archive and legacy data: preliminary data processing on the Roman shipwreck Grado I
Abstract
Ca’ Foscari University is addressing different archaeological issues to enhance knowledge about shipwrecks through digital technologies. In the last few years, the team has applied virtual modelling and digital techniques on archive and legacy data, starting with an innovative museum installation regarding the wreck of the Napoleonic brig Mercurio and cargos of amphoras of the Byzantine shipwreck of Cape Stoba. The potential of digital technologies has allowed us to analyse and elaborate different kinds of documentation, including archives, to obtain 3D models that could be studied and visualized with innovative technological solutions. The paper presents an original proposal to create a 3D virtual model of an ancient shipwreck based on archival and heterogeneous data. Regarding the Grado I Roman shipwreck, we processed perspective drawings of the hull and the amphoras, measurements during the excavations, digitalization of analogical images and of a survey of the cardboard scale model to obtain a complete virtual 3D model of the shipwreck. Legacy data represent a precious source for bringing to life obsolete representations of cultural heritage.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.2, 156-166; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.2.2021.14
Developing an ABIM system: a new prospective for archaeological data management
Angela Bosco, Laura Carpentiero, Andrea D'Andrea, Eleonora Minucci, Rosario Valentini
Abstract
In the framework of a collaboration between the Archaeological Park of Paestum and the University of Naples ‘L’Orientale’, in 2018 the study of the insula 4-6 of Paestum has been resumed. The paper shows the so-called ABIM (Archaeological Building Information Modelling) methodological approach that involves combining digital survey with parametric reconstruction of the structures. The study aims to provide a complete information system useful for different purposes, from documentation to interpretation and management of archaeological data, with a special focus on standards and interoperability. For this purpose, CISA (Centro Interdipartimentale di Servizi di Archeologia de ‘L’Orientale’) carried out an aerial digital survey to provide a detailed and updated map of all the structures still visible, while the point cloud was used to develop the archaeological BIM.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.2, 167-176; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.2.2021.15
Rome: NE slopes of the Palatine hill. Archaeology of architecture and ancient masonries deep analysis
Emanuele Brienza, Lorenzo Fornaciari
Abstract
The NE slopes of the Palatine hill and the Colosseum valley area have a long archaeological research history. Here the continuous urban development has produced the overlap of architectural complexes distributed over time. The huge amount of archaeological documents produced by the research is managed within a GIS environment. For the analysis of ancient walls we introduced the use of image-based-modelling photogrammetry in order to create a very detailed 3D documentation linked to a DBMS dedicated to ancient structural features. Through this methodology we can evaluate specific aspects of ancient construction yards for each period. We can also refine the chronological sequences of the architectural structures and verify the contextual relationships of the surrounding buildings in order to formulate wide-ranging reconstructive hypotheses.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2021, 32.2, 177-186; doi: 10.19282/ac.32.2.2021.16
Integrated multi scale archaeological analysis in Béni Mellal-Khenifra District (Morocco). The case of the fortress of Ighram Aousser
Lorenza-Ilia Manfredi, Pasquale Merola, Chiara Cecalupo, Abdelillah Dekayir, Brahim Ouchaou, Yosef Bokbot, Mabrouk Seghir, Silvia Festuccia, Leopoldo Repola, Marilena Cozzolino, Vincenzo Gentile, Hassan Bounajma
Abstract
The fortress of Ighram Aousser is located in Morocco, 10 km W of M’rirt and 120 km S of Meknés, on the so-called mines route. The lack of an organic and complete documentation and a concrete need to acquire new data about unexplored areas have required a multi-methodological research including the analysis of historical sources, archaeological surveys, topographic investigations, laser scanner modelling and geophysical prospections. All data were stored in a Geographic Information System, which allowed spatial analyses and the creation of thematic maps. The integrated geoarchaeological approach has led to a new archaeological map providing an updated view of the rich archaeological heritage in that territory. The article also offers a complete account of the valorization processes, the international promotion of the site and its long-lasting mining tradition.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.1, 97-120; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.1.2020.05
Quantitative approaches to sacred Roman spaces in southern coastal Latium
Abstract
The present paper aims at studying Roman sanctuaries from the late 4th century BC to the early 4th century AD in southern coastal Latium, a region of crucial importance for the development of Roman religion. Quantitative GIS-based research was undertaken to study sacred spaces in their natural and cultural landscape context. A first research question concerned the role of good accessibility of sanctuaries as a factor, which could have influenced the choice of construction sites for villas. Further research focused on the visibility of sanctuaries in respect to other elements of the cultural landscape such as villas and roads. Cost-distance and viewshed analyses were undertaken to answer these questions. As the analyses are based on published and archived site data, several issues related to the use of legacy survey data had to be faced. Results show that the role of sanctuaries as factors of attraction might not have been extremely high. While a few major sanctuaries with extraordinary visibility conditions are situated in the study area, the overall trend does not confirm the choice of particularly visible spots as a general rule.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.1, 121-144; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.1.2020.06
Archeologia preventiva e ricerca nella valle del Nevola (Marche, Italia). La scoperta “programmata” di una necropoli a Corinaldo
Abstract
The paper discusses the recent results achieved by the ArcheoNevola project, carried out by the University of Bologna within an agreement with several institutions aimed at the accomplishment of an operation of development-led archaeology in Corinaldo, in the middle Valley of the Nevola torrent (northern Marche, Ancona). The programme of activities reserved large space to the employment of non-invasive techniques, besides to the analysis of the historical documents and cartography and trial archaeological digs. The accurate process of evaluation has led to the important discovery of a Picene necropolis with circular funerary monuments and an extraordinary princely tomb with a survived rich grave-goods, marginally occupied by later Roman burials. Within this finding geophysics played a crucial role, as for the preventative understanding of the archaeological potential of the site as well as for the needs connected to the planning project underway on the area.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.1, 145-165; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.1.2020.07
La Grotta paleolitica di Roccia San Sebastiano (Mondragone, CE). Una metodologia per l’analisi dei dati in spazi simbolici
Leopoldo Repola, Carmine Collina, Marcello Piperno
Abstract
The Prehistory of the Mondragone area, in the province of Caserta, emerged in its importance thanks to the results of systematic surveys carried out since 1994 by the University of Naples “Federico II” and the Museum Biagio Greco together with the Archeological Superintendence of Naples and Caserta. Since 2001, the Museum has accomplished regular excavation campaigns of the very important Upper and Middle Palaeolithic deposit in the large cave opening in the site of Roccia di San Sebastiano, which represents the only evidence of Palaeolithic frequentation systematically and stratigraphically studied in the territory included between the Northern Campania coast and the Southern Latium coast. On the basis of such evidences, the authors illustrate a project aimed to produce a detailed territorial study to understand the dynamics of the frequentation and settlement of the area during Palaeolithic (Musterian, Uluzzian, Aurignazian and Gravettian) and the cultural behaviours of last Neanderthals and first Homo sapiens groups. The latest excavation campaigns allowed to unearth Uluzzian layers in two sectors of the cave and to investigate the Mousterian levels, from which a deciduous molar of a Neanderthal child comes. Moreover they permitted to consolidate the study of symbolic activities in the cave. Digital and tridimensional documentation techniques have been adopted for the description of the excavation surfaces and to understand the symbolic activities consisting in both parietal and mobiliary art evidences. The storage and elaboration of data is realized in a 3D application in order to elaborate detailed intra-site analysis in a predictive pattern of activities. This model allows the management of digital data in a single spatial system of representation, in which the digital copies of places, excavations areas and objects coincide with the relational matrices between the archaeological data and the possible events recorded in the physical layers.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.1, 167-187; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.1.2020.08
Use and reuse of spatial and quantitative data in archaeology: from 3D survey to serious game at Phaistos (Crete)
Francesca Buscemi, Pietro Maria Militello, Cettina Santagati, Marianna Figuera, Graziana D'Agostino, Damiano Antonino Angelo Aiello
Abstract
The article presents the results of a wider research carried out by a multidisciplinary group (archaeologists and engineers) of the University and the CNR-ISPC of Catania in the South-Western Quarter of the Minoan Palace of Phaistos (Crete). The article focuses on two digital survey campaigns carried out respectively in 2014, laser scanning, and 2019, Structure from Motion. Starting from the point cloud by laser scanner, the most recent, low cost and user-friendly photogrammetric tools (GoPro camera and software Agisoft Metashape) have been used during the 2019 campaign in order to update and to improve the previous dataset, which was used as a grid for georeferencing and scaling the new virtual model. Special attention was addressed to the comparison of the two datasets and to the reuse of the first one for georeferencing and scaling the second one. Furthermore, the research has been focused on the opportunity to exploit the obtained virtual model both for scientific purposes and for the outreach. The lack of accessibility of the South-Western Quarter of Phaistos Palace to the visitors attributes a special interest to this output. The virtual environment thus realized constituted an ideal starting point for the development of an educational fruition project based on a Serious Game approach. The cooperation of archaeologists and engineers in the development of the Phaistos game ensures a gaming experience not only pleasant but also provided with a strong educational profile.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.1, 189-212; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.1.2020.09
Il rilievo fotogrammetrico di Doclea
Abstract
This paper deals with the practical application of photogrammetry in the study of the Roman city of Doclea in Montenegro, with particular reference to the use of Structure from Motion (SfM) techniques. Among the various research areas, archaeology of architecture and settlement archaeology make today an increasing use of photogrammetry for the in-field documentation of archaeological features. This method has an essential role in obtaining a reliable geometric survey that in turn forms the basis for the structural assessment of the architectural heritage thanks to consolidated methods such as archaeological stratigraphy and direct examination. In recent years, digital photogrammetry and the implementation of data processing technologies have made it possible to create three-dimensional models using images acquired through high-definition cameras. In addition to an accurate topographical survey, the aforementioned methods offer the opportunity to obtain a faithful representation of the real world, providing a basis for subsequent architectural and territorial studies. The use of drones equipped with cameras has proved to be particularly effective and capable of detecting large areas quickly and with good results. Due to its versatility and relative ease of use, photogrammetry could actually be deemed as an essential tool for the study and conservation of cultural heritage.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.1, 213-230; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.1.2020.10
Settlement and viewshed dynamics between the ancient sites of the Erei as a key of historical landscape interpretation
Emanuele Brienza, Massimo Cultraro, Eleonora Draià
Abstract
The inner Sicilian area of the Erei hills, crossed by rivers and important streams directed to the Catania’s lowland, witnessed very ancient human occupation and activities, starting from the Upper Palaeolithic. Here the dynamics of human activities and the organization of the supply basin during early times were distinctive in certain historical periods: some featured a substantial continuity with the earlier phases, while others showed a complete discontinuity with the older human settlement framework and a new organization of the area and activities connected with the environment. These agricultural, proto-urban and urban communities organized their existence on the exploitation of natural resources, distributing themselves according to the local morphology. They built, mostly on top of the hills, constructions used as control viewpoints of the area, and created a complete communication network to connect settlements of the same or different level. Those features in several cases had a long-term continuity that survived to dramatic historical changes and represent today the optimal way for a right perception of current landscape and its millenary history.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.2, 199-210; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.2.2020.19
Form and function in Roman public architecture of the Late Republic. The exemplary case of the piazza Pozzo Dorico substructures in Cori
Abstract
The piazza Pozzo Dorico substructures in Cori (the ancient Cora, a Latin city at the north-western slopes of the Lepini Mountains) represent a remarkable example of Roman public architecture of the Late Republican period. They are situated at the bottom of a secular and imposing terracing system, distributed on at least three levels. This paper aims at identifying the modular schemes, geometric shapes and proportions governing the layout plan of this monumental infrastructure, based on recent topographic surveys and new metrological considerations. Finally, it will investigate the relationship between the layout of the archaeological complex (apparently quite simple) and its function (still largely unknown), in order to attempt to identify the several formal and functional components that played a decisive role in the development of the original project.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2020, 31.2, 211-222; doi: 10.19282/ac.31.2.2020.20
Before the Romans: the historical and geographical framework of the Doclea valley
Abstract
After some general considerations on recent approaches in Balkan archaeology, the Author makes a first attempt to describe the Doclea landscape, through the eyes of a proto-historian. Drawing upon the collection of the existing published data on the pre-Roman period, the valley’s history before Romanization is set forth, with some preliminary observations on possible roads and passages, both commercial and cultural, used by the communities that inhabited the region.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, Supplemento 11, 19-33; doi: 10.19282/ACS.11.2019.03
The Roman city of Doclea as a focus for Italian scientists and Italian State authorities
Slavko Burzanovic, Tatjana Koprivica
Abstract
The Authors consider the interest that Italian government institutions have demonstrated since the late 19th century to the present, in the archaeological exploration of Doclea, the most significant Roman city in Montenegro. It points out the link existing between those interests and the Italian foreign policy towards the Balkans, as well as to the discontinuities in Italy’s interest in Doclea and clarification of the reasons for such happenings. The activities of the Italian scientists are set forth, as they individually or as participants of archaeological missions contributed to the research into Doclea and its presentation (Giovanni Battista de Rossi, Guido Cora, Roberto Paribeni, Dante Vaglieri, Piero Sticotti). Attention is also drawn to the negative aspect of the Italian interests in Doclea, specifically the removal of artefacts from the site during the time of the Italian occupation of Montenegro (1941 to 1943).
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, Supplemento 11, 35-42; doi: 10.19282/ACS.11.2019.04
The urban planning of Doclea: remote sensing and topographical survey
Francesca Colosi, Pasquale Merola, Paola Moscati
Abstract
The paper presents the study of Doclea by remote sensing (satellite, aerial photos, drone) and the first results of the topographic survey conducted within the urban walls. The analysis of the images has highlighted buried structures that follow the same alignment as the walls visible above ground. The same anomalies are detected on the geophysical maps. The territorial survey, conducted with the aid of a differential GPS to position the emerging structures, has allowed one to identify numerous ancient structures, sometimes preserved to some height, which have the same orientation of the buildings of the forum and a stone paved road corresponding to a cardo of the city. Analysing the archaeological findings, the geophysical results and the measurements of the principal monuments and the roads, a hypothetical reconstruction of the Doclea urban plan is presented, which, naturally, can only be verified with further research and with excavation on the spot.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, Supplemento 11, 59-75; doi: 10.19282/ACS.11.2019.06
The main public buildings of Doclea: archival, archaeological and architectural research
Carla Sfameni, Antonio D'Eredità, Tatjana Koprivica
Abstract
The study of the architecture of the main public buildings of Doclea is being carried out on the basis of bibliographical and archival sources, integrated with the direct analysis of the existing structures. Research aimed at finding documents of the earlier explorers of Doclea, as well as documentary photographs, are particularly important. We also analyse the main buildings of Doclea in the context of Roman architecture, seeking to identify local and regional features. An analysis of the existing structures, combining archaeological and architectural methods, according to the most modern theories of the so-called archaeology of architecture, is essential. This same approach was applied to the monuments in the forum area and in the main thermae, where we have collected a series of data that we are now processing. The ultimate goal of our research is to produce a 3D reconstruction of the main buildings.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, Supplemento 11, 85-103; doi: 10.19282/ACS.11.2019.08
Il laboratorio di informatica per la Villa di Cottanello (RI): lo studio delle terrecotte architettoniche
Alessandra Caravale, Antonio D'Eredità, Carla Sfameni, Giorgio Trojsi
Abstract
Since 2012 the Istituto di Studi sul Mediterraneo Antico - CNR has been conducting an interdisciplinary research programme at the Roman villa of Cottanello (RI). The results of these investigations have been published in a recent work (Pensabene, Sfameni 2017). This paper presents some new studies on the villa, related, in particular, to the development of a website created with the CMS Museo and Web. The implementation of the website gave the opportunity to expand the research on the architectural terracottas, that represent one of the most important and conspicuous groups of ancient material found during the excavations. In particular, the article presents the online database of terracottas, their three-dimensional graphic reconstruction and some archaeometric analysis. The paper provides also an overview on other residential contexts, in which similar decorative terracottas were found.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 159-182; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.11
Ricerche nell'area della villa di Teoderico a Galeata (FC): un dialogo fra nuove tecnologie e tradizionali metodi di scavo
Riccardo Villicich, Alessia Morigi, Elia Rinaldi
Abstract
The villa-complex of Theodoric in Galeata is one of the latest examples, at least within the Italian peninsula, of the great private residences of late antiquity. The site is multi-layered and has evidence of seventeen centuries of occupation, from the 6th century BC to the 12th century AD Important new knowledge of the pre-Roman (a settlement of the Late Iron age) and Roman (a large villa) phases of the site has been acquired. The most significant results, however, concern the late antiquity phase. The excavations, in fact, have led to a new interpretation of the complex known as the 'Palace' or villa of the Goth king Theodoric. In this long-running excavation it has been possible to test the transformations of excavation methods and techniques, which have evolved over the years.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 183-204; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.12
Vecchi scavi e nuove tecnologie: primi risultati del Progetto Basilica Iulia
Marco Galli, Marika Griffo, Carlo Inglese, Tommaso Ismaelli
Abstract
The paper presents the first results of the Basilica Julia Project, aimed at the analysis and reconstruction of the transformations affecting the southern side of the Forum Romanum. In the excavation campaigns conducted between 1960 and 1964 beneath the Augustan building, the remains of the basilica of Julius Caesar, the Basilica Sempronia (169 BC), a large house with an atrium dated to the 4th cent. BC, and traces of a 5th cent. BC building were brought to light. During the first phase of the work, the stratigraphic sequences were reconstructed according to the archive documentation and the study of the archaeological materials. In the second phase, a wide-ranging survey campaign was undertaken. The paper examines the methods of acquisition, connected to conservation demands, the lack of natural light and the complex physical configuration of the site. Surveying was undertaken by integrating topographical survey with massive data collection through 3D Laser Scanner and Structure from Motion. The paper also focuses on the process of integration of all these different data-sets into a single model, which produces a considerable quantity of information already translated into a unique system. Finally, thanks to the possibility to explore the 3D model in the restitution phase, the model made it possible to produce a 2D plan and sections in a process that ensured the correct reading of the data.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 229-249; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.14
L'Aula Ovest del complesso di Domiziano tra Foro Romano e Palatino: metodologie a confronto per un rilievo XXL
Fabrizio Sommaini, Valeria Di Cola, Valentina Albano
Abstract
The survey campaign on the monumental remains of the West Hall of the Domitian Complex (Roman Forum) has provided an opportunity for a general reflection on the archaeological surveying of architecture. Above all, there is the problem of how to guarantee an accurate documentation, when approaching 'XXL buildings', like those of this architectural complex. Working with two different methodologies, in particular digital photogrammetry and laser scanning, the authors have detected the best operating procedure for the documentation of such very big structures. The data obtained during the surveying campaign has also allowed the reconstruction of the different historical phases for the West Hall in the Roman Forum.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 251-272; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.15
L'aerofotointerpretazione archeologica per una nuova ipotesi ricostruttiva della città romana di Telesia (Benevento, Campania)
Abstract
The author illustrates a research project aimed at making an important contribution to the topographical knowledge of the urban area inside the city walls of Roman Telesia, located near Benevento (S. Salvatore Telesino). The urban survey has involved topographical and archaeological research and a selected coverage of the western area of the city, near Porta Volturno, using satellite images and low altitude aerial photography. A Geographical Information System, based on the integration of aerial data, maps and the digitization of several negative cropmarks, has allowed the author to develop a database for the visualization and comprehension of the complex ancient site of Telesia and to interpret the urban planning of the Roman city.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 273-288; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.16
Modellazione di superfici di età romana nel centro urbano di Treviso per lo studio del paesaggio antico e la tutela archeologica
Marianna Bressan, Alessandro Pellegrini
Abstract
Treviso, as many other historical towns in Italy, is a large and multi-stratified site occupied since the Bronze Age to the present time. This study was oriented to model trend surfaces, representative of the ground level of the city in Roman Age, on the basis of stratigraphic data. GIS spatial analyses were performed to select a reliable dataset. DTM was obtained by the interpolation of elevation points related to significant features, with the aim to contribute to the study of the ancient landscape and to support the evaluation of risks connected with public works that may impact local archaeological heritage.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 289-308; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.17
GIS and remote sensing for post-dictive analysis of archaeological features. A case study from the Etnean region (Sicily)
Andrea Gennaro, Alessio Candiano, Gabriele Fargione, Giuseppe Mussumeci, Michele Mangiameli
Abstract
This article illustrates the potential of multispectral satellite data for archaeological scope in the volcanic area of Mount Etna (Sicily, Italy). In particular, by adopting a post-dictive approach, GIS and FOSS technology was used to analyse different indices derived from World-View-2 multispectral data. The selected examples (two circular buildings and a wall-structure) illustrate successes and challenges of our method. The results indicate that NIR-1 and RED-EDGE are undoubtedly the most useful, while NDVI and SRI are the best performing indices.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 309-328; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.18
Analisi territoriali in un'area della Sardegna centromeridionale: modelli ubicativi durante l'età del Bronzo
Riccardo Cicilloni, Federico Porcedda, Liliana Spanedda, Juan Antonio Cámara Serrano, Marco Cabras
Abstract
The territory of Sarcidano is very important for the study of the settlements of the Nuragic population in the central-southern Sardinia (Italy), as the archaeological evidence of the late phases of Bronze Age and Early Iron Age shows. In particular, the great sanctuary of Santa Vittoria at Serri stands out on the homonymous plateau and exercises a control of the surrounding territory, corresponding in whole or part to the territories of the Serri, Escolca, Gergei, Isili, and Nurri municipalities. In this work, we experimented with an analytical procedure not yet widely used in the study of settlement processes in the Bronze and Iron Ages: that of Spatial Autocorrelation Techniques. The advantage of this approach lies in the fact that it not only shows spatial relationships, but does so on the basis of different values connected to the spatial data. Results showed that the Nuragic monuments were built near routes of passage so as to control the valleys below the basalt plains. This demonstrates the existence of a specific and organized approach for exploiting and monitoring the landscape, in which settlement choices depend on functionality criteria, with both nuraghi and villages having a key role on the strategic control of the territory.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 329-346; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.19
Multisensor-multiscale approach in studying the proto-historic settlement of Bostel in northern Italy
Luigi Magnini, Cinzia Bettineschi, Armando De Guio, Laura Burigana, Giacomo Colombatti, Carlo Bettanini, Alessio Aboudan
Abstract
This paper presents the combined use of UAV-derived Digital Elevation Models, optical and IR imaging and multispectral satellite images to produce a (micro)topographic survey of the proto-historic village of Bostel, in the municipality of Rotzo (province of Vicenza, Italy). It aims to improve our knowledge of the structural organization of the site. Different vegetation indices were calculated from the multiband images to enhance the grass and soil-marks in open field, allowing the identification of buried structures. Close-range images were acquired with a commercial DJI Phantom 2 and a customized unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), equipped with both high-resolution digital and IR cameras. Structure from Motion was used on the acquired data to create digital elevation models (DEM) of sample areas, which were enhanced by using different data visualization techniques. Remote sensing analyses were then combined with fieldwork data, producing a complex environmental model. The houses found during the excavations seem to be embedded in a framework of structures for the sake of space organization, defense and control. Moreover, the presence of a dense network of terraces and buildings, running right up to the south-eastern ridge of the promontory, confirms the existence of an intense human occupation of the entire area.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 347-365; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.20
GIS mapping of the archaeological sites in the Molise region (Italy)
Ettore Valente, Marilena Cozzolino
Abstract
The Molise Region, on the Adriatic coast of southern Italy, experienced human presence since prehistoric times. Site distribution is not homogeneous throughout the region and a comprehensive census of all known archaeological sites has never been performed. In this paper, we present the results of a three-year project for the GIS mapping and database creation for all the known archaeological sites of the Molise Region. As a result, 3111 archaeological sites have been mapped, stored in a GIS database and then analysed through Spatial Analyst tools. Most of the mapped sites have been classified as area of archaeological finds (57.1% of the total sites), followed by settlements (12.9%) and buildings (9.8%). Site distribution is mainly clustered along the Biferno river valley, in the central and in the south-western sectors of the Molise Region. The largest human occupation of the region occurred during the Samnite and Roman ages. Archaeological sites are also located at different elevation a.s.l., with a general increasing trend of site elevation through time. This GIS database is, up to now, the most complete census of archaeological sites in the study area, thus representing a powerful tool to promote the archaeological heritage of the Molise Region and to address urban planning.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 367-385; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.21
Una proposta di standard per l’archiviazione e la condivisione di dati stratigrafici
Abstract
Archaeological stratigraphy-datasets are widely represented and visualised by the Harris Matrix. However, even digital Harris matrices retain most of the limitations their paper originals experienced and they are still in need of a standardised format for automatic recording. This paper presents an example, based on the well-known CSV open format, with a Data Package descriptor. The Harris Matrix Data Package standard is the result of two independent software implementations, one in Common Lisp by T.S. Dye and one in Python. The proposed format is not limited to describing the stratigraphy for the sole purpose of generating a diagram to look at, but it can be used to model stratigraphy as a Directed Acyclic Graph and to guide the interpretative process and integrate the results with established procedures for Bayesian modelling.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 459-462; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.29
Georiferire la stratigrafia archeologica
Roberto Montagnetti, Paolo Rosati
Abstract
This article offers an example for a quick and smart procedure for geo-referencing archaeological stratigraphy and managing it digitally in a GIS environment, through the open source software QGIS and pyArchInit. Specifically, the authors propose two ways of obtaining a geo-referenced survey of the archaeological features identified: 1) a handmade manual survey carried out with triangulation measurements; 2) a digital survey through Structure from Motion algorithms.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 463-466; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.30
Archeorobotics. Applicazioni robotiche aperte e archeologia estrema
Luca Bezzi, Alessandro Bezzi, Rupert Gieti, Giuseppe Naponiello, Kathrin Feistmantl
Abstract
This paper presents an overview on the development and use of open hardware devices in archaeology and their operation in extreme conditions. State-of-the-art technologies are analysed, based on the working experience of the Arc-Team company, which, in 2006, started up a new branch of research, informally called Archeorobotics. The research was initially focused on open hardware radio-controlled UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle); over time different devices were developed, like ROV (Remotely Operated underwater Vehicle), USV (Unmanned Surface Vehicle), CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine and other electronic and mechanical tools.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 467-470; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.31
Gestione del dato archeologico tridimensionale via web: l’esperienza con il software 3DHOP
Alessandro Vecchione, Aurelia Lureau, Marco Callieri
Abstract
3D Heritage Online Presenter (3DHOP) is a framework for advanced web-based visual presentations of high-resolution 3D content. Developed at the Visual Computing Lab CNR ISTI, 3DHOP was designed to cope with the specific needs of cultural heritage projects, supporting web-based publishing of very high-resolution digitized results and enabling the documentation of complex restoration actions. The present paper highlights, through some case studies (Peltuinum archaeological area, AQ, and Castillo de La Muela in Consuegra), the potentials of 3DHOP’s tools for the management of data from both active (laser scanner) and passive sensors (photogrammetry and aerophotogrammetry). In addition, problems and solutions encountered during the organization and personalization of web pages will be presented. The goal of this operation is to create a three-dimensional hub that can collect and link traditional archaeological documentation to 3D geometry.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 483-486; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.35
iGIS - Immersive GIS System
Abstract
From the nineteenth century on, archaeological research has been conducted into the vicus of Bedriacum (2nd cent. BC-5th cent. AD), a minor centre in the territory of the Latin colony of Cremona near the modern town of Calvatone (CR). Different strategies and methods were used: iGIS was conceived and developed to become an immersive, scalable and fully customizable 3D-VR system that integrates 2D data and 3D models, ranging from MySQL online databases to Virtual Reality.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 495-498; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.38
La documentazione archeologica digitale presso il cantiere di Leopoli-Cencelle (Tarquinia, VT)
Giulia Doronzo, Federica Vacatello
Abstract
The excavation of the medieval city of Leopoli-Cencelle (Tarquinia, VT) has reached its 24th campaign. The graphic documentation produced over this period faithfully reflects how Information Technologies and instruments for data acquisition have developed in the course of about 20 years. In the case of Leopoli-Cencelle, the main challenge was to produce a modern system of managing and using data and to subsume all the paper elements into one functional and searchable digital format.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 499-502; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.39
L’approvvigionamento idrico a Leopoli-Cencelle (Tarquinia VT). Elaborazioni geomorfologiche e territoriali
Abstract
The archaeological research at Leopoli-Cencelle (Tarquinia, VT) has enabled the definition of the urban structure and the network of infrastructures. In particular, water infrastructures were investigated by recording their physical remains, their position in the urban topography, manner of construction and technical solutions pursued. A GIS dataset was then set up incorporating the GPS tracks obtained from field surveys, integrated by their geo-referenced points.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 503-506; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.40
Il sito medievale di Montecorvino (FG) e il suo territorio. Analisi spaziali in ambiente GIS Open Source
Luca d'Altilia, Pasquale Favia
Abstract
Since 2016, the Montecorvino project has studied the topics of intervisibility and of the movement of humans and goods in the area of Monti Dauni (Foggia, South-Eastern Italy) in the late Middle Ages. This has been accomplished through the use of spatial analysis in an Open Source GIS. The use of Digital Terrain Models in a hilly area has been crucial in analyzing the influence of geo-morphological contexts on the genesis and development of settlements. Single and cumulative viewshed analyses have been applied to figure out if and to what extent these settlements could keep sight of each other, their surroundings and the communication routes. By means of a cost surface analysis, some site catchment areas have been defined and the potential and easiest (least costly) paths between some of these settlements have been generated. The results have then been integrated into a much wider research-field, which features archaeological, historical and bibliographical sources of information, to produce a comprehensive and integrated study of the ancient landscapes.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2019, 30, 507-510; doi: 10.19282/ac.30.2019.41
Apud Baulos. L’utilizzo della viewshed analysis per la risoluzione di un quesito di topografia flegrea
Abstract
The location of the ancient district of Bauli has always had a central role within the archaeological research in the so-called Campi Flegrei, in the Gulf of Naples. Ancient literary sources mentioned this place in relation to the well-known phenomenon of ‘villa society’ that characterized the Gulf of Naples, especially the Baiae-Misenum peninsula. Cicero, Pliny the Elder and Varro mentioned Bauli as the place of the orator Q. Hortensius Hortalus’ maritime villa, which was particularly famous for its many fishponds. Other literary sources have contributed to reinforce the thesis, strongly defended by Amedeo Maiuri, that ancient Bauli was located at the place of modern Bacoli, where many remains of fishponds and other ancient buildings are considered to have been part of Hortensius’ villa in Bauli. Few eminent scholars - such as Karl J. Beloch - contrasted this theory, proposing a different interpretation of the ancient texts that has led to locate Bauli near the Lucrino Lake, E of Baiae. The goal of this paper is to present new data from GIS spatial analysis that can contribute to evaluate both theories and to answer the question about the location of Bauli. The viewshed analysis tested Cicero’s passage stating that from Hortensius’ villa in Bauli it would have been possible to see his villa in Pompeii if the distance was shorter. The viewshed rasters calculated for three observation points corresponding to Maiuri’s and Beloch’s location of Bauli provide new important data for the solution of this topographical question. By relating spatial analysis to the information reported by the ancient sources, together with the archaeological traces, it is possible to confirm the hypothesis that Bauli was located between Baiae and Misenum, in the modern town of Bacoli.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2018, 29, 185-200; doi: 10.19282/ac.29.2018.17
Archeologia preventiva a Pontelatone (CE): nuovi dati sulle dinamiche insediative in prossimità del fiume Volturno
Natascia Pizzano, Pasquale Merola, Elisa Di Giovanni
Abstract
The research project, carried out as part of the preliminary planning for the environmental requalification of the Barignano area (Pontelatone, CE), consists in a multidisciplinary application model for the best practice of preventive archaeology. The project started thanks to a recent agreement between the Municipality of Pontelatone (CE) and the Institute for Technologies Applied to Cultural Heritage (ITABC) of the Italian CNR, encharged of drawing up an archaeological map of the territory of Barignano and the surrounding territory. Recent surveys increased the knowledge about the exploitation of the Pontelatone district since prehistoric times and defined a more articulated settlement model of the perifluvial part of the territory, providing it with a different economic position in the ancient world. Research data, confronted with geographically and historically comparable areas, propose a new territorial and economic development model for the areas located on the Volturno river, both in Roman and in earlier periods. Starting from archive research and published scientific literature, the survey was supported by remote sensing data and new software to map land markers - both historical and archaeological - and for their 3D representation. The dataset have been organized in different topics and informative layers on a GIS platform. The survey and the interpretation of remote sensing data provided new elements for the topography of the area. Traces that suggest a different environmental model for some regions of the Volturno plain have been identified. Furthermore, today’s research supported by targeted geophysical surveys represents an actual prospect for future research.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2018, 29, 201-222; doi: 10.19282/ac.29.2018.18
Evaluating Mesolithic settlement patterns in mountain environments (Dolomites, Eastern Italian Alps): the role of research biases and locational strategies
Davide Visentin, Francesco Carrer
Abstract
The wealth of Mesolithic evidence in the Alpine environments makes it possible to attempt a reconstruction of highland settlement patterns based on the distribution of known sites. However, just how representative this site distribution is has not yet been fully tested and the impact of research biases on the spatial organisation of Mesolithic findspots is not clear. In order to tackle these issues the locational pattern of Mesolithic sites recorded in an upland area of the Venetian Dolomites (North-Eastern Italy) was analysed. Point pattern analysis was used to correlate site distribution with two sets of covariates mirroring research biases and prehistoric settlement preferences. Point-process models were created and compared using both standard Akaike and Bayesian Information Criteria. Results indicate that both factors equally influence the current site distribution. The low number of statistically significant variables - slope and land-use - suggests the existence of additional variables that were not considered. An additional model helped us explore the importance of alternative variables and provided new perspectives for future investigation of high-altitude Mesolithic landscapes, with particular attention to highland mobility.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.1, 129-145; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.1.2017.08
A method for modeling dispersed settlements: visualizing an early Roman colonial landscape as expected by conventional theory
Abstract
This paper proposes a GIS quantitative method for simulating dispersed distribution of sites in a landscape. A certain number of sites might have escaped archaeological detection due to the adverse surface visibility conditions experienced during field survey (the so-called missing sites). As regards early Roman colonial landscapes of central-southern Italy, these surface visibility factors were traditionally seen to be so dramatic as to have allegedly hampered the detection of the conventionally expected dispersed and densely-settled colonial farm landscape. In this paper the regional and site-oriented field survey conducted in Venosa (Basilicata, Italy) is used as a case-study to simulate a large amount of hypothetical early colonial sites. The aim of this theoretical exercise is to show how the rural dispersed settlement pattern expected by the conventional theory could appear on a map, and to visually highlight the divergence between survey data and conventional spatial expectancies.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.1, 147-163; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.1.2017.09
Documentazione e ricostruzione 3D di un menhir inedito rinvenuto in località “Sa Perda Fitta”, Sant’Anna Arresi (Sardegna sud-occidentale)
Abstract
The Authors illustrate the documentation process of a menhir not recorded in earlier studies, which was fortuitously discovered in Sa Perda Fitta, in the western landscape of Sant’Anna Arresi, a small municipality of Sulcis (south-western Sardinia). This area was the subject of a detailed study by the Authors for their PhD dissertation at the Universidad de Granada, whose purpose was the detection and analysis of settlement patterns of human communities from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. This territory, bounded on the East by the Sulcis massif and on the West by the Gulf of Palmas, is characterized by the presence of coastal ponds which have fostered the presence and the settlement of human groups since the Neolithic. The place name Sa Perda Fitta (in the Sardinian language ‘stone fixed into the ground’) has aroused a great deal of interest as it suggests the presence of at least one menhir, a widespread prehistoric monument on the island from the Neolithic to the Chalcolithic age. Morphology and typology of the monument was examined and a 3D model created by the photogrammetric processing of a digital photo dataset using Agisoft Photoscan 3D Pro, an automatic 3D reconstruction Structure from Motion (SfM) based software offering a significant and innovative contribution to the recording and dissemination of archaeological data.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.1, 165-177; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.1.2017.10
L’uso della tecnologia DEM nella documentazione archeologica. Alcune applicazioni in casi di scavo stratigrafico e nello studio dell’edilizia storica
Abstract
This paper describes a procedure of archaeological interpretation and representation based on DEM technology. Through different contexts of application the aim is to describe the potential of this procedure, useful for recreating all the stratigraphic complexity of an archaeological site. After an introduction and a short history of studies about the use of DEM in archaeological documentation, the Author illustrates two examples of archaeological excavation and two of archaeology of architecture. The first case study is the Castle of Castelpizigolo (Toano, RE): the DEM documentation was used for the production of automatic profile lines of every archaeological stratification. A similar result was obtained in the documentation of the second archaeological context, the site of Capo Don (Riva Ligure, IM). The subject of this investigation was a fireplace dating from Late Antiquity to the early medieval period. The second part was focused on the use of DEM in the archaeological analysis of buildings. A preliminary investigation was focused on an example of household architecture from the island of Rab (Croatia). The DEM was used for the interpretation of the origins of some architectural instabilities, caused by stratigraphic changes which occurred in the original building. The last case study was the rural church of S. Giusto in Marlia (LU), where DEM analysis gave a new interpretation about the archaeological evolution of this building. The procedure described in this paper is an innovative method for producing a faster and more accurate archaeological documentation and for giving a new archaeological tool for the stratigraphic interpretation of historical buildings.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.1, 219-238; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.1.2017.13
Geostatistical and deterministic predictive methods for a 3D reconstruction of the ancient morphology and the anthropic remains of the early medieval port of Comacchio (Ferrara – Italy)
Alessandro Alessio Rucco, Marco Vianello, Danilo Vitelli
Abstract
The paper presents a reconstruction of the ancient morphology of the early medieval port of Comacchio through Kriging and Radial Basis Functions algorithms, and 3D models of the archaeological remains. The predicted surfaces are in significant accord with past hypotheses, also providing a good amount of certainty from a scientific point of view, since they appear extremely consistent with the geological data collected through stratigraphic corings. As a whole, the predicted surfaces and the 3D reconstructions of the wooden remains of the port offer fresh perspectives on the interpretation of the site by showing the existence of different building phases and spatial organizations, thus providing new guidelines for future excavations.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.1, 239-255; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.1.2017.14
Sulla genesi della città nell’Italia preromana. Economia, sociologia, urbanistica: il caso dell’insediamento dell’Accesa
Abstract
The paper opens with a series of passages from ancient historiographic sources on the concept of cities in pre-Roman Italy, on the rite of foundation and on internal urban organization, apart from the vast bibliography. We then focus on the case of the settlement of Accesa (Municipality of Massa Marittima, GR). This is one of several settlements located E and N of Vetulonia, controlled by this same city and connected through by river valleys to areas of mining interest in the district of the Colline Metallifere and the Tyrrhenian coast. Unlike other settlements, where only tombs mostly dating to the Archaic period have been discovered, Accesa has tombs and houses included in a period that ranges from the recent Villanovan to the Archaic. Its main characteristic is the division into distinct neighborhoods, functionalized in the operations that were conducted there: exploitation of mines and metallurgical activity. Their genesis is linked to a number of economic and sociological factors that, integrated together, find an eloquent expression in the urban structure.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 69-85; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.04
Kainua-Marzabotto: the archaeological framework
Abstract
The paper aims to analyse the Etruscan city of Marzabotto, the ancient Kainua, with an integrated approach which considers all the aspects, from the urban layout to sacred and domestic architecture, to handcraft production, as a reflection of community, identity values and social structure. With the aid of theoretical and methodological perspectives on production of ancient urban places, the most recent achievements are included in an archaeological framework which has now been completely revised.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 87-97; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.05
Kainua Project: principles, theoretical framework and archaeological analysis
Abstract
The use of virtual reconstructions is an approach which has already been applied for past projects in the Etruscan city of Marzabotto. The Kainua Project, which aims at the virtual recreation of the whole Etruscan city, is based on the principles of the London and the Seville Charter. The modelling process of the virtual Kainua is based on a rigorous archaeological analysis. The ArchaeoBIM method, formed within the project, has been used to confirm the validation of the models and is therefore an important step towards a more detailed architectural analysis of non-preserved structures. The unexcavated areas of the Etruscan city were involved in a campaign of geophysical surveys, which were the basis for the recreation of wide areas of the city with a good approximation thanks to an interpretative scheme of the modules of the buildings and their allocation within the blocks. The virtual Kainua is first of all an analysis tool. As a matter of fact, through forms of interactivity and simulations the virtual model allows us to formulate important considerations about historical and social issues. The model, however, is also the base for an updated system for the fruition of the archaeological area by a wider audience, chiefly onsite and it becomes a decoding key that visitors can use during their visit.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 99-112; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.06
The craft settings in Kainua-Marzabotto: places and archaeological issues
Giulia Morpurgo, Chiara Pizzirani, Chiara Mattioli
Abstract
Excavations in the Etruscan city of Marzabotto, the ancient Kainua, have brought to light a well-developed production structure over time which, especially for the Etruscan world, makes Marzabotto an especially favourable, paradigmatic context for the study of this particular aspect. Thanks to the contributions from the most recent investigations, together with the revision of older excavation data, this theme has in recent years benefitted from a series of updated considerations. The quality and variety of the data collected permits analyses from multiple points of view, not only on an architectural and urban planning level, but also on social, economic and political-institutional levels.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 113-127; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.07
Topographical survey and digital models
Stefano Santocchini Gerg, Enrico Zampieri, Bojana Gruška, Giacomo Mancuso
Abstract
In this paper we will briefly discuss the evolution of the solutions that the Chair ofEtruscology of the Bologna University applied to the topographic survey of the archaeological excavation in the Etruscan city of Marzabotto (BO). The operational choices, the instruments and the software used in the latest excavation fields will be presented here. We will then illustrate the applied experimental workflow and its possible further development in order to take full advantage of the possibilities and benefits offered by the 3D survey techniques.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 129-139; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.08
Archaeological Building Information Modeling: beyond scalable representation of architecture and archaeology
Abstract
The widespread use of technologies and processes aimed at information management is one of the main trends in today’s building industry. Collaboration, coordination and validation of design results are fostered by software and workflows that involve many disciplines. Taking into account these premises, this paper deals with the application of such a paradigm to the archaeological and architectural fields. The application to the particular case study of the Etruscan town of Kainua aspires to be exemplary, since it is referred to different metric scales, from the building to the urban settlement. The digital reconstruction of the whole town, which can be explored and studied by means of Virtual Reality, was validated from a philological point of view using an original interdisciplinary approach called ArchaeoBIM, i.e. a methodology that encompasses the information flow among different disciplines with the same interest in understanding, and virtually reconstructing, lost realities. Using this method, architectural proportions brought by existing literature, physical behaviours of materials and components, layouts of rooms and spaces regulated by rituals or historic traditions are collected in a model that is able to represent morphologies, analysis and functions. This model, basically a geometric database linking heterogeneous documents, can be used in many different ways, from analytic abstractions to static simulations, from solar analysis to visual renderings. It becomes a common language for information exchange among scholars and users interested in the dissemination and study of the cultural heritage.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 141-149; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.09
The ancient Digital Terrain Model and the infrastructure of the Etruscan city of Kainua
Aurelio Muzzarelli, Malik Franzoia
Abstract
This paper aims to explain the creation of the Digital Terrain Model (DTM) of Kainua, an Etruscan city founded, following a rigorous urban plan, at the beginning of the 5th century BCE. This DTM was used as the basis for the virtual reconstruction of Kainua landscape from an urban to an architectural scale in a three-dimensional digital model, visualized in an interactive and immersive approach. The DTM was developed using different sources of elevation data, in order to take into account the geo-morphological transformations occurred in that area from the Etruscan period to the present day. The causes of these changes were natural (due to erosion phenomena) and anthropic (due to excavations for construction of transport infrastructure as well as those which occurred partly due to improvements made by landowners and partly to archaeologists who first began a systematic campaign of site studies). On positioning on the DTM, an analysis of the metrology and of the infrastructure of the ancient city (streets and sewers) made it possible to create a renewed vision and to propose a hypothesis for reconstructing the incomplete, or as yet unstudied, parts of the city, which only further excavations will confirm.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 151-164; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.10
Building materials and virtual models of the Etruscan city of Kainua
Bojana Gruška, Giacomo Mancuso, Enrico Zampieri
Abstract
The paper aims to explain the analytical method used to virtually recreate the houses of the Etruscan city of Marzabotto. As stated in the title, the starting point of the process was the analysis conducted on the tangible archaeological evidence of building materials; these latter were fully integrated with data provided by the ancient sources and the latest technology. Next, the problems and the solutions adopted in order to recreate the houses are presented. In the last section the criteria used for the visual restitution of the unexcavated context of the ancient city are explained.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 165-176; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.11
Pyrgi, harbour and sanctuary of Caere: landscape, urbanistic planning and architectural features
Maria Paola Baglione, Barbara Belelli Marchesini, Claudia Carlucci, Laura Maria Michetti
Abstract
The study of the urban alignment of the settlement of Pyrgi and of the arrangement of the sacred areas was favoured by its abandonment after the phase of Romanization and by the possibility of performing large-scale research over its territory. The harbour and the sanctuary of Pyrgi were a fundamental pole of attraction for foreign haunters as the outpost of the metropolis of Caere. Their development was strictly linked to Pyrgi’s favourable geographical position along the Tyrrhenian maritime routes and to the presence of a water spring. The settlement was founded at the end of the 7th century BC, and was connected to Caere by means of a large road. The excavations conducted since 1957 by the Sapienza University of Rome next to the terminal section of the Caere-Pyrgi road brought to light a large sacred district. The new excavation area (2009-2016) is located in the district between the sanctuary and the settlement. It includes different buildings datable to 600 BC-4th century BC erected along a pebbled road that departs from Caere-Pyrgi and leads towards the harbour. The buildings, together with votive deposits and a fire-altar, outline a residential quarter that was perhaps attended by a priesthood, where ceremonial practices were also performed. The new evidence can be related to the sanctuary itself and sheds light on its overall organisation. The results of recent fieldwork have also contributed to a better understanding of Pyrgi’s urban alignment, possible defensive systems (suggested by the Greek name Pyrgoi) and the topographic relationship with the later Roman maritime colony. Thanks to the involvement of scholars from different disciplinary fields, wide-range research is being carried out to reconstruct the original landscape and the evolution of the coastline, with an aim to determining the morphology of the coast and the harbour in the Etruscan period.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 201-210; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.14
The last ten years of research at Tarquinia
Giovanna Bagnasco Gianni, Matilde Marzullo, Andrea Garzulino
Abstract
The Centro di Ricerca Coordinata ‘ProgettoTarquinia’ of the Università degli Studi di Milano is a LERU (League of European Research Universities) exemplary interdisciplinary research project that involves groups from the Università Statale di Milano (Archaeology, Information and Communication Technologies, Geoarchaeology, Palaeoanthropology), the Politecnico di Milano (Architecture and Topography) and bridges the gap between soft and hard sciences. This project stems from the ‘Progetto Tarquinia’ conceived by Maria Bonghi Jovino in 1982. During the last ten years, our integrated system of tools and services, supported by ICTs (ArchMatrix), through which multidisciplinary domain experts can examine all the typologies of data of a given culture, has made it possible to concentrate on the links between data-sources focusing on the recurrence of association rates within different aspects of material evidence and phenomena. The fields of application of our methodology in the domain of archaeology and epigraphy are multifaceted as regards the inside and outside connections of the Tarquinian heritage, whose necropolis with the famous painted tombs is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Research includes areas of the Civita plateau: the ‘monumental complex’, the Ara della Regina sanctuary, fortifications, and archaeological sites previously explored. In the past ten years, research in the necropolis (roughly 6,000 tombs, of which 400 are painted) and in the surrounding territory has also been implemented and has produced the complete corpus of the painted tombs of Tarquinia. Our holistic approach encompasses archaeological analysis of small (mobile finds), medium (archaeological contexts) and large scale (territory and landscape) architectural analysis and applications for integrated solutions for the cultural heritage, including the first bilingual Virtual Museum dedicated to an Etruscan city.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 211-221; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.15
Civita Musarna (VT), il suo territorio e la chora di Tarquinia in età ellenistica: uno spazio ritualmente suddiviso?
Giuseppina Enrica Cinque, Henri Broise, Vincent Jolivet
Abstract
A new season of studies on the Etruscan-Roman city of Musarna have allowed us to establish that the city was occupied from the end of the 4th century BC up to the beginning of the 7th century AD, and that its foundation depended on a strategic and economic need of the Etruscan metropolis of Tarquinia, of which Musarna maintained its role of colony up approximately to 280 BC, when the entire territory was conquered by Rome. Later, the inscriptions and the epitaphs found in the site and in the nearby necropolis show that until the 1st century BC the only language spoken in Musarna was Etruscan, and that at least throughout the Hellenistic period, the administrative organization remained based on the model of a large Etruscan city. Therefore, the infrastructural networks, only partially restored later on, are fully Etruscan, as are the entire defense system and some public buildings, including a market and a portico built during various stages of the renovation of the square between the 3rd and 2nd century BC, as well as sacred buildings, such as two temples probably dedicated to Hercules and Bacchus. The excellent quality of the documentation of the urban plan made it possible to undertake a study aimed at determining the city’s spatial tracking practice. Some important considerations and insights on the organization of the territory have already emerged from this study and, in particular, we were able to verify on a territorial basis the size of the design module which had already identified on an urban scale. While this may already be considered an important result, the evidence of a design set on particular geometric properties prompts the investigation to highlight particular aspects of the Etruscan plan.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 223-232; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.16
The Acquarossa Memory Project. Reconstructing an Etruscan town
Patricia S. Lulof, Maarten H. Sepers
Abstract
Digital techniques and cultural heritage connect, in an innovative way, new and old within the Humanities. In this new project, an Etruscan townscape will be recreated; modelled results created by the 4D Research Lab will be integrated in an Archaeological Park and Museum in such a way that international scholars and visitors can acknowledge and study 3D reconstructions of a series of Etruscan houses within their successive phases of creation, function, reception, destruction, and reconstruction. Acquarossa is an Etruscan town near Viterbo, Italy. Excavations carried out by the Swedish Institute in Rome revealed a series of Etruscan houses, inhabited from the 8th century BC until the middle of the 6th century BC, when the town was suddenly and inexplicably abandoned. The houses were left to crumble and the remains of the foundations, the walls and the decorated roofs, as well as the thousands of household utensils, were all found in situ. It is one of the very few examples of an intact Etruscan townscape, with a unique set of family dwellings from the past. The remnants of the houses were partially reconstructed in the 1980s and covered with soil, but others were left to be destroyed by weather conditions. The site was left to vanish completely. Since 2014, the 4D Research Lab of the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Amsterdam has been involved in an interdisciplinary research project, in collaboration with the private partner Azienda Agrituristica Raffaele Rocchi, the proprietor of the site, which focuses on the reconstruction of a set of houses in annotated 3D models. The 3D models will be used to build ‘actual’ guesthouses at the site itself, for which permission from the Soprintendenza per i Beni archeologici del Lazio e dell’Etruria Meridionale has been granted. The project aims to analyse the house architecture, roof decoration and building processes through 3D modelling and scanning.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 233-242; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.17
Open architecture RDBMS and GIS as tools for analysing the Etruscan presence in the Po Plain: towards a model of the urban/non urban landscape
Abstract
The Po Valley was occupied by the Etruscans starting in the 9th century BC. This presence experienced a significant transformation from the mid-6th century BC, when the territory underwent a widespread colonisation process, which brought about a new pattern in the organization of the landscape. A network of farms and secondary settlements appeared and expanded around both old and new cities. Through the structuring power and the analytical potential of GIS, this research develops new perspectives on the reconstruction of the ancient landscape. In addition to cultural aspects closely related to Etruscan society, in this study we have taken into consideration the role played by the resources of the territory itself, both from economic and the transport network points of view. First, we briefly present the conceptual and physical structure of the GIS. It includes an archive of all the known sites N of the Apennines (541), dating to between the 6th and 4th century BC (managed in a relational database), and a set of geographic and thematic data of general interest, recorded in the same cartographic reference system, handled with GIS software. Second, on the basis of certain distinctive characteristics of settlements such as the size of the occupied area, the internal organization and the building techniques employed, a possible hierarchical subdivision of the settlements is identified. Further, the optimal pathways between major cities are hypothesised considering factors such as slope and the presence of rivers or streams, and a possible road network is calculated using the MADO model (optimal accumulation model of movement from a given origin). The final aim is to propose a settlement model that can then be compared to the reality of the current archaeological record.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 253-266; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.19
Scanning and visualization of Roman Adriatic townscapes
Abstract
Since 2000 a team from Ghent University has achieved intensive non-invasive intra-site prospections on four abandoned Roman towns in central Adriatic Italy (Marche Region): the coastal colony of Potentia and the inland municipia of Ricina, Trea and Septempeda. These urban surveys include total coverage geophysical prospections (such as GPR, geomagnetic and earth resistance approaches), low altitude aerial photography (including NIR photography with drone and helikite), geomorphological augerings, surface artifact collection, and micro-topographical field measurements. A GIS-based integration of all survey data, maps and re-studied legacy data has procured a formidable database for the computer-aided digital 3D mapping and interpretation of these complex ancient sites. The methodological acquisitions and archaeological results not only contribute to the understanding of Roman urbanization in this part of Italy, but also support and innovate the use of integrated approaches to geospatial mapping and analysis of ancient urban environments. Based on earlier experiences with 3D visualizations of the abandoned Roman town of Ammaia in Lusitania, as part of the EC funded Project ‘Radiography of the Past’ (http://www2.radiopast.eu/), the project in Adriatic Italy moves now towards presenting the new data in digital formats that allow specialists from archaeology and cultural heritage management, as well as the wider public to immerse into the visual world of Roman Late Republican and Imperial townscapes of a whole valley and its coastal environment.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 269-276; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.20
Geo-archaeological study of the territory of Burnum’s Roman site (Croatia) through LANDSAT multi-temporal satellite images and high resolution GeoEye
Alessandro Campedelli, Marco Dubbini, Martina Monica
Abstract
The object area of the study was analysed with a geographical and geo-archaeological approach, integrating the data by using geomatic techniques (Satellite Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System). The processing of the data of the high resolution Satellite images allowed us to discover that in the karst environment, like the one in which Burnum was established, the areas with a higher humidity and vegetation concentration are the results of the anthropic action due to frequentation in the Roman Age. The infrastructure and buildings, the earth moving conducted to raise the original natural surface levels, and the subsequent collapse of buildings during the stage when the site was abandoned, determined the formation of a significant substrate in the area. Thanks to the results of the surveys and data, the positive responses of the image analysis through the Band Ratio and the enhancement procedures highlighted the differences in the soil’s patterns/weaving. This method of investigation, the results of which will be verified by carrying out targeted surveys, suggests the presence of residential infrastructure (canabae) in the area surrounding the Roman site and especially along the main roads. Therefore, the archaeological site of Burnum, today corresponding to approximately 8 ha, could be doubled, adding even further to the importance of the role that the city had in this part of the Roman province of Dalmatia.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 277-290; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.21
Reshaping the urban space: Bakchias in Ptolemaic and Roman times
Abstract
The paper focuses on some important results obtained by an integrated approach using archaeological evidence, papyrological sources and different kinds of technologies in order to reconstruct the urban development of the site of Bakchias, located in the north-eastern part of the Fayyum region (Egypt). The Mission of Bologna University has excavated ancient Bakchias at Kom Umm el-Athl for over twenty years. In particular, the latest studies, conducted in partnership with Sapienza University of Rome since 2005, have revealed several new elements which are useful for reconsidering the urban development of the kome. In 2011, a GIS was constructed not only in order to store and manage the large quantity of data collected during these years, but also to analyse and process the information and to optimise the research goals. Indeed, the latest-field activities have brought to light numerous structures, both public buildings and private houses in different sectors of the archaeological area. At the same time, an analysis of the papyrological and epigraphic sources was carried out so as to comprehend the useful information about the spatial content, activities and buildings recorded for the settlement. The research was completed using different surveying approaches. All the data thus obtained were merged together in a GIS environment, in order to collect and manage all the information and to integrate the individual elements in a coherent workflow process. Spatial or distributional analysis of the data relating to the site enabled us to draw a series of thematic and phase maps of the Bakchias site. The execution of these diachronic plans, representing different chronological phases of the town, allowed us to evaluate the historical development of the site and urban plan transformations.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 291-300; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.22
Reconstructing the ancient urban landscape in a long-lived city: the Asculum Project, combining research, territorial planning and preventative archaeology
Federica Boschi, Enrico Giorgi, Michele Silani
Abstract
The Asculum Project started in 2012 by the Bologna University in agreement with the former Soprintendenza per iBeni Archeologici delle Marche and the Municipality of Ascoli Piceno, mainly as a project of urban archaeology and preventative archaeology in a city which has been inhabited for a very long period of time. A proper integrated methodology and the combination of a wide range of data, including that gathered from geophysical surveys, archaeological digs, historic cartography, bibliographic and archival data, allowed us to reconstruct the cityscape during the Roman Age and its development over the centuries. The understanding of the ancient urban landscape also included a detailed morphological study aimed at the reconstruction of the Roman paleosurface, carried out using data derived from coring samples and stratigraphic digs. In parallel, particular attention was directed to the modern 3D documentation of the historical buildings of the city, by means of laser scanner and the analysis of the stratigraphy of the surviving walls. The new surveys covered, in particular, the still extant Roman buildings, such as the temples incorporated by the churches of San Venanzio and San Gregorio Magno, as well as the Sostruzioni dell’Annunziata. These last acquisitions made it possible to reconstruct the overall layout and urban plan of the town during the Roman Age, as well as to shed new light on the conformation of the ancient landscape at the time of the oldest Piceni settlement. One of the most interesting aspects of the operating practices applied in the project was to reconcile the needs for preservation and research with the aim of a sustainable urban development.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 301-309; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.23
Tharros - Capo San Marco in the Phoenician and Punic Age. Geophysical investigations and virtual rebuilding
Anna Chiara Fariselli, Federica Boschi, Michele Silani, Melania Marano
Abstract
The project described in this paper was started in 2012 and concerns the study of the relationship between the urban and suburban districts of the Phoenician and Punic city of Tharros (Cabras, Oristano). The structures of Phoenician and Punic Tharros have been largely cancelled by the Roman occupation. For this reason it is very difficult to determine the original function of many of the neighbourhoods during the Carthaginian period. The archaeological excavation primarily involved the southern necropolis of Capo San Marco. The cemetery must still be fully explored and understood under several aspects, mainly because of the devastation of the site caused by the repeated plundering of the ancient tombs which occurred during the 19th century. In addition to the new dig activities, a 3D topographical survey aimed at the complete documentation of the site and at the virtual rebuilding of the Phoenician and Punic funerary landscape was completed. Another goal of the project is the insertion of this sector of the promontory into the usual tourist route, in order to foster the public fruition of Capo San Marco, while continuing to adopt proper scientific methods and modern techniques. In this direction, geophysical prospecting surveys were carried out in the southern sector of the Capo San Marco, near the so-called ‘Rustic Temple’, in order to assess human presence in the farthest point of the Sinis peninsula (characterised by the presence of the Late Punic ruins of a probable light-house with sacred functions), and across the whole isthmus Sa Codriola towards the hill of San Giovanni, with the aim of analysing the northern boundary of the cemetery and its relationship to the city. The Punic-Roman settlement is now enclosed in the archaeological park, which is a fraction of what was supposed to be the administrative capital of Carthage in Sardinia. 3D modelling and virtual reconstructions were focused also on the residential Punic and Roman area inside the park. The integrated application of the most advanced topographical and geophysical techniques to the site greatly contributed to the recording and understanding of the ancient landscape.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 321-331; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.25
A city and its landscape across time: Samarkand in the ancient Sogdiana (Uzbekistan)
Abstract
Located in the heartland of Central Asia, Samarkand has always been an economic, cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious hub along the ancient Silk Road. A regional approach, based on a GIS remote sensing assessment followed by field validation, was used here to reconstruct the urban evolution of Samarkand in connection with its hinterland. The basic archaeological features in the landscape (anthropic mounds, canals and burials) allowed us to reconstruct the main forms of land use and resource exploitation according to site distribution and chronology. If Samarkand was established as early as the Achaemenid period (late 6th century BCE), the evidence dated to that time from its hinterland is scarce. A first significant increase occurred during the post-Hellenistic centuries (3rd-1st centuries BCE), and reached the peak at the time of the most intense trade along the Silk Road just before the major changes following the Arab conquest of the early 8th century CE. Data also demonstrated how the development of Samarkand must be closely linked with a proper exploitation of its territory. A massive and complex irrigation system in the floodplain ensured the supply of water necessary to develop extensive farming and daily-life activities, while rain-fed foothills were used as pastures.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 333-342; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.26
Numana and its ancient territory: new data and research perspectives
Stefano Finocchi, Vincenzo Baldoni
Abstract
Numana is one of the most important centers for the Picenian civilization and prospered in the Marche and Abruzzo regions during the Iron Age. Almost all of the archaeological evidence found until now refers to the necropoleis spread over a broad territory, while data concerning inhabited areas are quite scarce. Although findings are plenty, the study of Ancient Numana is quite incomplete. As a matter of fact, all the published materials are related to single burials or finds and there are no overall studies on its territory. A recent research project involving a wider sector of the largest Numana necropolis (Quagliotti-Davanzali), has not been published yet but offers a detailed description since the excavation documentation is available. The project sets out to consider burials as organized systems, offering information on cultural transformations and on the social organization of the ancient community. The systematic analysis of the data from the burial and the single funerary sets - to be organized in a specific GIS - will be accompanied by an investigation of the ancient landscape in its many components - necropolis and inhabited area - in its diachronic development, thanks to the results of other recent analyses carried out in the Numana territory (geomorphology, GIS of the archaeological map, new surveys of the territory). The scope of the project is therefore to analyze times, ways of arrangements, shapes of the Ancient Numana, in its definition of a territorial, inhabited, rural space, by using methods and techniques to record and read new data, to build knowledge in a scenario which can be integrated with results coming from future research.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 345-351; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.27
New methodologies to analyze and study the Hellenistic-Roman quarter in Agrigento
Giuseppe Lepore, Enrico Giorgi, Vincenzo Baldoni, Federica Boschi, Maria Concetta Parello, Maria Serena Rizzo
Abstract
The Agrigento: insula III Project began in 2016 thanks to an agreement between the Parco Archeologico e Paesaggistico Valle dei Templi di Agrigento and DiSCi - Bologna University; it aims to document an entire sector of the Hellenistic-Roman quarter, in a three-year period. The main goal is to start a systematic study of private housing from the Archaic period to Late Antiquity and, at the same time, provide a critical understanding of the town planning scheme in this part of the town, which still lacks a modern archaeological and topographical documentation. The interpretation of the previous documentation is the starting point, along with new mapping with laser scanning and a systematic campaign of geophysical investigations to obtain a BIM. As the Bologna University tradition teaches, modern technologies can answer precise historical and archaeological questions: what are the primary phases of the town map? Which one is the starting module of each lot and what are the changes in different ages? Is it possible to reconstruct the original architecture of Hellenistic houses? What is the relationship between this quarter and the rest of the town? The integration of traditional investigational techniques with more recent ones is the methodological assumption of the project, in order to solve the analysis of the complex stratigraphy of the setting, which was inhabited for at least a millennium, from the Archaic to the Middle Ages.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 353-360; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.28
Reconstructing the Late Antiquity Episcopal Complex of Valentia
Isabel Escrivà, José J. Marín, Albert Ribera, Miquel Rosselló, Alfredo Santonja
Abstract
In Valencia, near the Cathedral, the Almoina Archaeological Center is the most important excavation area in the city. The buildings dated to Late Antiquity found here were the main ones of this period. The Cathedral, the Baptistery, the Mausoleum, the Memorial of Saint Vincent martyrdom, some reused Roman buildings (Curia, Asklepieion), some necropoleis and other minor constructions have been identified. We are also aware of a large but incomplete Episcopal Complex (we have not yet identified the bishop’s palace). Little by little this important quarter of the town has been reconstructed infographically. The virtual reconstruction project of Valencia was begun in 1999. In that year we presented the first proposal of the reconstruction of the city during the Roman Republican, Roman Empire and Late Antiquity periods. New and up-dated versions with new archaeological remains and the applications of technological advances were made in 2003 and 2007. For this work, which is still in progress, we have always followed the same methodology. We are now able to present the latest proposal (2016-2017) about the exterior and interior appearance of the main important quarter in Valentia around 600 AD.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 369-377; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.30
Misenum: the harbour and the city. Landscapes in context
Abstract
The interest of archaeological research on the Phlegraean Fields, in the Gulf of Naples, has been often concentrated on different topics: monumental architecture, thermalism, coastal otium villas. However, we are still missing a reasonable reconstruction of the ancient landscapes of the area with special regard to the peninsula between Baiae and Misenum. The recent PhD project at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam has had the task of filling in the gap in local modern archaeology, and shifting the level of analysis from the ‘site’ to the ‘territory’: the study of individual monuments and surviving archaeological assemblages of the Roman town of Misenum, the main harbour for the Imperial navy, is now a part of the investigation of the urban organization of the municipium. The use of a dynamic and multidisciplinary research strategy has led to the creation of a new archaeological map for the area being investigated.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 379-389; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.31
Preliminary results of the Castelmonardo Project
Valeria Poscetti, Saverio Giulio Malatesta, Virginia Cirilli, Francesco Lella, Vito Rondinelli, Salvatore Esposito, Marco Balsi
Abstract
The remains of the medieval town of Castelmonardo (Calabria, Italy) are located on a hill, a few kilometers SE from the modern town of Filadelfia (Vibo Valentia). Since the 1970s archaeological excavations have been carried out in selected areas of the hill. However, a systematic archaeological investigation of the whole archaeological site has never been conducted before. The paper presents the preliminary results of the first archaeological prospection conducted in Castelmonardo by means of advanced remote sensing techniques, with the goal of achieving a first GIS-based digital mapping of the archaeological site. The recently developed UAV LiDAR technology, consisting in the use of high precision laser scanners mounted on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), commonly known as drones, was applied to realize a high resolution digital terrain model (DTM) of the site. Integrating the LiDAR data with web GIS based aerial images, a preliminary archaeological interpretation of the whole archaeological site was conducted, offering a suitable base for further analysis and virtual reconstructions. The work presented here was conducted as part of a recently initiated research project focused on Castelmonardo, led by the Department of Art History and Performing Arts - Sapienza University of Rome, and conducted in cooperation with DigiLab Research and Services - Sapienza University of Rome, Istituzione Comunale Castelmonardo - Filadelfia (Italy), the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Archaeological Prospection and Virtual Archaeology - Vienna (Austria), Virtutim srls and the Italian company OBEN s.r.l.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 391-402; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.32
Using laser scanner technology to analyse mud-brick architecture in the ancient Near East. The Palatial Complex of Arslantepe (Malatya, Turkey)
Giovanna Liberotti, Corrado Alvaro
Abstract
This paper presents the preliminary results of a laser scanning survey carried out at the archaeological mound site of Arslantepe, located in eastern Turkey. The Italian Archaeological Expedition in Eastern Anatolia has largely brought to light its long history spanning from the 6th millennium BCE to the Byzantine period. The most outstanding evidence unearthed so far is a group of remarkably well preserved monumental buildings erected during the final centuries of the 4th millennium BCE, when the economic and political centralization reached its climax. Recently, the whole area became an open-air museum protecting the archaeological structures from climatic stress and enabling visitors to have a glimpse of the monumental complex as it was. The laser scanning survey was aimed at aiding the interpretation of the archaeological features through extremely accurate measurements as well as to provide the researchers with structural and condition monitoring of the surfaces overtime. Given the ever-changing plastic shape that mud-brick buildings take on over the time, this survey turned out to be an interesting challenge for testing laser scanner technology, since it is not easy to connect to any regular design.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 447-455; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.36
Geomatics approach to surveys for Late Antiquity buildings. The Episcopal Palace in Side, Turkey
Abstract
Side is one of the best preserved cities of Antiquity in the historical Pamphylia area of Anatolia, current Antalya, Turkey. This archaeological site shows numerous standing structures and monuments spanning from the 7th century BC to the 12th century AD. The aerial and terrestrial survey conducted in 2016 was centred on the so called Episcopal Palace and the Fountain area with a total surveyed surface of 5,900 mq. The aim of the work was to analyse and recreate the existing structures in a 3D environment to help in later research questions like architectural features, building construction design and upgrades or location of the palace within the urban area. This paper intends to highlight the value of an accurate ground control point network to record an ancient urban site and its advantages when using CAD and GIS software. Moreover, it will also focus on the methodology used to capture the data used on the area of the Episcopal Palace to create an accurate 3D reconstruction of the remaining structures (with Structure from Motion) for further analysis and interpretations; merge classic survey methods (Total Station and Global Positioning Systems) with relatively new methodologies and hardware (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle); check and test the accuracy and the derived errors (data surveying gaps, traversing adjustments, coordinate and projection systems) that arise during post-processing (ellipsoid/geoid highs differences, noise reduction, fusion between datasets). Possible uses of the created/resulting data from the georeferenced point clouds, the model as a visual tool (orthophotos and 3D Mesh) for classic planning (elevations and sections) and its utility in a GIS environment (ArcScene) are also discussed. At the end of the paper report, some questions about the utility of the 3D reconstructions and models in Heritage as well as their utility for the archaeological record will be discussed.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 457-467; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.37
Multi-temporal images and 3D dense models for archaeological site monitoring in Hierapolis of Phrygia (TK)
Filiberto Chiabrando, Giulia Sammartano, Antonia Spanò, Grazia Semeraro
Abstract
Archaeological site monitoring and updating can nowadays benefit from the contribution of geomatic techniques. In recent times, image-based and range-based measurement systems have become increasingly interesting in excavation processes for monitoring purposes and large scale mapping, both from a terrestrial and aerial point of view. The paper will focus on the great challenge of monitoring sites over time, integrating and conforming multiple data coming from previous metric survey projects and image data collected in the past for different purposes. The test-site was the complex archaeological landscape of the ancient city of Hierapolis in Phrygia on which the MAIER – Italian Archaeological Mission of Hierapolis has operated since the 1960s and where the Politecnico di Torino conducted several survey campaigns. A set of multi-temporal datasets acquired in a series of campaigns in 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2015 are presented, as well as their 3D multi-sensor models; the older dense models generated with archival images are intended to be compared and integrated with newer models generated by the LiDAR scans in 2012 and the UAV systems employed in the last mission in 2015. In particular, the case study was the massive complex of the ancient Bath-Church in the northern part of the city below the Northern Necropolis, and Building A of the Apollo Sanctuary, in the central Sacred Area near the Ancient Theatre. In these sites, many different sensors have been experimented with over the years and preliminary multi-temporal data integration has been tested in order to up-date and improve older archival records based on collected images and related to newer and updated documentation projects.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 469-484; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.38
Knowledge and valorization of historical sites through low-cost, gaming sensors and H-BIM models. The case study of Liternum
Abstract
The paper presents the results of an interdisciplinary project related to the 3D documentation, dissemination and valorisation of archaeological sites. The project has two goals: to test a novel and economic pipeline for the acquisition of survey data, and to promote the study and appreciation of archaeological areas, among public and scientists, using the HBIM workflow. The 3D survey of archaeological sites is still an expensive and time-consuming task. In this project, a low-cost approach to 3D survey is presented and compared to a standard photogrammetry pipeline based on high-resolution photographs. The pipeline is based on a consumer-level hand-held RGB-D sensor as Microsoft Kinect. The quality of the digitized raw 3D models is evaluated by comparing them to a photogrammetry-based reconstruction and then the acquired data is elaborated in software BIM in order to create a semantically enriched model of the archaeological site. This method has been verified on the archaeological park of Liternum (Campania, Italy), a Roman forum that includes a capitolium, a theatre, a basilica and some others commercial spaces. Using a reflex camera for the photogrammetric survey, it was compared to the Kinect acquisition. In this way, we obtained a 3D model that is imported in a BIM software such as Autodesk Revit. Every element is modelled as a parametric object so the final model is enriched with additional information: geometric dimensions, material, text documents, CAAD reconstruction hypotheses, drawings, photos, etc. These methods allowed us to better understand the site, perform analyses, see interpretative processes, communicate historical information and promote the heritage location.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 497-506; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.40
Digital acquisition: reflections on data quality
Alfonso Ippolito, Martina Attenni, Cristiana Bartolomei
Abstract
In the past twenty years archaeological survey has changed radically thanks to the progress in the field of technology, in particular concerning 3D massive acquisition methods. A variety of data acquisition modes, based on active and passive sensor systems, is increasingly easier to access and use to document cultural heritage. The scientific debate focuses primarily on two issues: the use of free or proprietary software, and the control over data quality, in terms of metric accuracy, by comparing 3D image-based acquisition methods with consolidated methods (laser scansion and/or topographic survey). Collecting, interpreting and filing a large amount of information helps to define a system we can use to understand our archaeological heritage. The system is based on the scientific process used to achieve a dual objective: first, to document acquisition using a heterogeneous set of data (x, y, z and RGB) and metadata (information processing) and guarantee repeatability; secondly, to ensure data quality during acquisition and processing. Data processing obtained using 3D massive acquisition methods makes it possible to build models characterized by a biunivocal correspondence to the real object, studied from a geometric and spatial point of view. The study focuses on the shift from quantitative data, acquired in a semi-automatic manner, to qualitative data, meticulously controlled as regards to uncertainty. In this framework, all branches of the Science of Representation ensure metric, spatial and formal control of the built models. The study of the 13th century Gates of the city of Bologna have so far led to the development of a scientific process providing important data about metric quality vis-à-vis, the scale of the model.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 507-519; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.41
Integrative GIS-based investigation of the medieval fortress architecture of Pfalz, incorporating photogrammetry, geoinformatics and landscape analysis
Aaron Pattee, Armin Volkmann, Matthias Untermann
Abstract
This study explores the integration of photogrammetry, laser-scanning, GIS (Geographical Information Systems), and textual analysis to create a more holistic understanding of the effect of the landscape on medieval fortress design, position, and strategy in the area of Kaiserslautern, Germany, during the Middle Ages. The case study is composed of six defensive structures that served as key components to a larger network of fortresses built throughout the region of the Pfalz from 1050-1300 AD during the period of the High Middle Ages. All six structures will be modelled and linked into the digital landscape in GIS, with contextual information derived from historical documents creating a more complete depiction of the medieval territory once controlled by these prominent structures. The interdisciplinary nature of the project spanning art history, archaeology, anthropology, and computer science makes it both innovative and experimental. Access to high resolution models of the structures without having to be physically present at the sites is a significant advantage both for researching the architecture of the structures and for digital preservation efforts. The integrative technological approach will help determine the historical environment and efficacy of the buildings, potentially shedding light on the original designs that have been lost throughout the centuries.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 521-530; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.42
Gropello Cairoli (PV): computer applications for historical topographic synthesis
Abstract
From an archaeological perspective, one of the sites that best represents the western area of the province of Pavia, Lomellina, is Gropello Cairoli, due to the large number of discoveries, which had already been made by the end of the 19th century. Archaeological data chiefly concern the necropoleis, located in various parts of Gropello, while traces regarding settlements are scarcer. The chronological span goes from the end of the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD. Until now, the attention of experts has been focused principally on the detailed analysis of single necropoleis and on the numerous funerary furnishings, while a general overview of the development of Gropello has rarely been offered. A reconstruction of the chronological evolution of the territory and a historical-topographic synthesis has been proposed using a Database Management System and a Geographical Information System. All available spatial data, consisting of historical maps, aerial photos and sketches, were inserted in the GIS platform and the single burials were georeferenced, wherever possible, using the system of topographic overlay. At the same time all the information of non-spatial type, including the data relative to the artefacts and the burials, were fed into a specially created Relational Database. Therefore, it was possible to create specific queries, underlining particular chronological phases and analyzing the distribution of the evidence. The interpretation of the resulting data has suggested the presence of a widespread distribution of small settlements, with the funerary areas along the roadsides. An important demographic growth between the second half of the 1st century BC and the first half of the 1st century AD is evident, after which there is a slow decline suggested by the increasing rarity of archaeological finds.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 563-569; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.46
When there was no GIS system: rediscovering archaeological researches of the 19th century through the use of the drone. The case study of Mount Siri (Anzi, Basilicata)
Abstract
Modern archaeologists often find it difficult to identify the exact position on the field (and on the maps) of the finds brought to light during archaeological excavations, particularly those conducted before the second half of the 20th century. In these cases, in fact, they are obliged to record data and information on their GIS as being unable to locate the correct place, or even the area, of those ancient archaeological investigations. This inability to be precise creates several problems from a topographical point of view and negatively influences the archaeological reconstruction of specific territories or sites. Therefore, how is it possible to correctly locate and, as a result, mark on the map what was discovered or excavated in the recent past? One possible solution is the 3D reconstruction of a modern landscape through the use of the UAV technology and some derived applications, such as digital techniques based on Structure from Motion and Imaged-Based methodologies. The 3D model can be analyzed using the GIS system, and through the analysis of the micro-relief and aerial photos it is possible to use an important tool to locate past archaeological investigations. In this paper, we present the case study of Mount Siri (Anzi, Basilicata), the location of several important archaeological discoveries which were made during the 19th century.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2017, 28.2, 597-602; doi: 10.19282/AC.28.2.2017.51
Sériation des gravures piquetées du mont Bego (Alpes-Maritimes, France)
Abstract
The site of Mount Bego is one of the most important rock art concentrations in Europe for recent Prehistory. After a study conducted for more than 45 years by Henry de Lumley, the majority of the 4,000 engraved rocks have been positioned and the near 36,000 engravings have been drawn. The engravings were firstly attributed to Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, on the basis of a comparison between the engraved weapons and real weapons that have been discovered in an archaeological context. During his PhD (2012), the author carried out the first systematic geostatistical analysis of the entire corpus, bringing out a series of effects (iconographic and geographic seriation, preferential location, etc.) in the engravings distribution. Thanks to the study of superimpositions, these quantitative results allow to consider a periodization of the main families of engravings. While weapon representations appear to be the most recent layer of engravings, reticulated figures and schematic horned figures seem to be the most ancient ones. Therefore, dating on the basis of weapon representations can no longer be considered valid for the entire corpus of engravings. Besides, Mount Bego site shows early occupations, as documented by archaeological artefacts (Cardial ceramics, Chassean flints, Recent Bell Beaker ceramics, etc.) and indices of human activities (certain since ca. 2400-1800 BC). This article presents the geostatistical predicates, methods (unimodality of realization periods of engraved themes, correlations, seriation, toposeriation, etc.) and principal results on which a first periodization frame has been built.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2016, 27, 27-45; doi: 10.19282/AC.27.2016.02
Nuancer et améliorer l’analyse des systèmes de peuplement basée sur les données de prospections pédestres: l’étude de la dynamique d’occupation antique du Plateau lorrain
Abstract
Research on settlement dynamics is mainly based on data from archaeological field survey. This exploration method gives access to a large amount of information that enables to identify distribution tendencies and to establish a model of evolution of the settlement structure at different scales. Nonetheless, field survey data, even if chronologically dated, provide a partial record and a snapshot of the settlements. This static information lacks a certain number of parameters, which are essential to perceive the inherent evolution of the settlements and therefore to visualize it within the dynamics of the settlement trajectory networks. On the other hand, data from archaeological excavations enables to detect those phenomena. This paper proposes a methodological approach to use information collected during excavations in order to qualify and reinforce the analysis of the dynamics that rely on elements from field survey. While studying the dynamics of the settlement system during Antiquity in the Plateau lorrain (France), the use of evolving data from excavations offers solutions which balance and improve the static approach stemming from field survey data.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2016, 27, 47-64; doi: 10.19282/AC.27.2016.03
Gestion de l’incertitude dans une portion originale du paysage sacré gallo-romain: les sanctuaires des eaux
Abstract
The study of water cults in Gaul suffers not only from a great deal of variability in the quality of the available data, which is a common issue in archaeology, but also, more specifically, from the burdening of past historiographical approaches, which contributed to conveying a distorted view of the phenomenon. Accordingly, our main problems lie in site identification and reliability assessment. Until recently this uncertainty was avoided by widening the study to all sites with at least one characteristic attribute, or conversely, by limiting the corpus to the best documented sites. It seemed necessary to develop tools that would exploit this uncertainty, to study the phenomenon in the most complete possible way. These tools take the form of a database, associated with a GIS, leading to the practical evaluation of a site potential using a calculation grid.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2016, 27, 65-82; doi: 10.19282/AC.27.2016.04
Modélisation des dynamiques spatiales: des registres et plans fiscaux aux graphes. Les exemples de Blandy-les-Tours (77) et de Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val (82)
Abstract
The understanding and representation of spatial evolution over the time are at the core of two PhDs. These studies largely rely on the comparison of diverse inventories of the same territory from tax documents and maps: terriers and compoix. These documents provide a lot of information on the structure of rural and/or urban areas. However, comparing this kind of information, which was compiled in successive periods, is sometimes difficult, especially because of frequent absence of maps related to the registers. Thanks to ANR ModelEspace’s work, it is now possible to study these documents by exploiting their topological properties: information from textual and/or planimetric sources is modelled as a graph which permits a comparison in order to analyse the spatial dynamics of land over time. That is why this method for processing spatial data is applied to the territory of Blandy-les-Tours (77) and Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val (82) to observe land tenure, social and landscape dynamics.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2016, 27, 83-106; doi: 10.19282/AC.27.2016.05
Una proposta di analisi GIS per la lettura degli assetti insediativi nell’Abruzzo interno tra l’età del Ferro e la romanizzazione
Valeria Acconcia, Serafino Lorenzo Ferreri
Abstract
This paper presents a territorial analysis focused on a sample area in the inner region of Abruzzo, delimited by the Gran Sasso and the Sirente mountain ranges and characterised by strong geomorphological irregularities. Archaeological data from the Final Bronze Age/ Early Iron Age to the beginning of the Romanization process are analysed through a computer-based approach, using CAD, DBMS and GIS. Published data about this region are quite disjointed, both for methodological reasons and for various interferences in the archaeological record. These aspects influenced the landscape analyses proposed in previous studies and the hypothesis about the territorial exploitation patterns during the pre-Roman times. Research has been mainly concentrated on sites with better visibility, such as fortified hilltop sites and necropolises, frequently compared to the Roman settlement pattern, based on valley floor sites along the main pathways. Nevertheless, recent surveys suggest that these data should be reconsidered, taking into account both the presence of other kinds of sites (such as the Iron Age/Archaic period small rural sites localised in the valley floor) and continuity in the settlement pattern up to Roman times. The available archaeological data have been processed within a GIS, in order to investigate placement and visibility/intervisibility factors in hilltop fortified sites, starting from an expressly projected DEM. The territorial sample has been filtered using qualitative and quantitative parameters, proving that hilltop sites during the pre-Roman times were likely to control the natural catchment area. In Roman times, this pattern lost its mainly defensive character, with hilltop sites being abandoned, and was incorporated in the so-called ‘paganus-vicanicus’ system, connected to the administrative subdivision gravitating on urban centres (coloniae and then municipia) and on new monumental cult places.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2016, 27, 179-195; doi: 10.19282/AC.27.2016.09
Falerii Novi: spunti per un update topografico vettorializzato della città romana. Nuovi dati dall’area meridionale urbana ed extraurbana
Abstract
The city of Falerii Novi is situated on the lowest eastern slopes of Monti Cimini, in the volcanic area on the western side of Tiber Valley, in the district of Fabrica di Roma (VT). The ancient Roman town was founded in 241 BC, the same year of the occupation and destruction of the ancient Faliscan town of Falerii Veteres (now Civita Castellana). Recent geophysical and lidar surveys, conducted between 1998 and 2008 by S. Keay and R. Opitz, allowed the reconstruction of the ancient city plan characterized by an orthogonal grid that was organized into 69 insulae. Thanks to geophysical surveys in 2008, along with the study of aerial photographs by G. Scardozzi in 2004, it was possible to identify a large Roman domus with slightly different orientation to the northern walls of the ancient city. These data validated the information from the excavation campaigns conducted between 1821 and 1830 and between 1969 and 1975. The research aims at integrating the data from the landscape surveys in the area of Civita Castellana in 1994, which were carried out by the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici dell’Etruria Meridionale, with data derived from the analysis of aerial photointerpretation. The objective was to define, with precision, new elements for the reconstruction of the ancient topography of Falerii Novi.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2016, 27, 197-208; doi: 10.19282/AC.27.2016.10
Applicazioni GIS all’archeologia urbana: il caso di Ravenna
Abstract
Over the past few decades Geographical Information Systems in archaeological practice and above all in urban archaeology have become a standard tool for understanding the development of late antique towns. This paper analyses the city of Ravenna as a case-study, illustrating some standard and innovative GIS applications in a city characterised by non-systematic archaeological research. GIS helped us to systematize archaeological investigations and to guide city planning. New important excavations, in Piazza Kennedy, with the discovery of the 5th c. church of S. Agnese, and other smaller trenches in the city centre, add a fundamental collection of archaeological data. The creation of new chronological evaluation maps highlighted empty research zones in the old city, where urban archaeology should focus new excavations and archaeological evaluation projects.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2016, 27, 209-226; doi: 10.19282/AC.27.2016.11
ArchaeoBIM: dallo scavo al Building Information Modeling di una struttura sepolta. Il caso del tempio tuscanico di Uni a Marzabotto
Simone Garagnani, Andrea Gaucci, Elisabetta Govi
Abstract
The model of the Tuscanic Temple of Uni in Marzabotto, recently discovered, has been a common ground for engineering and archaeological studies, thanks to the processing of a Building Information Modeling (BIM). Beside the historic and archaeological analysis, the innovation of this study concerns the examination of the Etruscan temple as a three-dimensional building, with the use of technologies which impact on the architectural reliability of the model, and the design of a new method of Experimental Archaeology based on a virtual approach. The uniqueness of this approach lies in the study of original elements at the starting point of the building process, that consist in foundations or spoliated structures (i.e. negative evidences), over the clues from the historical and scientific literature. To better define this distinctive working process, the expression ArchaeoBIM has been proposed. With this expression we underline the common BIM matrix in the data management through integrated analytical models, applied to a particular aspect of the archaeological research.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2016, 27, 251-270; doi: 10.19282/AC.27.2016.13
Fotomodellazione 3D e rilievo speditivo di scavo: l’esperienza del Philosophiana Project
Abstract
The author illustrates the graphic documentation process that has been developed during the excavations at Sofiana in the Municipality of Mazzarino (CL, Sicily), as part of the Philosophiana Project. The project started in 2012 thanks to the cooperation between the Universities of Cornell, Cambridge and Messina and since the beginning it was necessary to document the excavations speedily, but without the loss of measurement accuracy featuring a well-established methodology of archaeological survey. The pipeline of the work has consisted in digitising archaeological contexts in a GIS platform from an orthophoto produced with 3D photomodeling. This process resulted in an optimal documentation according to the project requirements. The author also focuses on the importance of graphic documentation, which should be as important as the excavation process itself. Despite archaeology having a long tradition in the field of archaeological survey, this process is often perceived as a necessity rather than a key research tool. For this reason surveys are not always carried out by a professional figure, causing a lack of homogeneity in the final data.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2016, 27, 271-289; doi: 10.19282/AC.27.2016.14
QuantumGIS per la gestione dei dati dalla survey 2013 a Helawa nella piana di Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq
Luca Peyronel, Daniele Bursich, Giacomo Di Giacomo
Abstract
The 2013 season of fieldwork of the Italian Archaeological Expedition in the Helawa/Aliawa Area (MAIPE-Missione Archeologica Italiana nella Piana di Erbil, Kurdistan) was conducted by the University IULM of Milan, with the cooperation of IBAM-CNR of Lecce and the Sapienza University of Rome. The investigation focused on a small part of the South-Western Erbil plain and included two main mounds, Helawa (South) and Aliawa (North). A complete topographic plan was created starting from the measurements taken with differential GPS (for DEM and GIS elaboration). The collection of materials on the surface enabled us to make a preliminary assessment of the main periods of occupation at the site, spanning from the Late Neolithic (Halaf and Ubaid periods, 6th millennium BC) to the Middle Assyrian period (13th-12th century BC). The project of acquisition of topographic and archaeological records from the intensive survey conducted on the site involved the use of open source tools. All data were organized in a GIS system based on QuantumGIS and metadata are now stored in a PostgreSQL/PostGIS database, allowing for the subsequent phases of mapping elaboration. The topographic work produced a complete archaeological space-map, with distribution of materials on the surface, sections of the site, a digital elevation model and all the data collected during the survey entered in a webGIS. This paper illustrates the state-of-the-art of this GIS project, and introduces future developments like the web data-entry interface written in PHP, and the webGIS based on GeoServer and GeoExplorer.
Dai sistemi proprietari non comunicanti a un sistema integrato di gestione dei dati di scavo e delle indagini geofisiche: il caso del sito della Casa delle Bestie Ferite (Aquileia)
Lucia Michielin, Guglielmo Strapazzon
Abstract
This paper illustrates a GIS system for the management of the excavation and geophysical data of the Aquileia Bestie Ferite Domus research project. Since 2012 all the project data have been collected in different systems set up with closed software without a means of dialogue between the two systems. An AutoCAD file collected the SU (Stratigraphic Units) survey while all the alphanumeric data were organized within a FileMaker Database (AdaM: Archaeological DAta Management). In recent years a GIS platform (Esri ArcGIS) has been added, containing the output of the georadar surveys. The first step dealt with the selection of the cartographic reference system (Gauss-Boaga). On the basis of the Gauss-Boaga reference system, the transformation from CAD to shape files was conducted. Simultaneously, the cartographic and the geophysical data were implemented within this system. The project is still in progress and the next steps will deal with the linking of the database and with the updating of the new excavation campaign data. The final goal is the implementation of a QGIS based platform for the filing of archaeological data.
Fotointerpretazioni archeologiche su dati cartografici web-based in ambiente QGIS: alcune applicazioni nel territorio aquilano-vestino
Abstract
This paper concerns the archaeological potential of the cartographic data available online, such as satellite imagery used by Bing Maps and Google Earth and orthophotos published on the National Geoportal or in that of the Regione Abruzzo. The characteristics of these data, together with their immediate availability and the ability to uploaded in QGIS, allow us to operate photo-interpretations by video, vectorizing archaeological traces and anomalies. This methodology was applied in the Vestino territory, in the province of L’Aquila, a particularly suitable area for archaeological research based on the use of remote images, as demonstrated by IBAM-CNR project, that led to the identification of many traces of burial areas, buildings, roads and farming systems. Through the procedure mentioned above, we added several new traces of archaeological sites. Only a very small portion of them - limited to burial sites - were excavated between 2012 and 2014 by the University G. D’Annunzio of Chieti.
Analisi statistiche e geostatistiche con PyArchInit: prima sperimentazione
Abstract
The analysis of the spatial distribution of archaeological records combined with geostatistical techniques plays a primary role in the field of prehistoric archaeology because this methodological approach can be used to understand if a real or chance spatial correlation exists between archaeological records. This essay presents an approach to this issue which makes use of statistics, databases and GIS open source tools in a one-solution instrument based on QGIS desktop environment, in order to study an important archaeological site in Northern Italy (Fumane Cave, Verona). Since archaeology is an intrinsically spatial discipline, the team chose a spatial quantitative approach like the multivariate geostatistics (which is usually used for mining and environmental analysis), by managing the quantitative fieldwork information as regionalized variables. In this way, interesting spatial correlations were evaluated by imposing linear coregionalization models on experimental semivariograms and cross-semivariograms. Moreover, the team conducted this analysis by creating a tool that integrates several powerful R libraries such as Gstat for spatial distribution analysis of data, implemented in DBMS PostgreSQL with PostGIS extension.
Un archivio digitale multidisciplinare per la gestione e la conservazione di un patrimonio culturale a rischio: il progetto Ghazni (Afghanistan)
Abstract
The Italian Archaeological Mission at Ghazni, Afghanistan (1957-1979) brought to light significant information from the Buddhist (2nd-9th/10th cent.) to the Islamic period (10th-19th cent.). The dramatic events of the last 50 years in Afghanistan and the recent Italian economic difficulties have caused serious harm to this unique archaeological record. This gave rise to an operation of rescue and safeguarding led by the University of Naples L’Orientale and financed by the Gerda Henkel Foundation, with the aim of recovering the knowledge acquired from the excavations at Ghazni and the subsequent research. A collaborative web-based database, able to manage all the information on the most important findings, is the core of this project. The web database is based on BraDypUS, an archiving platform released under an Open Source license. The scientific database has been paired up with a web portal, built using an innovative and open sourced CMS, responsible for the dissemination of this knowledge to a non-specialist public.
La ricerca a portata di click. Database relazionali e siti web: contenitori e visualizzatori per i dati archeologici
Maria Stella Busana, Irene Carpanese, Nicola Orio
Abstract
The aim of the Project Ca’ Tron. Navigating in the past between Treviso and the Venice Lagoon (annual research fellowship funded by European Social Funds) is to create a MySQL relational database and make it accessible through a dedicated website. The database includes data previously collected and processed, coming from the archaeological excavation of the Estate of Ca’ Tron, carried out by the Department of Cultural Heritage at the University of Padua (2000-2010). At the same time, a website was created; it was divided into eight main sections and linked to a database, in which users can find raw data and elaborated research results. The structure of the website is user friendly and the data are easy to understand. Moreover, data are linked to photos, drawings and 3D reconstructions, developed with Blender. The website is also useful for more expert users, who can analyze specific topics through links and web pages, manage the raw data (Stratigraphic Unit sheets or descriptions of archaeological finds) or deal with elaborated data. The project aims to open archaeological data, usually reserved to specialists, to a wider audience through an explicit and transparent process that can provide a clear interpretation of the contexts that were investigated.
From the Archaeological Map of Italy to the National Geographical Archaeological Information System. The Sardinian experience
Giovanni Azzena, Roberto Busonera, Federico Nurra, Enrico Petruzzi
Abstract
The Office for the Archaeological Map of Italy was established by Royal Decree in 1889. In 1926, as an ideal continuation of the Archaeological Map, the first volume of the Forma Italiae was published. Subsequently, with the advent of information technology, a new era of archaeological mapping began, adjusting the Forma Italiae to the latest technological developments. Inheriting this solid methodological basis, and benefitting from the latest digital innovations, we present the Sardinian node of the national archaeological computer network. This is not the proposal for the creation of yet another archaeological information system, but a project for the creation of a tool aimed at data sharing and identification of archaeological heritage property. The project intends to be a point of reference for data exchange on a national and international scale and at different levels of detail.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2015, 26, 115-129; doi: 10.19282/ac.26.2015.21
Pattern analysis of Chalcolithic settlements in the valley of Sarfirouzabad, Kermanshah, Iran
Kamal Aldin Niknami, Vahid Askarpour
Abstract
The advent of new technologies has had a profound impact on the evolution of archaeological methodological approaches, allowing archaeologists to refine traditional assessments about the nature of past human societies and to expand their theoretical horizons. GIS-based technologies are among the new technologies aimed at reconstructing spatial-related aspects of past human communities. The paper illustrates the use of some ArcGIS tools supplemented with satellite low resolution images to produce a layered workable archaeological map suitable for analyzing specific issues such as ancient cultural ecology and landscape reconstruction. Integrated satellite imagery and GIS analyses are applied to reconstruct spatial distribution patterns of the Chalcolithic period in Central Zagros as seen from the Sarfirouzabad valley adjacent to Mahidasht inter-mountainous plain, near Kermanshah, Iran. The search for considerable changes in the settlement distribution patterns relating to the ecological attributes is one of the aims of the paper, using GIS-based methods such as Thiessen polygons analysis, site-point spatial distribution analysis and buffer analysis. The results are discussed through categories covering distribution of Chalcolithic sites over the different environs of the study area, spatial distribution of pottery styles, and spatial models of Chalcolithic distribution patterns.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2015, 26, 131-147; doi: 10.19282/ac.26.2015.22
Studio dell’insediamento protostorico in un’area della Sardegna centro-occidentale tramite strumenti GIS ed analisi multivariate
Riccardo Cicilloni, Alberto Mossa, Marco Cabras
Abstract
The authors analyze, as a sample-area, the region that includes the municipality of Mogoro, in central-western Sardinia, with the objective to reconstruct, through the study of the settlements and their relationships, some economic and social aspects of the human groups of nuragic culture that inhabited this area between the 18th and the 8th century BC. The territory is located at the foot of Monte Arci, along the Mogoro river that runs through the southern part of the plain of the Campidano of Oristano. The area has been intensively investigated from the half of the past century; an in-depth stratigraphic investigation was carried out since 1994 near the nuragic site of Cuccurada, the main center of an articulated territorial system including a rich network of monuments related to the nuragic civilization. The results are illustrated through various research methods: GIS, with the application of spatial analysis tools, and multivariate analysis (cluster and principal components analysis) that allowed to set out new hypotheses on occupation and populating dynamics and to identify among pre-historical monuments one or more homogeneous and distinguishable groups, resulting from a database in which geomorphological characteristics are recorded. A hierarchical organization and a specific criterion for exploiting and monitoring the landscape have been developed, in which settlement choices depend on functionality criteria, having nuraghi and villages a key role on the strategic control of the territory.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2015, 26, 149-168; doi: 10.19282/ac.26.2015.23
A hand to the plough. A GIS-based cartographical analysis of changes in elevation due to terrain modification and erosion in the settlement area of ancient Crustumerium
Abstract
Plough zone archaeology is revealed to us by post-depositional processes that move, abrade, disperse, obscure and change the composition of surface find assemblages, biasing the interpretation of survey data. The tuff bedrock that is characteristic of the geology of large parts of Central Italy is well known to be prone to erosion, which has been accelerated due to the long and intensive agricultural exploitation of the landscape. In the case of the ancient Latin settlement of Crustumerium (North-Rome) the adverse effects of erosion on the preservation of the archaeological record have been stressed by several scholars. One of the objectives of the archaeological fieldwork on Crustumerium by the Groningen Institute of Archaeology, in collaboration with the Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Roma, is to investigate the nature and impact of these taphonomic processes for the archaeology of this ancient urban area. The current paper investigates the history of land-use on the site of Crustumerium on the basis of elevation information in topographical maps covering a period of a century. The authors will quantify the geomorphological changes on the basis of a diachronic analysis of digital elevation models generated and compared within a GIS. The result is a series of maps in which the degree of erosion and subsequently the expected preservation of subsurface archaeology is defined for the entire settlement area. Maps like this can help guide future research plans, but can also assist in the interpretation of currently available data.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2015, 26, 169-188; doi: 10.19282/ac.26.2015.24
Strategie innovative di elaborazione e restituzione dati del castello crociato di Wu’Ayra
Roberto Gabrielli, Andrea Angelini, Damiano Portarena
Abstract
The recent development of camera sensors, the manufacturing of lenses and the accurate algorithms of photogrammetric software allow today to acquire point clouds similar to those generated from a laser scanner. The results are similar: numerical models that contain a variety of information, useful for the final data synthesis. Thanks to the automatic points recognition of photogrammetric algorithms, it is now possible to revise part of digital data previously acquired and use them in new computing strategies. Emblematic is the example of the crusader castle of Wu'Ayra, an important medieval fortress located in the Petra valley in Jordan. Since 2000, in collaboration with the international mission of the University of Florence, a number of surveys aimed at detecting the whole monumental area, the archaeological site, the settlement and the defensive system of the castle were performed by the research team of the Italian ITABC-CNR. Different survey techniques were used during the acquisition step, in order to enhance the main information of the archaeological site and the geomorphology of an extended area particularly complex to be defined. In these 15 years, the team tested several techniques. Thanks to recent software, the team has revised old data, created a defined numerical model of Wu'Ayra, updated and improved the documentation. The Authors illustrate the results of these elaborations and compare them with the other systems used, highlighting the differences and updating the graphic documentation of an important site in the history of the Petra valley. Furthermore, latest data of the architectural structures of the formworks acquired with laser scanner will be presented.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2015, 26, 209-227; doi: 10.19282/ac.26.2015.26
Paesaggi trascorsi e globalità dell’archeologia
Abstract
Landscape Archaeology arises from the spread of a stratigraphic mentality understood as culture, as well as a simple way to investigate. Since its birth, Landscape Archaeology has had a close relationship with Medieval Archaeology. More difficult was the relationship with Classical Archaeology. Only the most careful and curious classical archaeologists had seen the gap and lack of an organic relationship with the natural sciences and geography. In the last decades archaeology has become a place of participation and communication. The past has been told to a wide public through exhibitions and museums, following a path to grow again, until the current systemic crisis of the world’s cultural heritage. Archaeology is a discipline with its own constitution and, within it, global landscape archaeology has its own identity. It is, however, essential that archaeology benefits from closer relationships with other sciences and knowledge networks. A clear change of perspective seems, at this point, necessary. The territorialist approach can be very useful and help to draw new roads.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2015, 26, 245-253; doi: 10.19282/ac.26.2015.29
Archeologia dell’architettura in Romagna: la banca dati territoriale
Abstract
This article describes the methods used within the Archaeology of Architecture in Romagna research project and in particular the structure and principles of the database. The results obtained in the following fields are illustrated: transformation of the architecture of churches and castles, medieval building technologies, ancient measuring standards, and clients. We selected 47 sites, including 7 ecclesiastical and 40 defensive buildings (castles). In the urban landscape the research focused on one of the most significant ecclesiastical buildings in Ravenna: the church of Santa Croce. Expanding into the field of monumental landscaping, a new project focused on a census of moulds and the forms of ancient building materials (campioni mensori) in northern Italy. In medieval Italian communes craftsmen and traders had to follow many rules to ensure the honesty and integrity of trades. All the members within the same administrative district had to use same systems of linear measurements and weights. Samples of these were exhibited on the walls of public buildings. Our methodological approach for the study of a monument uses the ancient measurements in order to understand the identity of clients, the origin of the workers and the chronology of architectures. The last part of the article suggests future goals of the research project.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2015, 26, 275-288; doi: 10.19282/ac.26.2015.32
GIS and remote sensing for a preliminary assessment of the archaeological landscape in the Eblaite chora (Syria)
Abstract
The paper focuses on the preliminary assessment of the archaeological landscape around Tell Mardikh-Ebla (Syria). The ERC funded Ebla Chora Project allowed to conduct a systematic collection of findings from the site and its surrounding neighbors. The information from previous surveys was combined with the data from spatial datasets (topographical maps, aerial photos, satellite images, DEMs) in order to provide a first inventory of sites of the Eblaite chora. A preliminary interpretation of the development of settlement pattern and territory exploitation is now possible, especially for the Early Bronze Age (3rd millennium BC) when Ebla was the capital of a vast kingdom. Many potential sites were also detected, however their validation requires a field inspection which is currently suspended because of the civil war.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2015, 26, 289-299; doi: 10.19282/ac.26.2015.33
L’alta Valle del Taro: strategie locazionali in ambiente montano
Abstract
A case-study is examined concerning the location/allocation strategies of the High Taro Valley (Parma-Italy) during the Middle to the Late Bronze Age and a predictive analysis is performed on the basis of a locally-sensitive application of T. Higuchi's (1998) model. The current work derives from a PhD project carried out by the author at the University of Padova. First, the research project database is presented, then three different analyses performed in mountainous environment are illustrated: two viewshed-based and one distance-based. The first is intended to analyze the visual control of each site on the surrounding landscape and to propose the clustering of sites in different geographical districts following the datum of their intervisibility inside a given buffer. The second seeks to highlight the high rate of overall control of Bronze Age sites over the entire landscape. The distance-based analysis shows a high correspondence between Bronze Age sites and ophiolites formations, known in academic literature as geological formations rich in chalcopyrite and possibly related to bronze metallurgy.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2015, 26, 315-323; doi: 10.19282/ac.26.2015.35
Dalle ricerche topografiche all’archeologia preventiva. Il GIS del progetto Ager Lucerinus: modelli di indagine e strategie di intervento nei Monti Dauni
Maria Luisa Marchi, Giovanni Forte, Italo Maria Muntoni, Alessandro De Leo
Abstract
This paper presents the ongoing Ager Lucerinus project, as part of the Archaeological Map of Italy - Forma Italiae project. The main aim of the study was to undertake a complete historical reconstruction of the cultural landscape of the colonial territory of Luceria (Apulia), including the border area between the Tavoliere and the Daunian Subappennines. The extensive and systematic survey of the whole study area was combined with the collection of GPS georeferenced data integrated into an ad hoc GIS. All monumental and structural archaeological features, as well as scattered materials on the surface were georeferenced, their shapes and sizes perfectly represented. The paper also illustrates the project to safeguard the settlement at Chiancone (Pietramontecorvino) as a representative example of the synergy between Universities, the Superintendency and local authorities. The survey allowed us to identify a vast settlement dating back to the 5th-4th centuries BC. The extensive archaeological excavations undertaken in 2012 and 2014 confirmed the presence of a Daunian settlement and brought to light the earthen grave of a warrior, characterised by the richness of the grave goods. These data are also of great importance for understanding the boundaries and the connections between the so-called Daunian and Samnite territories, also confirmed by ancient literary sources.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2015, 26, 325-340; doi: 10.19282/ac.26.2015.36
SIT e database. Archeologia del paesaggio tra le valli dello Jato e del Belìce Destro
Antonio Alfano, Sebastiano Muratore
Abstract
The paper illustrates the results of the surveys carried out along the Jato Alto and Belìce Destro rivers, and the research methodology based on computer applications. The study was conducted through the integration of analytical techniques based on a GIS platform to manage and process spatial data. The principles followed in the settlement distribution (possibility of water supply, exposition, slope and intra-site visibility) and the influence of foreign elements in the territory were examined with innovative methodologies. Specific attention was therefore directed to describing the relationships between settlements and the neighbouring area, by applying landscape archaeology to study this part of Western Sicily from Prehistory to the Middle Ages, and to develop a methodology for studying the ancient landscape. The area that was chosen extends about 180 km2, to the S-E of Palermo, between the mountains near the town of Monreale and the Oreto Valley. The use of Geographic Information Systems in archaeology shows how it is an ideal tool to quickly and effectively manage, store and analyze the large amount of data produced by surveys. This system allows us to query both graphics and alphanumeric data, for statistical calculations or complex spatial analysis, aimed at identifying distribution models or relationships between different elements otherwise not visible. A fundamental part of this system is the organization and construction of a database, which requires a careful analysis in planning the phases of the project.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2014, 25, 71-91; doi: 10.19282/ac.25.2014.04
Alcune proposte metodologiche per l’impiego di un GIS intra-site nella documentazione di un relitto: l’applicazione sul brick Mercurio (Punta Tagliamento, Italia)
Carlo Beltrame, Stefania Manfio
Abstract
The wreck of the ship Mercurio lies at a depth of 17 m, off Punta Tagliamento, between the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions. It was discovered in 2001, and was excavated in 2001, and again between 2004 and 2011, by Carlo Beltrame (Università Ca’ Foscari) in collaboration with the local archaeological superintendency. It was a brigantine, belonging to an Italian-French squadron, sunk during the battle of Grado in the 1812. Problems typical of post-Medieval ships (especially when military), such as the complexity of the aspect because of the presence of metal concretions and a lot of items of different materials and typologies and the difficulties in documenting very small objects (such as the many buttons of uniforms) with the photogrammetrical system, were solved with the use of an intra-site GIS on a Quantum GIS open source application. The GIS allowed us not only to manage the large amount of information (site-plans, topological positions of the items, photos, etc.) produced during the excavations, but also to answer questions about the dynamics both of the sinking and the formation processes and, thanks to the use of a system of virtual frames, about the location of the nautical equipment, the links between the human skeletons and the personal objects and parts of the uniforms and the location of the caulker store-room.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2014, 25, 113-129; doi: 10.19282/ac.25.2014.06
Tecniche di fotomodellazione per la documentazione e la comunicazione in archeologia: il sito di Calicantone (RG)
Francesca Buscemi, Pietro Maria Militello, Graziana D'Agostino, Anna Maria Sammito
Abstract
This paper illustrates the experiment of image-based modelling conducted on the site of Calicantone (RG) by the international course in Archaeology of the Dipartimento di Scienze Umanistiche of the University of Catania, in collaboration with the Dept. of Engineering and Architecture of the same University and the Soprintendenza of Ragusa. The aim of the research was to experiment and verify a single process of digital acquisition, elaboration and communication, and to investigate the potential of shifting from 3D to 2D for the creation of metrically and geometrically reliable orthophotos (so called new photogrammetry). In particular, this kind of application has not been widely used by the archaeological teams working in Sicily, especially when the Computer Vision is not aimed at the reconstruction or the dissemination of the results. The site of Calicantone represented an ideal context for a multiple experimentation of image-based modelling. Indeed, the construction of a methodology of survey of the site involved a global understanding of a complex context, made by different kinds of evidence: built architecture (walls), negative architecture (rock cut tombs), horizontal restitution of the trenches vs vertical restitution of the slopes of the hill hosting the tombs. From the point of view of the archaeological narrative, the exceptional impact of the landscape, the necessity of an enhancement and the limited visibility of some of the archaeological evidence encouraged the acquisition of the data through passive detectors, in order to support the traditional 3D reconstruction of the landscape.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2014, 25, 131-156; doi: 10.19282/ac.25.2014.07
3D modelling in the agora of Segesta: techniques and data interpretation
Riccardo Olivito, Emanuele Taccola
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to illustrate the techniques used for data collection, elaboration and interpretation during the archaeological investigation in the agora of Segesta, conducted by the Laboratorio di Scienze dell’Antichità (LSA) of the Scuola Normale Superiore and the Laboratorio di Disegno e Restauro (LADIRE) of the Dipartimento di Civiltà e Forme del Sapere of Pisa University. The use of close-range photogrammetry, both terrestrial and aerial, combined with traditional drawing techniques, allowed us to improve the quality and amount of data collected for scientific purposes. As a result, the analysis of the archaeological stratigraphy, and especially the examination of structures and architectural elements, benefitted from a wider and more detailed collection of graphic data and information concerning the ancient site of Segesta. On the one hand, the use of terrestrial photogrammetric techniques, such as the so-called Structure from Motion (SfM), allowed us to obtain 3D models of the excavated area. At the same time, by using RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) we started an up-to-date survey of the whole site. Using these new techniques, we were able to develop and improve the digital acquisition of data and create 3D models of the elements discovered and of the whole agora. Moreover,, thanks to the fundamental collaboration of the DreamsLab of the Scuola Normale Superiore, it was possible to achieve a virtual simulation of the public square of Segesta and of the most important buildings surrounding the agora. This virtual simulation of the agora in augmented reality, and the opportunity to visualize and utilize it within the Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE), will certainly make it possible to improve archaeological research and data dissemination, presentation and communication.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2014, 25, 175-188; doi: 10.19282/ac.25.2014.09
Un prototipo di Augmented Reality per la valorizzazione della villa romana di Torre di Pordenone (Friuli Venezia Giulia)
Matteo Frassine, Anna Nicoletta Rigoni, Alessandro Bezzi, Luca Bezzi, Giuseppe Naponiello
Abstract
In 2008 a new excavation project started in the archaeological site of the Castle of Torre di Pordenone (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy), thanks to the efforts of the Municipality of Pordenone. During the archaeological campaign, a new rectangular building was discovered, in connection with the Roman villa already investigated in the 1930s. This building is divided into at least nine consecutive areas and the W side has a porticus supported by 8 pillars. Given the nature of the architectural elements, which are preserved in almost all cases at the foundation level, the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici del Friuli Venezia Giulia (Nucleo Operativo di Pordenone), in cooperation with the Municipality of Pordenone and the Museo Archeologico del Friuli Occidentale, decided to test modern information technologies, in order to create a virtual tour, based on an accurate 3D reconstruction of the Roman building. The final prototype, developed for the project, has an Augmented Reality level that can be visualized through video-glasses (Head Mounted Display), thanks to the interaction with a high definition webcam and a tablet equipped with open source software.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2014, 25, 189-206; doi: 10.19282/ac.25.2014.10
Expérience de relevé par photogrammétrie en archéologie préventive
Mehdi Belarbi, Pascal Raymond, Nicolas Saulière, Régis Touquet
Abstract
Archaeological surveys apply to remains of various size and complexity. Our daily missions lead us to choose our means of planning with a great variation of scales. Up until now, at the Inrap, hand drawing and topography helped us conduct survey operations by recording brief amounts of information according to simplified geometric shapes. Computer evolution now offers solutions which allow us 3D acquisition by photogrammetry. They come as an additional topographic plan and can even replace our drawing of artifacts with accurate information which is not possible to achieve with traditional methods. 3D use makes representation easier in any type of projection. Free or with parameters, it simplifies the realisation of a global view by registering in the graphic chain as envisaged today. Taking measurements by traditional means requires much time which could be better used for study. Our approach which tends to dissociate the register of geometrics in the interpretation of remains, creates a more accurate frame¬work for the analysis. Archaeological artifacts also benefit from 3D acquisition advantages. Indeed, what generally defines archaeological drawing is the application of graphic standards in descriptive geometry. This review of the artifacts is a difficult exercise and modeling makes it easier. The illustrations obtained therefore constitute a reliable geometrically graphic basis on which observations and analysis results can be reported. We found that 3D acquisition by photogrammetry was a suitable and flexible solution to our activities. The richness and quality of these surveys are an asset for the analysis and storage of information. Moreover, the time invested in these projects is less than that used with traditional planning methods.
Bienfaits et limites d’un enregistrement lasergrammétrique dans la tombe à couloir de Gavrinis (Morbihan, France)
Serge Cassen, Valentin Grimaud, Laurent Lescop, Didier Morel, Guirec Querré
Abstract
Gavrinis, on the estuary of the river Vannes, is known for the extraordinary abundance of engravings preserved on the monolithic wall pillars. These engravings have of course contributed to the reputation of the site, to such an extent that the terms “temple” or “sanctuary” have spontaneously added themselves to the notion of sepulchral space which is generally applied to this family of Neolithic architecture. Our objective is to re-qualify these representations using a new frame of reference, based on a new corpus of engraved signs, including their architectural context and position in the volume of the rock. Recording of the topographical, archaeological, petrographic and acoustic data of the cairn and the passage grave provides a representation of both architecture and engraved (or painted) signs. Our survey involved re¬cording geolocational data (108 million points), with different scales of acquisition. Thus the whole cairn and surrounding ground were scanned using a time-of-flight camera. Then the walls of the tomb and the upper face of the cover slab were recorded with a second scanner with infra-millimetric resolution. Dif¬ferent software treating point clouds were tested to find the best tool for rendering the engravings using a graphic tablet. For the engraved signs on granite, a comparison of methods is proposed, showing the advantages and disadvantages of old techniques (stamping, tracing paper, polyethylene cellophane) in relation to new techniques (digital photographs, scanner 3D). There is no doubt that the scanner enables engravings to be reproduced with the exact relief of the rock, as well as in the architectural sequence of the monument. However, the precision of scanner recordings of surface lines on hard rock (sandstone) is no greater than that of digital photography with oblique lighting or digital image process revealing colors. The two methods are thus complementary.
AFT: scannographie 3D appliquée à l’archéologie et au patrimoine
Jean-Baptiste Lemerle, Sébastien Varéa
Abstract
AFT is an expert land survey and topography office situated in the urban area of Rouen (Haute-Normandie). For about six years, its land surveyor and photogrammetric activities have allowed it to work on archaeological sites. A new department, named AFT Archaeology, is now in charge of taking topographical surveys in order to produce 3D models of the archaeological sites and historical monu¬ments. First, in this article we are going to describe the laser scan techniques, the kind of laser used and the information processing. Then, we are going to illustrate some applications on archaeological and historical sites and also some exceptional objects we scanned. These examples of what we are doing will be illustrated by a 3D model presentation, section and map. In a few words, this little introduction will aim to show the interest of laser digitisation and 3D modelling techniques: perfect digital copy, extremely accurate and exhaustive (up to 1/10e mm of precision), study support, evaluation support (3D presentation in museography, pictures for archaeological excavation reports, etc).
Numérisation 3D du site de Saint-Syméon (Syrie)
Jean-Luc Biscop, Micheline Kurdy
Abstract
Despite the damage caused by earthquakes, the ruins of the Sanctuary of Saint-Syméon (Syria) still stand proudly in the landscape and constitute the distinct but complementary phases of the archaeological study of the monument. The French Archaeological Mission of Saint-Syméon-le-Stylite, carried out by the CNRS-UMR 8167 Orient et Méditerranée and largely funded by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, has been committed to the 3D rendering of architectural drawings starting in the early 2000s, thanks to a partnership with the École Nationale des Sciences Géographiques. The 3D data acquired over the years give us an important platform on which to apply a working protocol established in the case of La Résidence, a civilian building in the village of Télanissos. A wide range of techniques was applied and used to create a digital model as a support for the navigation and the interactive management of documentary sources that have facilitated a hypothetical reconstruction of the building. The NUBES information system has been used to describe, analyse, document and share digital representations of this building. The main contribution of this work is the combination of archaeological assumptions with documentation methods, in a dynamic and multi-user perspective.
Applications 3D pour la contextualisation et le relevé d’art en grotte ornée
Eric Robert, Yves Egels, Elisa Boche, Magali Peyroux, Denis Vialou, Patrick Paillet, Daniel Vigears
Abstract
Among 3D tools, photogrammetry has received growing attention for the modeling of under¬ground spaces. The flexibility of its implementation and the wide field that it can cover encourage its use for recording decorated walls and their contexts. As part of a developing program ANR microanalysis on prehistoric art, 3D photogrammetry modeling were carried out in caves in Blanchard (Indre, France) and Rouffignac (Dordogne, France). I make quickly reference at two examples which are developed in article: 1) the numbering and analysis of the condition of the walls and the engravings; 2) localization in 3D pointcloud of archaeological data (paintings, prints, objects of flint or bone stuck into the wall) and links with different kinds of information about them (type, descriptions, dimensions, drawing, etc.). These applications illustrate the possibilities offered by current 3D tools in the study of rock art, and are sometimes new ways for the study of prehistoric representations in their geomorphological and archaeological context
3D en kit: des solutions pour la tracéologie et au-delà
Abstract
3D recording and viewing are about to become a common function in consumer electronic equip-ment, while 3D modeling is still seldom used in archaeological research, even in sectors where it could bring a concrete improvement such as in use wear studies. A new type of expensive microscope has been proposed to laboratories for making 3D models from direct macroscopic and microscopic observation: the digital microscope. Claimed to cover a wide magnification range up to many thousands of times, it involves software and hardware solutions which are now available at low cost for updating our current equipment. Since digital technology is progressing very quickly, it is disputable to spend large amounts of money in closed instruments, which are quickly outdated, when cheap alternative modular solutions can fill the same need. These solutions are based on two complementary principles whose effectiveness depends on the magnification scale: photogrammetry and image stacking. Photogrammetry requires only photographic skill for the acquisition and appropriate software or on line services for modeling, while image stacking, beyond real size (1:1), involves additional accessories for recording and software in both steps. By combin¬ing photographic and microscope lenses it is possible to get a light and flexible combo for microscopic recording in the field, not only in 2D but also in 3D, when connected to a laptop or a smartphone. This paper reviews the affordable software and hardware solutions available at the end of 2012.
L’utilisation des relevés scannographiques en archéologie du bâti médiéval: l’exemple de l’église de Veyrines (Ardèche)
Abstract
In building archaeology, the survey is the most important tool. It gives a global analysis of the building: its relative chronology, the building stratigraphy, the architectural techniques, etc. These elements indicate the progress of the construction site. A section of the “Archéométrie et Archéologie” laboratory (UMR 5138), managed by Prof. N. Reveyron, is specialized in building archaeology. Archaeologists, con¬fronted with the analysis of a building, often choose the manual survey, “stone by stone”. In 2010, the laboratory equipped itself with a LaserScan (Faro Photon 120) and software of processing point-cloud (Faro Scene and JRC Reconstructor) for surveys of medieval archaeology. Formerly unable to use this type of tool, the archaeologists of this laboratory received in situ training in the manipulation of the laser scanner and in the data processing. The goal of this acquisition was not to produce simple point-cloud surveys, but to cross the traditional technique (hand-sketch survey) with the lasergrammetry, in order to enrich the graphic documentation, which is the basis of any building archaeology analysis. It should document a building, improve the hand survey and facilitate the realization of new surveys, without the need for an often too-expensive scaffold. This article presents our methodology and the results obtained during building analysis of the Romanesque Church of Veyrines in Ardèche; it aims to demonstrate the potentials and the limitations of this technique of 3D acquisition, and to compare the needs and the technical solutions afforded by building archaeology.
La 3D au service de l’observation archéologique et de son illustration scientifique
Abstract
Full graphic documentation finally seems within reach thanks to virtual 3D models of archaeo¬logical remains derived from digital photogrammetry or laser acquisition. Considered as a “must” in accuracy, precision, completeness and objectivity, digital models may be used independently of studies planned to be made on these media, unlike a traditional survey specific to the individual study in which it is included. If the technology is well developed, we still need to better distinguish between archaeological observations that are made usable with these digital models and those that are not in reference to direct ground studies. Moreover, in excavation reports and archaeological publications, these virtual models lead to the production of 2D images. Their novelty encourages experimentation by using different render¬ings, sometimes to the detriment of the scientific value of these images, which has to be guaranteed as a “classical illustration”.
Photogrammétrie appliquée à l’étude architecturale et archéologique, exemples de quelques chantiers récents en Égypte
Laurent Borel, Yves Egels, Emmanuel Laroze
Abstract
The application of photogrammetry in archaeology has developed greatly in the last ten years. A short while ago, the technique was confined to prestigious operations because it required sophisticated and expensive technical means. Nowadays, it can be used by all operators thanks to the increase in computer hardware and the development of specific software, such as those based on the close-range photogrammetric technique. The democratization in the use of these powerful, fast and accurate tools allows users to increase the number of surveys and opens, at the same time, new research perspectives. In addition, the ability to manage more data in a short time makes it possible to deal with new topics that were previously difficult to face, while their efficiency changes the standpoint and the interest on the subject. Nevertheless, such changes involve developing new intervention strategies and working methods. Photogrammetric processes have been implemented on three recent archeological programs in Egypt: the Tiberius Gate at Medamoud, the el-Nabih cistern in Alexandria, the Ayn-Soukhna charred boat. The efficiency and the interest of photogrammetric solutions have been tested on these various fieldwork contexts.
Développement d’un SIG 4D pour la ville médiévale de Cluny
Juliette Rollier, Zoé Petty, Alexandre Mazuir, Sébastien Faucher, Jean-François Coulais, Gilles Rollier
Abstract
The Cluny Abbey, the greatest building of European Christendom in the 12th century, has been transformed during its long history. The evolution of the place can be studied thanks to an abundant documentation, through archeological excavations and the study of landscape. The stratigraphic complex¬ity of the successive buildings and the vastness of the territory in relation with its hydrographical system, convinced us to install a SIG database and research system. The Abbey is located at the confluence of two rivers, progressively converted by the monks, in order to obtain an extremely rational use of the water. The installation of a collaborative and interdisciplinary platform, called SIG 4D, dedicated to the history and archeology of the Cluniac landscape, requires the grouping of various types of data, that are often very diverse. The integration of 3D elements and their geolocalization in the geographic system bring technical difficulties which have to be solved. Starting with the documentary study and the excavations, we examine the questions linked to interdisciplinary use of various types of SIG and CAO data, and their dissemination amongst various researchers. Numeric tools offer new possibilities which encourage us to elaborate treatment procedures and data dissemination which are better adapted to the hybrid nature of archeological artifacts and to the study process of the historical traces in architecture and territory.
SIG des Merveilles: analysing rock art distribution with a web cartographic platform
Gabriel Vatin, Nicoletta Bianchi
Abstract
The Vallée des Merveilles (Valley of Marvels), in the Mercantour National Park (France), is a major place for studying the late Neolithic Age until the beginning of the Bronze Age: since the early 20th century, more than 4000 engraved rocks have been listed, representing 40,000 carvings. The Laboratoire Départemental du Lazaret has been studying these engravings for more than forty years: a large database describes the whole rocks and figures and is still filled with new findings. But such a large amount of data from a vast archaeological site needs efficient tools for its study, such as mapping the location of the rocks. Many improvements regarding the study of the carvings and their spatial distribution were made possible by the development of a web GIS: consulting the data is made easier and clearer with a web-mapping platform and specific tools. Filtering for choosing the data to display and automatically generated maps allow an overall view of the spatial distribution of the Marvels’ engravings. Using both the IGN’s Geoportal data and cartographic web libraries produced an efficient and complete web service for consulting and analyzing the engraved rocks of the Valley of Marvels. This one can be used for any area in the Mercantour Park, as long as new data are added to the databases.
Le webmapping: outil de travail des archéologues. Exemple du projet Marais de Brouage
Abstract
Under the PCR (Collective Research Project) entitled “The Charentais marshes from the Middle Ages to the modern era: population, environment and economy” a webmapping platform was implemented. The goal is to reconstruct the context and the lifestyle of the inhabitants of these coastal areas over a period from the Early Middle Ages to modern times. This requires multidisciplinary research work, which involves a process of gathering information from multiple sources in that territory. The webmapping site allows the integration of geographic data, nature, provenance and various dates, and makes them accessible in a simple manner to all members of the project. Researchers can then easily cross-check all this information, which supports different thoughts, assumptions and conduct analyses. The tool also allows users to acquire new information, for example from new discoveries or simply from maps, documentation or existing databases. The webmapping site quickly took a central place in the project. The various examples presented in this article illustrate the interest of such a solution which suggests a rapid development of the use of this kind of platform in the field of archeology.
ArkeoGIS v2.0, Elements d’analyse de la mise en ligne de bases multilingues sur fond cartographique: fonctionnalités, apports et limites
Abstract
Two years after the presentation of the first version of ArkeoGIS during the JIAP meeting, version 2 is now functional. It allows French and German archaeologists working in the Rhine Valley to have an online tool, free, easy to approach and searchable on four levels. ArkeoGIS combines on a single map the available archaeological information on several thousand deposits located on both sides of the river. The chronological range takes into account the sites from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. The program, which is funded by INTERREG IVa Upper Rhine, is ongoing and provides the archaeological community with the source code of the software, allowing other researchers dealing with the study of border territories to adapt this tool to their needs.
Les apports d’un modèle conceptuel de données à l’étude des composantes urbaines d’Ostie
Abstract
The study of Roman cities relies on architectural typologies created before the middle of the 20th century. The recent use of computer and especially of GIS in archaeological studies requires new approaches and the definition of efficient typologies. The study of the shops of Ostia between the 1st and the 4th c. AD is based on the concept of an entity-relationship model that requires redefinition of some urban components. Through a few case-studies this paper aims to describe the contribution of an entity-relationship model to the study of Roman cities.
De la tablette PC à la cartographie de terrain: exemple de méthodologie sur le chantier d’archéologie préventive de Noyon (Oise)
Aurélien Bolo, Marjolaine De Muylder, Caroline Font, Thomas Guillemard
Abstract
Stratigraphic recording is at the basis of any scientific archaeological investigation. It is the memory of what has been excavated and then destroyed, and it allows scholars to collect information following a reasoned and rigorous procedure. The use of databases and their implementation through increasingly complex tools force us to harmonize and rationalize field recording and helps save time and improve efficiency, a primary issue for preventive archaeology. At the Inrap, in the context of the Seine-North Europe Canal project, a technical platform is working hand in hand with the field teams. This technical support has been used in Noyon (Oise) for the implementation and the follow-up of the recording system. The vastness of the operation influenced the choice of several techniques. Four field tablets, made available by the Inrap Direction Scientifique et Technique, were used. Each one was equipped with the database CADoc (by T. Guillemard) and the system Stratifiant (by B. Desachy) for the treatment of stratigraphical data. In addition, management and querying of spatial data were carried out directly on the terrain. The example of Noyon is the departure point for the presentation of these methods and allows the authors to discuss their advantages and drawbacks.
Dalla cartografia archeologica digitale al restauro virtuale: recenti casi di studio a Hierapolis di Frigia
Massimo Limoncelli, Giuseppe Scardozzi
Abstract
The paper concerns the recent research conducted at Hierapolis in Phrygia for the creation of the digital archaeological map of the city and surrounding necropolises, which is linked to a GIS. These activities have focused on updating the map with new data from systematic archaeological and topographical surveys, geophysical prospecting, aerial and satellite remote sensing, and from studies regarding the hydrogeology, geomorphology and seismic and tectonic characteristics of the site. In some cases, 3D reconstructions and virtual restorations of monuments are based on the data from this inter/multidisciplinary research on the ancient city. In fact, for several years now a project called Virtual Hierapolis has been in progress and has resulted in the production of 3D models of many monuments in the city, using data from stratigraphic excavations, archaeological and geophysical surveys, and art-historical studies. An example in this regard is the recent reconstructive study of the so-called South Bridge, a monumental viaduct/aqueduct-bridge, probably built in the first century AD, the remains of which are in a deep gorge to the South of the archaeological site. The survey and mapping of the monument, using differential GPS and robotic and motorized total station, have made it possible to obtain a detailed study and the production of 2D and 3D reconstructions.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2013, 24, 75-99; doi: 10.19282/ac.24.2013.04
SICAC: an information system for the Conjunto arqueológico de Carmona (Carmona Archaeological Ensemble) (Seville, Spain)
Ignacio Rodríguez Temiño, Daniel González Acuña, José Ildefonso Ruiz Cecilia, Alejandro Jiménez Hernández, José Manuel López Sánchez
Abstract
The Roman necropolis and amphitheater of Carmona (Seville, Spain) were excavated and opened to the public at the end of the Nineteenth century. Because of this long continuity, the Carmona Archaeological Ensemble boasts a special trait: a broad archaeological documentary archive. Efficient management of this store of information that is updated and added to on a daily basis required a computer application that could gather, integrate, conserve and facilitate the use of this volume of data from different sources. At the same time, it was considered necessary for researchers to have online access to the core substance of the information. Our information system for CAC was developed over the course of five years and is called SICAC. All of the graphic and alphanumerical data is organized in the same environment, thereby guaranteeing their integration, availability, quality and accessibility. SICAC has three platforms: desktop, online and mobile.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2013, 24, 101-117; doi: 10.19282/ac.24.2013.05
Magna Sila: la tecnologia GIS nello studio e ricostruzione del paesaggio archeologico
Dimitar Uzunov, Franca Caterina Papparella, Pietro Brandmayr, Carmen Gangale, Salvatore Larosa, Antonio Mazzei
Abstract
This study belongs to the branch of research dedicated to the interpretation of the archaeological landscape using innovative models for the information analysis, managing and fruition of the land. To this aim, a preliminary analysis was carried out in order to identify the characteristic elements of the area being studied which are fundamental for landscape description. The study of material evidence is directly related, in this sense, to environmental resources in a diachronic key. The territory of Sila (Calabria) was considered as a case study and the work was divided into different essential steps, respectively concerning fact-finding elaboration, description and evaluation of data in the historical, environmental, settlement, functional and relational system of this territory. Using matrixes represented by descriptive elements of the landscape, it is possible to relate the natural, environmental, historical and archaeological features of places. The main point in this kind of approach is not territorial analysis but the development of synthesis models that make it possible to interpret the complexity of human-environment interaction. The Geographic Information System is one of the techniques for landscape analysis based on qualitative and quantitative environmental data with a great capacity for spatial interpretation of the structural properties of the landscape according to different natural and human gradients. GIS was designed to compare spatial data to temporal ones and this feature made it possible for us to elaborate interpretative approaches for understanding the way in which ancient populations made use of natural resources over the centuries.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2013, 24, 119-138; doi: 10.19282/ac.24.2013.06
Tecnologie digitali integrate per lo studio del sito archeologico di Adulis (Eritrea)
Giulio Bigliardi, Sara Cappelli, Enzo Cocca
Abstract
The Adulis Project started in 2011, directed by the Ce.RDO in collaboration with the Centre for GeoTechnologies of the University of Siena and the National Museum of Eritrea. The project aims to investigate and promote the cultural heritage of the ancient port site of Adulis, one of the most important archaeological sites in Eritrea and East Africa. The paper presents the results of the first two campaigns. First of all, we analyzed the satellite imagery to identify traces of buried archaeological elements. Then, three excavation areas were opened to unearth some of the structures already identified in the excavations of the last century, as well as to investigate the stratigraphy of the site in areas where archaeological excavations have never been conducted. In conclusion, a GPS survey was conducted on the whole area to elaborate a detailed map of the site, to create a DEM and to position all the archaeological structures that are visible on the surface. All the stratigraphic, topographic and cartographic data were managed in an open source GIS, based on the combination of the desktop mapping software Quantum GIS and the plugin pyArchInit.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2013, 24, 139-162; doi: 10.19282/ac.24.2013.07
Valutazione delle potenzialità archeologiche della Laguna di Venezia: la frangia lagunare sud in età post antica
Abstract
This study shows how the analyses conducted using different kinds of disciplines (geo¬morphology, archaeology, history) can be an excellent way to focus on the origin of settlements and their attributes. The relational database is based on a ranking of archaeological, geological and historical data, followed by a single form of recording, such as excavation documentation (mapping and topography of settlements), or historical and hydrographical details. The use of a standard lexicon simplifies the implementation of data, according to a SQL language, while the data entry appears as a single window with direct access to all of the system. The GIS platform can be used for the analysis of geological (morphological and geological studies, coring), histori¬cal (cartographical sources) and archaeological data (survey, study of known materials). As a result, this approach led us to create different kinds of thematical maps, like morphological and hydrographical reconstructions of the past, by studying the underground and georeferencing historical charts. Subsequently, through a subdivision of layers, archaeological evidence was classified also by chronological and typological levels. This study allowed us to obtain a cross analysis between the concentration of archaeological material and environmental conditions at different levels of visibility. These results made it possible to evaluate the archaeological potential and the units, which were calculated by the relation between the density of evidence, the presence of alluvial deposits, the urbanization level and the water-bearing stratum, gave us an overview of the landscape evaluation.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2013, 24, 163-186; doi: 10.19282/ac.24.2013.08
Discovering Chan Chan: modern technologies for urban and architectural analysis
Francesca Colosi, Roberto Gabrielli, Roberto Orazi, Eva Savina Malinverni
Abstract
Since 2002, the Italian Mission of CNR-ITABC has been operating in the archaeological complex of Chan Chan (Peru), which is the largest pre-Columbian settlement entirely built with adobe. In 1989 Chan Chan was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The main purpose of the work is aimed at the conservation, documentation and use of the site and of the territory that is related to Chan Chan from a historical and cultural point of view. The urban structure of Chan Chan, which is spread over a surface of 14 km2, has a number of buildings which characterizes the town at both an architectural (ciudadelas, huacas, huachaques) and decorative level (bas-reliefs, geometrical motifs). In order to achieve our research goals, we had to arrange for the combined use of various analysis techniques that would provide both urban and architectural information about the town. The data we obtained allowed us to make a more up-to-date interpretation of the urban fabric and revealed intriguing details regarding the construction phases of one of its palaces which will be helpful both for the planning of the Archaeological Park and the restoration project of the Palacio Rivero.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2013, 24, 187-207; doi: 10.19282/ac.24.2013.09
Laser Scanner 3D per lo studio e la catalogazione dell'archeologia medievale: la chiesa di Santa Croce in Bergamo
Alessio Cardaci, Dario Gallina, Antonella Versaci
Abstract
The improvement of new active optical sensors has revolutionized the methods for documenting cultural heritage. The conservation and appreciation of our cultural legacy re¬quire an extensive documentation both in terms of shape, color and geometry as well as the more traditional art-historical features. The incessant development of scientific research today provides new possibilities and tools which are essential to know and use in a responsible and scientific way. In the field of archaeology, the automatic 3D survey is now recognized as an added value compared to traditional practices and the active contribution that this technology can provide to the interpretative phase, cataloguing and promotion of archaeological assets, even through the web, is becoming increasingly clear. On the other hand, even considering the speed of the procedure and the accuracy of measurement, there have been calls for reflection on the role that laser scanning can play in the field of archaeology; this role needs to be clarified and consolidated by conducting new studies and experiments, such as the one presented here that concerns the Church of Santa Croce in Bergamo, a small octagonal Romanesque chapel built in the first half of the 11th century.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2013, 24, 209-229; doi: 10.19282/ac.24.2013.10
Virtual models for archaeology
Laura Bocchi, Mahmud Hoger, Katharina Rebay-Salisbury, Emilio Tuosto
Abstract
Archaeological excavations are complex activities, fostering the collaboration of a number of different institutions, organizations and individuals. The seamless organization of an excavation may benefit from the use of a virtual model, which can be adjusted to the specific needs of the project. Defining a model of such activities may help to anticipate the appropriate steps necessary, in order to avoid problems and delays and, more importantly, can be reused and adjusted for further projects. In this paper we attempt to promote the use of virtual breeding environments and virtual organizations as a modelling framework for the managerial aspects of archaeological excavations and we illustrate the flexibility of the framework by applying it to different scenarios. Our analysis also shows that the standard notion of virtual organizations needs to be extended in order to cope with specific aspects of archaeological excavations.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2013, 24, 305-324; doi: 10.19282/ac.24.2013.15
Dal rilievo fotogrammetrico all'analisi dei dati. Il Progetto Shawbak
Pierre Drap, Djamal Merad, Julien Seinturier, Jean-Marc Boï, Daniela Peloso, Guido Vannini, Michele Nucciotti, Elisa Pruno
Abstract
In this paper we present an interdisciplinary project which is a work in progress towards a 3D Geographical Information System with a specific focus application on the Castle of Shawbak. The Shawbak archaeological project is a specific and integrated project between medieval archaeological research and computer vision done thanks a long-term cooperation between University of Florence and LSIS/CNRS Marseille. Focusing mainly on stratigraphical analysis of upstanding structures we conducted a survey using photogrammetry, both in a traditional way and using the most advanced techniques to obtain a dense map, and then a tool for statistical analysis. The photogrammetric survey is driven directly by archaeological data which is formalized by ontologies as a link between all the archaeological concepts which are surveyed. The 3D GIS is the last step of this chain and aims at the automatic production of 3D models through archaeological database queries: these 3D models are, in fact, a graphic image of the database and at the same time the interface through which the user is able to modify it and produce different kinds of analysis.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2013, 24, 329-340; doi: 10.19282/ac.24.2013.17
Nuove possibilità della fotogrammetria. La documentazione archeologica del nuraghe di Tanca Manna (Nuoro)
Abstract
With this contribution we want to show how acquisition, management and analysis of the three-dimensional component of archaeological data can improve the understanding of the formation of different contexts and, in particular, the construction history of a historic building. The introduction of a new generation of lighter and cheaper 3D laser scanners and the dissemination of web service, open source and low-cost software for digital photogrammetry have triggered a debate about their proper use in archaeology. Previous research has left a number of problems open and the proposed solutions cannot be considered yet fully satisfactory. In the first part of the article we will outline the limits of the current standards of archaeological documentation and describe the possibility of integration of these new tools into the operational practices, with particular emphasis on photogrammetry. In the second part we will propose an example of archaeological analysis of the Nuraghe of Tanca Manna (Nuoro) using unconventional methods and tools: a system of shooting on telescopic pole (featuring remote control of the camera to the ground and preview frame); the combined use of free cloud computing and commercial software for automatic modeling of architectural surfaces; a dedicated electronic procedure to document the wall stratigraphy and the shape of the structural elements on the 3D model; data management in a GIS environment; the use of PDF3D as standard format for the exchange and use of three-dimensional content. In conclusion, we will attempt to demonstrate the added value of this workflow compared to the normal operating procedure, emphasizing the versatility, speed of execution and the improved information content of final papers.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2013, 24, 341-354; doi: 10.19282/ac.24.2013.18
Il rilievo delle superfici tramite fotogrammetria 3D: dal microscavo dei complessi tombali agli scavi in open area
Cristiano Putzolu, David Vicenzutto
Abstract
The need for a quick methodology of 3D surface recording, sensitive to the timing of fieldwork, low cost, and suitable for both micro- and meso-contexts, has induced the writers to develop a standard procedure. It is now possible to obtain a dense x, y, z point cloud starting from the photographic coverage of a surface, respecting precise parameters of overlapping for the different photos picturing the scene, and calibrating the camera. The software used to generate the point cloud is PhotoModeler Scanner, chosen firstly for its internal module of camera calibration and correction algorithm of radial distortion, and secondly for its capacity to verify the position of the different frames and point clouds roto-translating in a known reference system. The key point of the procedure is the importing of the point cloud in a GIS environment, where a DEM is created with an interpolation algorithm. The resulting surface is in the same GIS environment of vector and raster themes documenting the excavation. The procedure was tested in two different case studies: a micro-context corresponding to Tomb 112, a cremation tomb in the Iron Age necropolis of Piovego (Padua, Italy), and a meso-context corresponding to the Late Bronze Age settlement of Gradiscje (Codroipo, Italy). In both cases, meaningful because different in scale stratigraphy and survey issues, it is clear how 3D survey and the subsequent modeling of the point cloud has been fundamental for the understanding of the archaeological record.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2013, 24, 355-370; doi: 10.19282/ac.24.2013.19
Cloud computing e fotomodellazione come integrazione della modellazione 3D per larchitettura storica. La chiesa di San Giovanni Evangelista in Ravenna
Simone Zambruno, Antonino Vazzana, Laura Buti, Marco Orlandi
Abstract
Historical architecture often features very detailed elements that are frequently characterized by complex ornamentation, such as capitals, vaulted arches, portals, mouldings etc. Modeling such highly detailed surfaces with traditional software packages can be a very difficult and time-consuming task, which often requires considerable skills and does not always ensure a strict adherence to the original object. This article discusses the combined use of two software applications to integrate traditional three-dimensional reconstructions of historical architecture and 3D models generated by semi-automatic photo-modeling. The case study is represented by a virtual reconstruction of the main structural changes undergone by the church of San Giovanni Evangelista in Ravenna, built by the Empress Galla Placidia in the 5th century AD. The aim of the study was to document the modifications made to this church over the centuries by means of a three-dimensional reconstruction that was chiefly created with the combined use of two open source software programs. Blender was used to recreate the main structures such as walls, apses, roofs and windows, and Autodesk 123D Catch was chosen to generate 3D textured models of the most detailed parts: capitals, portals, decorated columns. The success of this technique demonstrates that the use of a hybrid workflow can simplify the generation of complex shapes, increase the level of detail, and speed up the whole modeling process.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2013, 24, 371-377; doi: 10.19282/ac.24.2013.20
Laser scanning e photo scanning. Tecniche di rilevamento per la documentazione 3D di beni architettonici ed archeologici
Andrea Angelini, Roberto Gabrielli
Abstract
Laser scanner and digital photogrammetric systems (photo scanning) must be considered at present two of the main techniques used for archaeological and architectural surveying. The integration of both 3D scanning systems allowed us to improve the scientific knowledge, the management, the use and the safeguarding of Cultural Heritage. The aim of this article is to identify analogies and differences between the two surveying techniques applied to different archaeological contexts. Starting from a general introduction to the concept of measurement and the management of the data acquired from different techniques of surveying, the article focuses on the laser scanner applications with particular attention on the intrinsic properties of the instrument, the problems of measurement and the methodology used during the survey. The second part is focused on the digital photogrammetry applied on a particular archaeological context. Digital photogrammetry was developed and experimented in order to acquire territorial data quickly. The optimization of the working speed, while maintaining accuracy of data, means cost savings and an optimal use of funds. Our workgroup decided to transfer that methodology to the archaeological excavations of Rome Metro Line C in collaboration with some public institutions and private companies. The final results have produced 2D and 3D graphic documentations of all the archaeological area up to highly-accurate ortho-recti ??ed images. Point clouds allowed us to simultaneously view a general 3D model of all open archaeological areas, providing an opportunity for observation and an analysis not possible by other means. Each area can be studied together with the others in a global view of the excavation. Every stratigraphic unit can be displayed in the same area and switched on in the same way as a layer.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2013, 24, 379-394; doi: 10.19282/ac.24.2013.21
Pianificazione e salvaguardia del territorio attraverso l’analisi di fonti in ambiente GRASS-GIS: il paesaggio a prato-bosco di Sagron Mis
Abstract
The subject of this paper is a research project focusing on the meadow-wood system in a mountain micro-community (Sagron Mis, Trento). The project studies the evolutive/involutive dynamics of the meadow-wood system at medium-high altitude above sea level.
Verso una metodologia condivisa per l’analisi del paesaggio antico: il progetto Valle del Tevere
Antonia Arnoldus-Huyzendveld, Augusto Palombini, Eva Pietroni, Ulrico Sanna, Sara Zanni, Fabio Remondino
Abstract
The Tiber Valley Project aims to create a series of digital applications for 3D reconstructing, visualization and real time browsing of the ancient and current Tiber Valley landscape (particularly for the Villa dei Volusii and Lucus Feroniae areas), in four different historical phases. In this perspective, the first problem to face is the need for a valid methodology for ancient landscape ecosystem reconstruction, before dealing with monuments and building. On the basis of an intense multi-disciplinary discussion and the previous VH Lab experience in this field, in this article we are presenting a scheme for a standardized reconstruction procedure, where the landscape is built using all available sources and elevation data obtained by a photogrammetry process on historical pictures. Ecosystem areas are then calculated through GIS elaboration in GRASS-GIS environment, through a procedure which may be shared for any situation of historical landscape reconstruction, allowing the matching and the mathematical processing of geographical data aimed to the definition of different ecological areas (both in terms of natural vegetation and cultivated lands). Maps are then created to be imported in procedural landscape generation engines: the last part of the paper focuses on the lack of effective open source software in this field, and a possible proposal implementation in this sense.
PyArchInit: gli sviluppi dopo ArcheoFoss 2009
Abstract
The Project pyArchInit-Python for archaeology began in 2005 with the aim of developing a python plug-in for the open source software Quantum GIS. pyArchInit comes mainly from the needs, increasingly present in the archaeology community, to computerize the archaeological records using software which handle alphanumeric, multimedia and topographical data in a single solution. This package aims to meet these requirements with a unique solution that over time guarantees stability, development, easy installation and updating. The final goal is the creation of a GIS platform with a high interoperability between different operating systems, in which alphanumerical tables, GIS geometries and multimedia data are within a single system. This allows us to maintain the integrity of the raw data as much as possible, providing the archaeologist with an approach which is both very fast and powerful and, in the meantime, offering a system open to changes and customizations by other developers. The database management system of archaeological data is automatically installed both in PostgreSQL and in Spatialite. Different user interfaces, created to support the entering of data, manage the database. It is structured in seven management user interfaces: Stratigraphic Units, Site, Chronology, Infrastructures, Taphonomy Record, Archaeological, Multimedia. The first part of the package includes the management of stratigraphic units (pyarchnit_US module) because of the need to manage on site the documentation of excavations in progress. With pyArchInit we will try to bridge the gap between skills and knowledge acquired on an academic level and daily life in archaeological fieldwork; moreover, it will help the interaction with engineers, urban planners, government, Cultural Office administrators and all the agencies that gravitate around the archaeological world.
ArchaeoSection: uno strumento artigianale per il rilievo delle sezioni archeologiche
Abstract
ArchaeoSection is a software for drawing archaeological sections. Its goal is to automatically rotate section points measured with total station and to insert them in a geodatabase and GIS: this software is supposed to be a third way between traditional techniques and the most advanced digital systems of section record. This paper presents the technical properties of ArchaeoSection, how it works, its usage for different types of section and the advantages of a geodatabase-GIS management of archaeological sections. ArchaeoSection is also an example of the potential of FLOSS, that allows archaeologists without programming experience to build their work tools on their own, like an ancient craftsman.
La migrazione dei dati geospaziali dai sistemi di riferimento catastali a Gauss-Boaga: un confronto sperimentale tra gli strumenti software e le librerie proprietarie, free e open source
Abstract
In this paper we compare, through a case study located within the municipal boundaries of Rome, various proprietary, free and open source software libraries, in view of the coordinate transformation from the cadastral system Cassini-Soldner in the Gauss-Boaga system. The analysis was based on comparison of the Gauss-Boaga coordinates given in cadastral benchmark monographs and results of processing carried out with the libraries examined. Specifically, benchmarks were chosen for their representation both in IGM national geodetic network and in cadastral network in order to compare respective values in the final analysis. Aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the transformation made from Cassini-Soldner to Gauss-Boaga in order to obtain statistical values that allow us to choose or discard the libraries for topographical and GIS application within the metropolitan area of Rome.
Il progetto ArcheO3D per una gestione tridimensionale dei dati archeologici. Una prospettiva open
Giuliano De Felice, Andrea Fratta, Cristiano Moscaritolo
Abstract
The ArcheO3D Project is an experiment of a methodology driven approach for the creation of 3D models of objects and archaeological finds. It allows the use of the models through simple and immediate means of online publishing and sharing. So far the project, which aims to develop digitization and publication of various classes of materials, has produced the first results for the management of architectural stratigraphies and metallic objects.
Utilizzo di strumenti free e open source per la fruizione di modelli 3D di siti archeologici basati sul formato PDF
Andrea Scianna, Rosanna Sciortino
Abstract
In the last ten years there have been several steps ahead towards the GIS 3D, in particular for the visualization of 3D objects within a GIS; few, instead, are the prototypes of GIS systems operating in 3D. The use of 3D Pdf is an intermediate solution that uses an open format such as .pdf and a series of free and open source software like Blender and PostgreSQL-PostGIS combined with programming languages such as Python and scripting languages such as Javascript. The aim of this paper is to describe a procedure for the interaction between a 3D model and a 2D geographic database. The opportunity to experiment with 3D Pdf was the subject of the Master thesis Tecnologie avanzate di rilevamento, rappresentazione e diagnostica per la conservazione e la fruizione dei beni culturali at the University of Palermo; a survey and a study of the Castle of Maredolce is described and the data that were employed to create a product for the public use of the Castle.
Il sito di Adulis (Eritrea): raccolta e gestione dei dati archeologici tramite software open source
Giulio Bigliardi, Sara Cappelli, Enzo Cocca
Abstract
The Adulis Project started in 2011, directed by the Ce.RDO in collaboration with the Centre for Geotechnologies of the University of Siena and the National Museum of Eritrea. The project aims to investigate and promote the cultural heritage of the ancient port site of Adulis, one of the most important archaeological sites in Eritrea and East Africa. The first two fieldwork seasons revealed a detailed stratigraphic sequence and massive walls, which required a complex documentation, highlighting the need for a system for managing data in a GIS platform, in which to collect all the stratigraphic, topographic and cartographic data. In the early stage, the project team used a commercial GIS software, ESRI ArcGIS, but with the progress of the work, the team soon realized that the application did not meet the required needs. In particular, the high licensing costs made it problematic to install and share data within the research team, especially for the Eritrean colleagues. It was therefore decided to seek an alternative solution adopting the open source plug-in pyArchInit, as it is a pre-prepared and already successfully tested software in several context and is perfectly in line with the needs which emerged during the work.
Analisi spaziali intra-site: soluzioni GIS open source per lo scavo archeologico del sito di Montecorvino
Luca d'Altilia, Pasquale Favia, Roberta Giuliani, Felice Stoico
Abstract
The making of an intra-site GIS of the archaeological site of Montecorvino is related to a more comprehensive project, led by University of Foggia, Dipartimento di Scienze Umane, focused on the study of the medieval landscape and settlements in northern Apulia. Statistical and spatial analyses have been applied in this project, as well as a global overlook on the archaeological research conducted on the site.
Il rilievo fotogrammetrico per nuvole di punti RGB della ‘sala triabsidata’ del sito archeologico di Aiano-Torraccia di Chiusi (SI)
Andrea Arrighetti, Marco Cavalieri
Abstract
Reconstructing the development of architectural complexes throughout time is often very difficult. Buildings are usually a series of constructive actions, changes from the original project, and collapses and reconstructions due to human actions (such as demolitions) and/or natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, etc.). The building’s structure records all these events, and by using a relief map gives us the chance to understand and decode them. The archaeological relief map is thus supposed to offer a complete and concise documentation. At the same time, it must be enriched with the additional information needed for a more detailed analysis of the archaeological object itself. In the last few years, the introduction and continuous improvements of many instruments (e.g. laser scanners and photogrammetric technologies) have led to a significant qualitative and quantitative change in the recording of material structures. In particular, the possibility of combining different relief technologies - obtaining high resolution, 3D geometrically correct models of buildings or of entire archaeological sites (which could be further investigated thanks to archaeological analysis or other procedures) - has modified the archaeological approach towards the material ‘datum’ and its divulgation. In order to acquire a better knowledge of contemporary technologies, the dissemination of different methodologies - through their application in research contexts - is the best way to transmit and compare them. This article is dedicated to the presentation and detailed analysis of a photogrammetric RGB point-clouds technology, used for the relief of a room during the archaeological excavation at Aiano-Torraccia di Chiusi (San Gimignano, Siena).
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2012, 23, 121-134; doi: 10.19282/ac.23.2012.07
Utilization of airborne LiDAR datasets in GIS environment for prospection of archaeological sites in high Alpine regions
Kristof Kovacs, Klaus Hanke, Katia Lenzi, Elisa Possenti, Gian Pietro Brogiolo
Abstract
The utilisation of airborne laser scanning (Light Detection And Ranging, LiDAR) technology in archaeological research has developed signifcantly in recent years. The application of specifc algorithms to appropriate software can provide an accurate digital model of the Earth’s surface from LiDAR datasets, which helps to identify archaeological objects by the use and comparison of different visualisation techniques of the digital terrain model (DTM). Besides using LiDAR data, the application of various methods (e.g. documentation by terrestrial laser scanner and Total Station, aerial photographs, modern and historical maps, archaeological information, historical documents, on-site examination of earthwork features) helps to assure a more precise identifcation and interpretation process of the archaeological features. In addition, the Geographical Information System (GIS) offers a good solution for managing together all these various types of information in the same coordinate system. In this paper, the application of LiDAR analysis in GIS environment will be discussed and compared in two different research programmes. The HiMAT programme (History of Mining Activities in the Tyrol and adjacent areas) investigates the history of mining in the Eastern Alps and the APSAT project (Environment and Landscapes of Upland Sites of Trentino) focuses on the study of the upland anthropic system in Trentino area. In both research projects, LiDAR surveys were applied to investigate the archaeological areas such as mining regions and hilltop sites of upland areas. Some of the results from the sites surveyed by LiDAR and additional methods are presented in this paper including the discovery of new sites and the detection of new structures at known sites as well as the mapping of archaeological settings.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2012, 23, 151-164; doi: 10.19282/ac.23.2012.09
Tablet PC, fotogrammetria e PDF 3D: strumenti per documentare l’archeologia
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to describe methods of documentation of different archaeological contexts. The first part illustrates some solutions for the integration of tablet PC within the current standards of archaeological documentation. The second part describes several techniques of photogrammetric survey for the documentation of burials, wall stratigraphy and structural elements. With the support of photo-modelling and stereophotogrammetry it is possible to record perimeter and surface of each Stratigraphic Unit in a three-dimensional space also obtaining isomorphic reproductions of the detected object. In conclusion, the last part of the article discusses the first results of an experiment which is still in progress: the 3D PDF for publication of the archaeological record.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2012, 23, 213-228; doi: 10.19282/ac.23.2012.13
Modellare lo scavo archeologico: esperienze e tecniche a confronto
Andrea D'Andrea, Marco Barbarino
Abstract
By examining the potential offered by the digital survey, the article aims at encourag¬ing archaeologists to undertake a more rational approach towards three-dimensional data acquisition and management. Data was derived from excavations at Aveia (AQ - Italy) and Seglamen (Ethiopia). The 3D data-capture was achieved with the laser scanner and structure from motion techniques that make it possible to obtain a point cloud of an object from a sequence of photographic images, which are neither ordered nor calibrated. The conclusions reflect the role of digital technologies in the field of stratigraphic survey. Independence from scale and the ability to extract profiles and contours of stratigraphic units are factors of great importance for a virtual reconstruction of archaeological excavations.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2012, 23, 229-246; doi: 10.19282/ac.23.2012.14
Verso un sistema integrato di documentazione dell’arte rupestre. L’esperienza AKAP (Egitto)
Abstract
Since 2005 the Aswan-Kom Ombo Archaeological Project (AKAP), managed by Yale and Bologna Universities, has investigated a number of selected areas in the region between Aswan and Kom Ombo. Many of the rock art sites identified within the concession areas are under threat, due to the impact of modern human activities. Three-dimensional technologies, such as digital surveying, laser scanning and photogrammetry, were used for the first time in the Egyptian Nile Valley in order to obtain a highly detailed image of the rock art and its environmental setting. The aim of the project is to improve data recording and analysis while saving economic resources and reducing time in the fieldwork.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2012, 23, 247-260; doi: 10.19282/ac.23.2012.15
Documentare l’archeologia da Burnum (Sebenico, Croazia) a Suasa (Ancona): una tradizione rinnovata
Enrico Giorgi, Federica Boschi, Michele Silani, Julian Bogdani
Abstract
Recently, the team of researchers who collaborate with the journal ‘Groma’ was involved in two major archaeological projects relating to abandoned Roman towns in the Adriatic area: Burnum (Šibenik, Croatia) and Suasa (Ancona, Italy). The Burnum Project is primarily a remote sensing research project that aims at promoting the archaeological heritage of the site. The main results have already been presented during the first edition of the Workshop (2011). The Roman town of Suasa is located in the middle valley of the Cesano River, in the northern Marche region. The Department of Archaeology of Bologna University has spent over twenty years conducting archaeological excavations and multidisciplinary studies in the site. The present paper focuses on the new season of research, which involves new tools and methods for the analysis and documentation of the site and its territory. In particular, in recent years there has been an increased use of remote sensing techniques and the systematic management of the new data excavations through an innovative webGIS system. The integration of historical and modern aerial photographs, finalized aerial photogrammetry, new aerial and geophysical survey, made it possible to identify several buildings in the urban area and to locate the most important elements of the ancient topography in the suburban area. The large amount of archaeological data acquired from the excavations and from remote sensing techniques was managed by webGIS technology, which made it possible to conduct different levels of analysis.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2012, 23, 261-282; doi: 10.19282/ac.23.2012.16
Tecnologie fotogrammetriche e registrazione 3D della struttura materiale: dal rilievo alla gestione dei dati
Abstract
In the last few years in Italy the scientific community has increasingly focused its interest on the documentation of Cultural Heritage. The evolution of relief and modeling technologies combined with an outstanding variety of software and hardware available on the market and online has allowed an increasing number of operators to produce three-dimensional models, to elaborate new reflections, studies and popular products. In the archaeological relief field, after an early preponderance of laser tools, interest has recently shifted towards photogrammetric tools, with a switch from stereo-photogrammetry to bundle reconstruction through commercial and open source software available online. In the field of Building Archaeology, the technological evolution has allowed us to continually set new goals, from the increasingly detailed three-dimensional recording of buildings, to the representation of realistic models of the construction phases and the demolition of the buildings over time. This article attempts to illustrate, through the presentation of some projects of the Laboratory of Building Archaeology of the University of Siena, the ‘mental structure’ existing before the material one, that is behind the recording of the construction characteristics of a building, by focusing on the factors that are at the base of the choice of a particular survey system and on the consequent possibilities in generating and managing three-dimensional models.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2012, 23, 283-298; doi: 10.19282/ac.23.2012.17
Scansione laser e ricostruzione digitale: il sito di San Severo a Classe (RA)
Alberto Urcia, Angela Montanari
Abstract
The site of San Severo is located between the cities of Ravenna and Classe, just a few kilometers from the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe, on the same road. In recent years the archaeological area has been the focus of scientific research by the University of Bologna and the Ravenna Antica Foundation, which is the main sponsor for the excavation activities, directed by prof. Andrea Augenti (Dept. of Archaeology of Bologna University). During the last two seasons of work and discoveries, we decided to develop a system to promote interest in this important site not only for specialists but also for the general public, by creating a virtual reconstruction of its historical background, starting in the 6th century A.D. Using a new robotic total station, we conducted a 3D digital survey of all the structures, and produced the documentation to do the modeling. By means of different kinds of software, we made a multiphase model which reveals the former splendor of this monument and allows users to navigate in it in a virtual and realistic way.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2012, 23, 311-325; doi: 10.19282/ac.23.2012.19
Systèmes d’information archéologique: l’exemple de ARCH’IS
Abstract
The project that gave rise to the API ARCH’IS was created in 2008. It was motivated by a discussion on optimizing the registration and use of data searches, particularly in the context of complex, diachronic and a huge variety of structures, sometimes split into several excavation sites. While the use of conventional GIS would have seemed the most appropriate, it raised the twin issues of training and the availability of licenses. In addition, it offered no probative solution for work in ‘real time’. ARCH’IS has been developed by archaeologists to meet their own needs and interests of preservation of information. Its architecture is based on a MySQL SGBDD operated through a modular application implementing various individual languages in the world of the Internet. ARCH’IS integrated an engine map with useful features for most archaeologists, without specific training needs. Experimented on several projects of Marne-la-Vallée, the development plan of this API has now been established for many years.
'Odyssée': représenter l’information au sein d’un système d’information archéologique pour la recherche sur l’habitat rural du Moyen Âge
Abstract
The large amount of documentation made available by ‘preventive’ archaeology led to the setting up of several collective research programs. Aimed at rural settlements during the Middle Ages on a regional level, both ‘région Île-de-France’ and ‘région Centre’ PCR have to deal with handling this documentation. In line with the current PhD work of the author about settlements and agrarian system during the early Middle Ages, a shared reflection on a common information system was launched. Beyond approaches aimed at evaluating archaeological potential or solely focused on inventory, here the goal is to acquire a tool dedicated to research. Moreover, if databases are used on a daily basis by the archaeologist, their use in a collective way leads to the standardization of the manner information is encoded. The aim of this paper is to present the conclusion of this shared reflection, focusing especially on settlement patterns, environmental data and the estimate of reliability of information. The technical choices which helped to minimize costs are also presented.
Systèmes d’information archéologique de terrain et fondamentaux de l’enregistrement archéologique: quelques remarques à proposde l’application Stratibase
Abstract
This article illustrates a computerised database for excavation recording called Stratibase which is used by several archaeology teams in France. This is not intended to be a detailed presentation of Stratibase and its characteristics, because this sort of computerised application is at present very commonplace. However, the steps leading to the origin and development of Stratibase are presented along with some conceptual aspects; in fact, through this experience, we arrived at some general conclusions about computerised recording systems used by archaeologists. Our remarks, from an archaeological point of view, concern the need for variety and adaptability in those systems and, at the same time, the necessity for standardized fundamental principles. They also concern the role of the archaeologist in the elaboration of data models.
Le système d’information du programme 'Archéologie du Bassin parisien'. Entre SIG et SGBD, vers un applicatif Open Source adapté
Abstract
One of the goals of the research program ‘Archaeology of the Paris Basin’ has been to establish an Archaeological Information System, i.e., a meta-database of the archaeological sites studied in the geographic area of the program, from the Paleolithic to modern days, in order to produce thematic maps using appropriate software. This paper aims to present this meta-database, but also to consider the technical constrains and the methodological choices involved in its implementation. The development of the query interface of this database repre¬sented an opportunity to reconsider the initial geomatic approach. This application is based on Open Source technology, and is both appropriate and adapted to the objectives of the program. It proposes an original synthesis of DBMS and GIS functionalities. Its development is in line with the rereading of the discipline paradigms suggested - or imposed - by the rise of the geomatic Open Source.
Le SIG comme outil fédérateur de recherche interdisciplinaire: application à la grotte Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc (Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, Ardèche, France)
Estelle Ployon, Benjamin Sadier, Jean-Jacques Delannoy, Stéphane Jaillet, Julien Monney, Elisa Boche, Jean-Michel Geneste
Abstract
Up to now Geographic Information Systems have rarely been used to study decorated caves. The research conducted for more than 12 years now in the Chauvet cave required a unifying tool that would collect, on the same support, all of the different types of information gathered from the various fields of research involved in the study of the cave. The objective was to find a system that could centralize and cross reference all of the information acquired. Besides just a filing system, this tool was also needed to promote the development of new research for a better comprehension of the cave and the way in which it was occupied. The diversity of the data to be integrated and the needs of the different disciplines required a co-constructive approach to the support and to the means for representing the data. In order to be able to cross-reference both the data collected from the soil and from the walls we decided to direct the GIS developments towards the integration of three dimensional information. The first GIS applied to caves with paintings should also be a useful reference tool for the study of other caves in the future. This article is intended to describe the different stages we passed through for the implementation of this tool, by analyzing the limitations, the choices made and the prospects we envisage.
Construction d’un SIG pour l’étude d’un cimetière: l’exemple de Mortefontaine (Aisne)
Vincent Buccio, Thierry Galmiche, Nadège Robin
Abstract
The Pôle archéologique from Aisne Department excavated a ninth and tenth century graveyard in Mortefontaine (Aisne). Two hundred graves were excavated in a field (50 m long, and 5 m wide) and integrated in a GIS. The decision to build this last system was taken after the end of the excavation, without any specific field process, which constituted an important technical constraint. Each grave is a part of a database built in collaboration with the anthro¬pologist studying them and the archaeologist in charge of the excavation. The system makes it possible to fill the database independently from the GIS. Although the study is not yet over, we already have the first results in terms of distribution. They show the usefulness of this system to manage and understand this kind of excavation.
GIS applications for the archaeological analysis of a medieval town: Pisa, Italy
Abstract
The main use of GIS in archaeology is connected to regional research or management of excavation data sets. The use of GIS for urban archaeological research is far less extensive. The urban GIS about the medieval town of Pisa contains all archaeological data from occasional findings to modern stratigraphic excavations, geographical data, historical cartography data and urban data, each described by the geometrical shape (point, line, polygon) that best represents each feature. The distinguishing environmental context to which the town is connected is characterized by a complex hydrographic system; GIS analysis enabled us to study the relationships between the urban transformations and the surrounding environment. The article explains how geostatistical analysis allowed us to create a model of the ancient landscape and how the use of map algebra was useful in understanding the medieval environment. The difficulty in finding raw archaeological data, that is, all the excavation and fieldwork recording (planning of context, context recording sheet, photographs, findings quantification sheet), suggested the necessity to create an open digital archive and to provide possible standardization of digital formats, metadata records and archaeological data recording, so as to allow a comparison between the data.
ArkeoGIS, développement d’un webSIG transfrontalier: contraintes et premiers résultats
Abstract
ArkeoGIS is a webGIS developed on free ware basis; its purpose is to link archaeological data from both the French and German sides of the Rhine, for the periods from the Bronze Age to the early medieval period. Though beta version is already functional, further development will integrate geographical data, new tools and layers. The point for both archaeologists and geographers is to be able to access data which may not yet be published, in order to plan new research and have fast access to hard to find available data (Universities, CNRS, culture, local archaeologists, etc.) in both the countries and languages involved. New databases produced by students working on the Rhine valley will help to develop the project.
De l’estimation des erreurs de levée du cadastre à la compréhension de la construction de l’espace urbain de Reims
Claire Pichard, Eric Desjardin
Abstract
In applying an approach of dematerialization of planimetric, written and archaeological data, that should be soon processed through a GIS, it will be necessary to estimate the errors made in the compilation of the Napoleonic land registry made in order to be able to work on the construction of the urban space. The registry was started in 1811 and as a source document for morphological analysis and regressive mapping, it is geometrically quite precise. However, a review of this fiscal document (which has a twisted perspective, perhaps to tell us something about the townscape) and a comparison to correct maps have revealed a few errors depending on the level of treatment. It therefore becomes useful to characterize and to explain them, before linking them with oldest documents and archaeological data. The example of Les Coutures will allow us to put into practice these observations in order to define methods of metrological analysis and to study dynamics of urban space occupation according to various spatial and temporal scales.
SIG: utilisations d’outils grand public et interaction avec les applications professionnelles
Abstract
When the Reims team presented the first results of its SIGRem project in 2006 our major concern was presenting the available data collection and supporting documents regarding the archeological excavations conducted in the last 20 years in the City of Reims. The integration of GIS into the daily university context required a process directed resource to make a simple tool allowing the specialization of searches available to researchers and students. The geogates provide an easily accessible working space and the fact that some gates have free access means that they are used by an increasing number of people, thus augmenting their potential value. After exploring professional solutions, we now wish to provide a simple and easily accessible technology. To reach this goal, we have attempted to find and develop suitable processes and tools. Our process is founded on a double approach. The student/researcher, using common office automation and web tools, will be able to collect and locate data of interest. The laboratory will use more complex resources to provide more detailed analysis and formatting. Results will then be restated and shared on a geogate allowing private or public access to the search data.
Fressignes, campement solutréen sur ordinateur
Jean-Pierre Bouyssi, André Fontaine, Eric Robert, Denis Vialou, Agueda Vilhena Vialou, Jean-Roch Houllier, Yves Egels
Abstract
Research at the Solutrean site at Fressignes (Indre) was largely preceded by digital input methods. Only the final campaigns (1998-2005) made it possible to deploy on the terrain an acquisition software for the spatial data and the archaeological characteristics, FrAcTool, which had been specially developed for the site. The data bank that had been elaborated reported the data on the terrain and completed it by using the other tools covering the analytical description of all the work that had been done since the research project had been started in 1983: digital retrieval of the coordinates, numbering of the photographs, stratigraphical layers, their spatial context and their georeferenced mosaicing. Moreover, all of the coordinates were checked simultaneously by mathematical models. The application of 3D is prepared by georeferencing and mosaicing of the images. The triangulation of the shadows of the objects gives the vertical sections of the terrain, the contours and the orthophotos. Laser surveys of the terrain constitute the final phase for the volumetric representation of the progressive spatial data during research.
Un système d’information 3D pour l’archéologie du bâti: Showback. Le cas de Montréal (Shawbak, Jordanie)
Elisa Pruno, Michele Nucciotti, Pierre Drap
Abstract
The ‘Progetto Shawbak. Ricerca, conservazione e valorizzazione del Crac’ de Montreal is a multidisciplinary project conducted by the Florence University Chair of Medieval Archaeology. An important objective of the work, pursued with the collaboration of Dr. Pierre Drap, Chargé de recherche at CNRS LSIS UMR 6168, is the realization of a 3D archaeological information system to manage a big amount of textual and graphic data. For this reason we tried to create a system that could handle all archaeological data in a single database that allows us to connect the 3D information derived from photogrammetric surveys with other archaeological records. Showback system is being tested on some Shawbak castle upright structures, including the huge Ayyubid Palace and a second site at the gate wall, and it aims to achieve the production of 2D and 3D representations through the queries it answers. This approach can obtain 3D representations of issues (e.g. possibility to see the USM of a particular phase in all analyzed buildings of the site) as well as new archaeological analysis (the development of quantitative analysis on the use of materials, the possibility of obtaining chronological data of the bricks, etc.). Finally, this research has led the Italian-French team to discuss the physics and stratigraphic relations at the basis of the Harris matrix.
La réalité virtuelle: un outil pour la connaissance et la médiation scientifique. Application à la grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc (Ardèche, France)
Jean-Jacques Delannoy, Stéphane Jaillet, Benjamin Sadier
Abstract
Since laser scanning first appeared, 3D restitutions are used increasingly on decorated archaeological and rock art sites. This communication aims at presenting such restitutions (from field data collection to modeling) as applied to the Chauvet Cave. It addresses a diversified set of questions. We shall start with questions raised by karstologists, for whom 3D models represent the base of a geomorphologic pattern and are then used to model, as close to reality as possible, landscapes as they were at the time of the human occupation of the site. From then on, other fields will benefit from the model. Our challenge is to include in the final virtual reality output all the requirements of geomorphology, archaeology, and cultural mediation in order to render the extraordinary richness of the Chauvet Cave.
Archéologie sous-marine: relevé et réalité virtuelle pour l’étude de sites inaccessibles
Abstract
Underwater archaeology has to depend on reliable and precise readings with limitations of access sometimes requiring an analysis and data interpretation on the site. In order to create optimal study conditions, the production of a virtual facsimile was planned. As part of the VENUS (Virtual ExploratioN of Underwater Sites) project, a procedure combining photogrammetry and ontological definition of artifacts was elaborated. These objects, essentially amphorae, are numerically modelled and viewed from photogrammetric measures taken on the site. 2D and 3D reconstructions are then obtained in standard GIS format.
Progetto Castellum Vervassium: dal dato archeologico al WebGIS. Analisi integrate per la ricerca, la tutela e la valorizzazione di un territorio nella bassa e media Anaunia (Val di Non, Trentino)
Alessandro Bezzi, Luca Bezzi, Lorenza Endrizzi, Matteo Frassine, Rupert Gieti, Giuseppe Naponiello, Nicoletta Pisu
Abstract
The “Castellum Vervassium” project concerns a series of archaeological investigations regarding the landscape around an ancient settlement now known with the name of Vervò (Val di Non, Trentino, Italy). Among the different analyses (excavation, survey, remote sensing, etc.), in 2010 a sub-project was started to reconstruct a hypothetical ancient road network inside the target landscape. In order to optimize the scientific process, the entire research project was divided into three steps: a topographic study conducted with classical methodology, the determination of the least cost path through LIDAR data and the development of a WebGIS to improve scientific publication of the final result. Every single phase of the work-flow was supported by specific Free/Libre and Open Source software applications. During the classical topographic study, the simple and light GIS OpenJUMP was used to improve precision and to avoid time consuming operations with cartography (without compromising user control in qualitative analyses). For more complex quantity analyses, the software GRASS granted a high quality, mainly thanks to its modular structure. This program satisfied our needs in determining the least cost path between main nodes of the road network and managed huge amount of data analysing a LIDAR DTM of 1 meter accuracy. A WebGIS, based on GeoServer and OpenLayer, made it possible to share the basic topographic and archaeological information of the project with the community. This type of flexible media was the best choice for offering broad access to the data, thanks to different filters and pre-built queries that simplify the internal browsing of the system.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2011, 22, 67-98; doi: 10.19282/ac.22.2011.04
The evolution of architectural features at the protohistoric settlement of Acinipo (Ronda, Andalusia). From rounded houses to rectilinear structures and rounded again
José Antonio Esquivel, Pedro Aguayo, Francisco Javier Esquivel
Abstract
Architectural design constitutes an important source of information for the study of prehistoric societies. In the protohistoric period, an architectural evolution took place in western Andalusia (Spain): the change from rounded to rectangular huts, and a new evolution to more complex houses formed by rectilinear thick walls and others less thick to shape small rooms. This paper analyses the metric and geometric features of the Acinipo protohistoric settlement (Ronda, Málaga, Andalusia) to determine the main architectural pattern in each construction phase. These analyses emphasize the evolution in the design from rounded huts to rectangular ones, but this type of construction returns to its origins with the more recent circular and elliptical huts. The comparison between these features reflects the similarities and differences arising over time in the settlement. Geometrically, regular shapes such as circles, ellipses and rectangles, as well as the orthogonality and parallelism concepts, were applied to the design and building of dwellings. Therefore, the individual huts were aligned to form a regular structure of the town, maintaining the surface area through time. The results provide evidence that geometry constitutes one of the most important multicultural symbols in the world of the architecture and its evolution shows the evolution of society.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2011, 22, 129-146; doi: 10.19282/ac.22.2011.06
Principali tecniche e strumenti per il rilievo tridimensionale in ambito archeologico
Michele Russo, Fabio Remondino, Gabriele Guidi
Abstract
The increase of 3D acquisition and modeling techniques applied to archeology is due principally to (i) their capacity to survey archeological artifacts with high precision and a non-contact approach and (ii) the possibility to create 3D digital models useful for data analysis, simulation and preservation. These benefits in terms of knowledge oblige the contemporary archaeologist to acquire a better understanding of 3D acquisition and modeling principles and practice. This evidence arises from the necessity of adopting a common language for experts in 3D data management and archaeologists with the principal aim being the understanding of each other’s requirements and sharing of the purposes of the project. In this article the authors propose a concise but exhaustive explanation of the working principles of active and passive 3D acquisition techniques. For each one a description of instruments and methodologies is developed, pointing out pros and cons of every technique. In conclusion, a sensor fusion approach is presented as an interesting solution to increase the instrument performances while obtaining at the same time a quality improvement of 3D acquisition and modeling results. A final multi-resolution application about Pompeii Forum 3D modeling follows and closes the article.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2011, 22, 169-198; doi: 10.19282/ac.22.2011.08
Fotomodellazione e stereofotogrammetria per la creazione di modelli stratigrafici in archeologia dell’architettura
Andrea Fiorini, Valentina Archetti
Abstract
Architectural structures are 3D volumes and their features, which are recognized in the field through archaeological investigation (stratigraphic, metric and formal data), are distributed within the three-dimensions. Stratigraphic wall analysis normally needs front elevations or photo-mosaic images to draw the boundaries between each Stratigraphic Unit (SU). The Stratigraphic 3D component is not recorded because it is not taken into account by these supporting documents. With the support of photo-modelling and stereophotogrammetry, instead, it is possible to record the perimeter and volume of each SU in 3D space and also obtain isomorphic reproductions of the detected object. These copies are high quality photo-textured models that provide a complete overview of architectural volumes and the close dimensional framework (length, depth and width) of mouldings and decorative architectural elements. Moreover, the coordinates of any point can be extracted from these models in order to obtain traditional charts (maps, sections, elevations and axonometric views, useful to understand the process of installation of building elements). The purpose of this paper is to describe different techniques capable of acquiring 3D data of wall stratigraphy in order to define new methods of documentation based on the use of photo-modelling and stereophotogrammetry. The data used for this research refer to excavated sites or high-preserved fabrics of different ages and functions such as the late medieval bell-tower of the basilica of San Severo (Classe, Ravenna), the modern tower of Monte Erno (FC) and the church of San Bartolomeo in Tipano (FC). Starting with these cases, in this article we explore some of the technical aspects of data processing like speed, measurement accuracy, information content and equipment cost.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2011, 22, 199-216; doi: 10.19282/ac.22.2011.09
Analisi di fabric in archeologia: proposta di un metodo per la raccolta, l’elaborazione e l’interpretazione dei dati
Abstract
Fabric analysis in archaeology is the study of the spatial arrangement of a deposit through measurement of bearing and plunge angles of its singular components (natural and/or artificial) and through analysis of their mutual spatial relations and with the external environment. In recent years some archeologists (Lenoble, Bertran, McPherron, etc.) have developed a standard procedure for angular data collection and for statistical treatment of this information. The author proposes some conceptual and methodological innovations to improve this method: the application of fabric analysis to any historical and depositional context (in particular, anthropic contexts); the use of "ab plane" (instead of "a axis") for measurement of bearing and plunge of clasts; the development of spatial analyses associated with traditional statistical treatments; the management of data through geodatabase and GIS directly connected to the statistical software. In the future, this method will need other improvements in order to provide more information about origins, causes, and dynamics that produced a specific deposit from fabric analyses.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2011, 22, 217-242; doi: 10.19282/ac.22.2011.10
Le "Terme di Elagabalo" sul Palatino: sperimentazione di un metodo fotogrammetrico 3D applicato allo scavo archeologico
Clementina Panella, Roberto Gabrielli, Cecilia Giorgi
Abstract
The mapping project of the so-called area of the "Terme di Elagabalo" on the north-eastern side of the Palatine hill is the result of a long term cooperative effort between the University of Rome "La Sapienza" and the Institute of Technologies Applied to Cultural Heritage of the CNR (ITABC). This site has been under excavation since 2007, under the scientific supervision of the Department of Methodology and Techniques for Archaeological Research of the University of Rome "La Sapienza". As part of this project, one of the doctoral theses is addressing the subject of the compound of the Severian Age present on the site, with the purpose of identifying the history and function of the monument, by understanding and analysing the structure of the walls. Masonry mapping is an essential element for the study and analysis of archaeological monuments. In this case, a new technique was introduced which is the 3D scattergram photogrammetry, developed by the research department of ITABC. This new monitoring technique provided graphic documentation such as plans, views and sections especially where the traditional method had limitations and therefore it is extremely useful for the archaeological analysis of monuments and their contexts. Furthermore an objective 3D rendering was produced, thus providing a new form of scientific documentation for a better understanding of the current state of the monument and also for further research and monitoring. The purpose of proposing a doctoral thesis on this subject was to educate and train a new breed of professionals in the area of technology applied to cultural heritage.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2011, 22, 243-260; doi: 10.19282/ac.22.2011.11
Il GIS e lo scavo archeologico di emergenza: applicazione intra-sito ad un piccolo contesto dell’antica Felsina (Bologna)
Abstract
During the 2008-2009 season the Archaeological Superintendence of Emilia Romagna began an emergency archaeological excavation under the city of Bologna, very close to the complex of an Etruscan sanctuary attributed to the ancient city of Felsina. For the systematic management of all the mostly paper documentation gathered during the excavation an information system within the scope of GIS technology was planned and setup. At first , we focused our attention on data normalization; afterward, our attention was drawn to the advantages obtained by using GIS technology, which makes it possible for complex phenomena and spatial-temporal relations to be represented and analyzed at multiple levels, as well as acting as a support for objective interpretative evaluations. Using this system we were able to create thematic and chronological maps, and analyze all the intra-site phenomena. This project provides an effective example of how GIS technology can also be applied retrospectively, when the excavation has already been concluded and the data were recorded in the traditional way; it therefore represents a valuable instrument for implementing the knowledge of an archaeological context.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2011, 22, 319-336; doi: 10.19282/ac.22.2011.15
La cinta muraria di Hierapolis di Frigia: il geodatabase dei materiali di reimpiego come strumento di ricerca e conoscenza del monumento e della città
Immacolata Ditaranto, Giacomo Di Giacomo, Giuseppe Scardozzi, Laura Castrianni
Abstract
Despite the impressiveness of its remains, until 2008 the city walls of Hierapolis of Phrygia (4th century AD) were one of the lesser known monuments of the city. The preserved and reconstructed remains of the fortifications are about 2.1 km long and are characterized by the systematic reuse of many blocks and architectural materials from necropolises and monuments that were demolished at the time of the construction of the walls. The study and the topographical survey (using a differential GPS) of the city walls were employed along with the analysis and centimetric positioning of all the main reused architectural elements (1142 items), i.e. those which are easier to recognize and to trace back to the buildings from which they came. The fieldwork was carried out using a Tablet PC and a specially developed computer schedule to record the characteristics of the recycled materials and their location. The data were uploaded into a dedicated and specially developed geodatabase, aimed at managing information related to the heterogeneous materials reused, integrating the intrinsic characteristics of objects and their positions. In the geodatabase, every architectural element was catalogued so that spatial queries could be made to identify the existence of homogeneous materials and determine their positions along the walls; they are also correlated with their monuments of origin when this information is available.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2010, 21, 93-126; doi: 10.19282/ac.21.2010.05
Investigating lost medieval villages using Satellite and Airborne Laser Scanning: the case of Yrsum in Basilicata (Southern Italy)
Nicola Masini, Rosa Coluzzi, Rosa Lasaponara
Abstract
The phenomenon of lost villages in the late Middle Ages is a topic as complex as it is stimulating for historians and archaeologists. It raises many questions regarding the causes of the abandonment. To answer these questions, systematic studies are required along with detailed surveys of the investigated areas in order to detect the lost villages and to understand the relationships between sites and landscapes. In this context many problems arise, among them, for example, the detection and identification of anthropogenic and geomorphological features. This is a difficult task, especially for complex areas and settlements built on the top of hills and mountains, as in the case of Yrsum, located in the Basilicata Region (Southern Italy). In Yrsum, field work, the study of historical sources, the processing and interpretation of satellite imagery and DTM derived from Lidar survey, allowed us to reconstruct the urban shape of the village in its different functional and spatial components as well as to identify features linked to geomorphological pattern. This opens new investigation perspectives for both the assessment of endangerment of the cultural site and the study of the factors which caused the abandonment of this emblematic study case.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2010, 21, 127-144; doi: 10.19282/ac.21.2010.06
"L’intervisibilité": application à la région de la Tolfa-Allumiere
Abstract
This article focuses on the organization of settlements in the Tolfa-Allumiere region (Lazio, Italy) in the Final Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age. Our research follows a study on the occupation of La Castellina del Marangone, located about five km South of Civitavecchia, and its immediate environment. Many authors have already worked on this topic in Italy, but the originality of the present work is represented by the use of GIS tools to describe the spatial organization of this central Italy region. Each site is located on a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), providing a 2D or 3D view of the landscape. From this DEM, a set of dynamic maps was created detailing the conditions of landscape. In particular, the analysis of the topography makes it possible to evaluate the exposure in a given direction and to analyse notions of distance and costs of travel in order to define the possible existence of networks. The rivers certainly played a key role in the establishment of major trade routes and communication channels between the coastline and the most rugged Tolfa area. By using ArcGIS we can not only determine the overall field of vision but also the line of sight, in order to establish if the landscape obstructed the view between one site and another. Following this analysis and the creation of mapping funds, it was possible to answer the question concerning the reasons that led people to change their lifestyle and occupy the space throughout the Bronze Age.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2010, 21, 167-183; doi: 10.19282/ac.21.2010.08
Case studies of archaeoastronomy in Romania
Iharka Szücs-Csillik, Alexandra Comşa, Zoia Maxim, István Szűcs
Abstract
Archaeoastronomy is the discipline which studies celestial phenomena looking from the viewpoint of our ancestors (how they understood and used celestial phenomena and what role the sky played in their cultures). Archaeoastronomy uses different methods, derived from archaeology, anthropology, astronomy, statistics, and probability, in order to determine the thoughts of the ancient civilizations. Because these methods are heterogeneous and use data coming from different sources, the collecting and processing require considerable time. In this article two archaeoastronomical case studies in Romania are presented. First, we show a mathematical method used in order to study the astronomical orientation of the skeletons from the Neolithic necropolis of Cernica. We created a detailed data bank for the Cernica necropolis and, using our program written in MATLAB, we obtained interesting results, mostly from an astronomical point of view. Secondly, we provide an astronomical explanation about the ten radiuses on the top of the Andesite Stone from Sarmizegetusa Regia.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2010, 21, 325-337; doi: 10.19282/ac.21.2010.19
Spatial pattern of archaeological site distributions on the eastern shores of Lake Urmia, northwestern Iran
Kamal Aldin Niknami, Ahmad Chaychi Amirkhiz, Fatemeh Farsh Jalali
Abstract
The Lake Urmia survey project carried out from 2004 to 2006 in north-western Iran was aimed at obtaining a reliable overview of the occurrence of archaeological sites as well as to identify the spatial pattern of such sites across the area. This paper explores archaeological approaches to regional scale in dynamic landscape. Regional interpretation and the spatial statistical methods used to describe sites distribution, orientation, and pattern are often most reliant on point data. This paper also demonstrates how point pattern analysis offers quantitative information to the spatial process modeling of the natural and cultural landscape, which will aid at establishing a baseline from which other attributes of higher measurements for archaeological elements can be confidently mapped, described and modeled within a GIS. Point pattern analysis of archaeological sites has involved the advantages of visualization and iteration offered by a GIS. Therefore the significance of this study is three-fold. 1) it applies spatial analysis within a GIS to the understanding of archaeological site distributions. 2) it uses quantitative methods that are now available within a GIS to assess inferences concerning the survey data collected from the study area. Finally, this study offers insight into a methodology that is suitable to the spatial examination of more complicated surface data in landscape archaeology concept.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2009, 20, 261-276; doi: 10.19282/ac.20.2009.21
Predictive modelling of Roman settlement in the middle Tiber valley
Stephen Kay, Robert E. Witcher
Abstract
This paper discusses the results of an inductive predictive modelling experiment on Roman settlement data from the middle Tiber valley, Italy. The study forms part of the British School at Rome’s Tiber Valley Project, which since its inception in 1997 has been assessing the changing landscapes of the Tiber Valley from protohistory through to the medieval period. The aim of this present study is to broaden understanding of settlement patterns via predictive modelling, and in particular to evaluate unevenness in field survey coverage, survey bias and past settlement location preferences. The predictive modelling method chosen was an application of the statistical Weights of Evidence extension for ESRI ArcView. The results highlight associations between Roman settlement and environmental themes that provide moderate predictive potential and suggest that further experimentation might prove valuable.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2009, 20, 277-290; doi: 10.19282/ac.20.2009.22
ACTION GIS: un modello predittivo del movimento antropico in un paesaggio antico. Il caso di studio archeologico della Val d’Alpone (VR)
Anita Casarotto, Armando De Guio, Francesco Ferrarese
Abstract
This paper proposes a predictive theoretical model of ancient human movement in the Alpone Valley (VR). The aim of this study is to calculate, using GIS tools, the optimal pathways to move from an archaeological site to another considering a series of frictions, like topography or land use, that can affect movement. The reliability of these virtual ancient paths is tested using a mathematical function of metabolic energy created in Visual Basic editor: it facilitates the choice of the best frictions for the model to simulate the archaeological landscape and its possible human perception. The results are compared to verify if there is any correlation between present and past pathways using topographic maps. This GIS methodology is useful for an archaeological survey because it gives a preliminary presence probability of ancient paths in a landscape.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2009, 20, 291-307; doi: 10.19282/ac.20.2009.23
Un modello GIS multicriterio per la costruzione di mappe di plausibilità per la localizzazione di siti archeologici: il caso della costa teramana
Abstract
This paper aims to describe the settlement dynamics in the province of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region, along the coastal area between the Tronto and the Vomano rivers, in the Norman Age. Starting from the study of 26 sites, relevant to both towers and medieval fortifications, the objective is to construct a GIS probability map for the presence of five other sites that are mentioned in various historic documents but have now disappeared. Analysing some variables linked to the territory and exploiting the spatial distributions of the existing sites, in particular in relation to the sea and the rivers, it is possible to obtain useful data for prediction. More precisely we have considered: 1) the viewshed analysis, 2) the distances from the sea, 3) the distances from the rivers, 4) the distances among the existing sites, 5) the slope, 6) the aspect and 7) the distance from the toponym of the uncertain locations. Linear combination of the raster representing these variables lead to a final map, which contains different values of plausibility related to the presence of a dubious site. The weights of the linear combination are provided by an expert using the pairwise comparison technique, through a multicriteria approach.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2009, 20, 309-329; doi: 10.19282/ac.20.2009.24
Sistema Informativo Territoriale Archeologico e Carta della Potenzialità Archeologica del Comune di Parma
Abstract
The paper describes the features of the Archaeological Territorial Information System of the city of Parma. This is a cultural resource management GIS, that collects and organizes all the archaeological sites discovered in the municipal territory, and it should be useful both to archaeologists and to the municipality for city planning. The sites are positioned on the 1:5000 Regional Technical Map, that provides a spatial framework and information about roads and administrative boundaries. The Map is integrated with aerial photographs, historical maps, geological and geomorphological maps and a Digital Terrain Model. The attribute information for each of the archaeological sites is divided into separate tables and defined by thesauri, i.e. lists of preferred terms. Some thematic maps have been created: an Archaeological Map, i.e. a distribution map of the sites, chronological maps and an Archaeological Potential Map, i.e. a map that summarizes the archaeological features of the whole territory, also considering geological, geomorphological and historical information.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2009, 20, 331-350; doi: 10.19282/ac.20.2009.25
"Mura Bastia". Dati archeologici, informatizzazione e rilievi 3D laser scanning del Castello degli Onigo (Pederobba, Treviso)
Matteo Frassine, Alessandro Bezzi, Massimo Fabris, Vladimiro Achilli, Denis Bragagnolo
Abstract
This paper concerns computer applications for the management of archaeological data through GIS software, as related to the 2008 excavation campaign at “Mura Bastia”, Onigo (Treviso), Italy. The approach allows for the correlation of data previously acquired with those collected more recently using newer technologies. The shift from the traditional way of drawing archaeological records to the new digital technique began during the excavation of 2007. All of the walls and the layers were documented using a total station and a digital camera (photo-mosaic method). The elaboration of raw data was obtained using Free and Open Source Software only (GRASS, E-FOTO, GIMP, OPENJUMP, gvSIG). All of the new information levels (bi-dimensional raster and vector layers) were connected with the digitized plan of the old excavation into a GIS project that became the final product of the whole work. 3D terrestrial laser scanning surveys, integrated with classical topography and digital photogrammetric methodologies, allowed us to extract an accurate and photorealistic digital model of the Onigo castle. Moreover, a partial 3D virtual anastylosis of the tower was completed thanks to the reallocation of two missing elements in their correct position.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2009, 20, 351-372; doi: 10.19282/ac.20.2009.26
Baia: le terme sommerse a Punta dell’Epitaffio. Ipotesi di ricostruzione volumetrica e creazione di un modello digitale
Abstract
Twenty-four years ago in Baia, at the North end of the Bay of Naples, a group of archaeologists began a series of surveys. Their work made it possible to reconstruct the topographic structure of the ancient city and the creation of the "Parco sommerso di Baia". This article shows, for the first time, the volumetric reconstruction of a thermal bath of the Imperial age. Starting from an accurate survey of surviving walls, two digital models have been created: the first one shows them in an underwater environment, as they were in the 1984; the second model integrates the missing parts of the walls and roofs. In Campi Flegrei and Baia numerous villas, spas and roads are hidden underwater. Discovering and protecting this historical heritage is essential for the planning of research projects including digital multi-level models, in order to make this knowledge accessible to everyone and to preserve its memory.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2009, 20, 373-396; doi: 10.19282/ac.20.2009.27
Uno scavo di archeologia orientale FLOSS
Walter Kuntner, Sandra Heinsch
Abstract
The Aramus Project provides a synergetic and free platform for the research and teaching of Near Eastern Archaeology. Integral part of the project is the data sharing of the original documentation as basis for the creation of tutorials on the application of FLOSS in archaeology.
Archeo-restituzioni territoriali e urbane, valutazione del rischio archeologico e software open source
Emanuel Demetrescu, Sergio Fontana
Abstract
This paper is based on from the experiment related to archaeological risk that the Parsifal Cooperativa di Archeologia conducted in the preliminary studies of the Roman Metro line C. The goal was the restitution of ancient landscapes and their surfaces that have crossed, filled, cut or otherwise altered the pre-existing, contorted natural orography of the city of Rome. Knowledge of urban stratification was acquired through multiple categories of information. In these studies, the representation of the terrain-models was obtained through open source software that made it possible to create a concrete display of 2D and 3D elements of the surfaces belonging to various periods (ancient, modern and contemporary landscapes).
Motori cartografici open source per la ricerca archeologica: applicazioni a Hierapolis di Frigia (Turchia)
Giacomo Di Giacomo, Giuseppe Scardozzi
Abstract
In this paper we describe two Web-GIS open sources created by CNR IBAM, in cooperation with Italian Archaeological Mission at Hierapolis of Phrygia and the methods and techniques for the development of the two systems: the former for remote use of Cultural Heritage and the latter for cataloguing and analysing the Byzantine wall.
Web Map Service nei processi di ricerca archeologica
Mauro Mazzei, Antonio Salvatori, Andrea Di Somma, Valentina Ferrari
Abstract
The purpose of this report is to illustrate and propose the implementation of a service based on specific WMS, WFS, WCS which facilitates the collection and analysis of data interoperability aimed at acquiring further knowledge of the landscape and of the contexts in the process of archaeological research.
Progetto Ca' Tron: dalle indagini sul campo alla ricostruzione del paesaggio
Ivana Cerato, Valentina Vassallo
Abstract
The main object of the Ca' Tron project is the reconstruction of the archaeological landscape based on research results, using visual simulations as verification tools for the hypotheses. The interdisciplinary project offers a new approach aimed at illustrating the newly acquired knowledge, both in terms of scientific results and communication. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the solutions adopted for both data management (QuantumGIS) and in data publication and communication (VTP Enviro).
GIS archeologico del Grand Villaya - nord Perù
Giorgio Meroni, M. Grazia Visconti
Abstract
Following up the “Condor” scientific expedition in Peru, (http://condorexpedition.creeostudio.it/) headed by Ing. Giorgio Meroni and his staff in November 2008, a Geographic Information System has been built based on QuantumGIS for the cartography production and MapGuide Open Source and Google Earth for publishing on the web.
pyArchInit - python, QGIS e PostgreSQL per la gestione dei dati di scavo
Abstract
pyArchInit is a tool for managing archaeological dataset with a high portability on main platforms. The first step of the project has been the creation of a GIS platform with a DBMS to manage the Stratigraphic Units.
Modelli raster di uso del suolo nella lunga durata in ambiente montano con GRASS
Abstract
In order to create a diachronic model of the exploitation of resources and mobility at a micro-regional scale, the data concerning a test-area in an alpine environment have been imported in GRASS and analyzed using raster modules and running bash-shell scripts for iterating processes.
Un’esperienza di didattica e lavoro con software libero in ambiente universitario: il caso di Montegrotto Terme (Padova)
Piergiovanna Grossi, Alessandro Asta, Simone Deola, Simone Pedron
Abstract
A new didactic approach in open-source software was applied during the latest archaeological excavations managed by the University of Padua at the site of Montegrotto Terme (Padova). A team of archaeologists and students conducted the surveying activities and obtained good results.
Webmapping in the historical and archaeological sciences. An introduction
Abstract
The paper introduces the concept of webmapping in the archaeological and historical sciences. The interest in offering an online mapping service is developed in terms of collaborative working, technical support, e-learning, mapping functions, and hardware and software architecture. The integration of the webmapping functions in the more general case of a Geoportal is also considered. Examples of operational Geoportals and projects in progress are also briefly described, most of them being detailed by their authors in the present volume.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 9-16; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.01
Webmapping in the Etruscan landscape
Abstract
The Etruscan town of Cerveteri and its territory have been investigated since the 1980s by the Istituto di Studi sulle Civiltà Italiche e del Mediterraneo Antico of the Italian CNR, becoming a field of experimentation for computer applications to archaeological surveys and excavations. In recent years, a new multimedia project, aimed at creating an interactive itinerary, has been planned in order to develop the Caeretan information system and experiment with the potentials of new webmapping and webGIS tools. This article gives a general overview of the Italian panorama in this sector of applications and describes the main steps of the itinerary (from the Villa Giulia Etruscan National Museum in Rome to the town of Cerveteri, following the Roman consular road the Aurelia) as well as the procedures to be followed for its accomplishment.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 17-30; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.02
Mapping the fourth dimension: a ten year retrospective
Abstract
This article reviews some approaches to spatio-temporal modeling and visualization techniques developed over the last decade as part of the Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative (ECAI) and the TimeMap project. Heurist, an academic social bookmarking application developed by the Archaeological Computing Laboratory (ACL) at the University of Sydney over the past three years, inherits much of this work, and moves beyond in modeling networks of relationships between events, providing a capable infrastructure for developing spatio-temporal visualizations of historical data. It handles a full range of structured bibliographic records and provides a rich, expansible set of database record types, controlled data entry forms, record linking and a wide variety of search and output capabilities, including maps and timelines. As for the future, the challenge is to develop methods of visualization which combine the simple, intuitive nature of a timeline with the essential relatedness of historical events, while also representing their spatial location. Incorporating such visualizations into a pedagogical approach to history can be used to enrich museums and classroom teaching.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 31-44; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.03
The Patrimony Atlas of Seine-Saint-Denis
Abstract
The Patrimony Atlas of Seine-Saint-Denis (north of Paris) is an information tool related to the archaeological, architectural and landscape patrimony of Seine-Saint-Denis, accessible on the Internet address http://www.atlas-patrimoine93.fr/. It is distributed by the Cultural Patrimony Service of the Department of Seine-Saint-Denis, and is registered in the National Patrimony Atlas project of the Ministry of Culture. It is organized into three categories. The documentation platforms gather: a geographical catalogue which includes 50 levels of information geographically referenced, which are free of copyrights and can circulate online; a bibliography with 3700 references classified according to borough, subject and time period; an iconographic catalogue with 2800 images, the issues of archaeological maps and patrimony inventory that collect and collate past data. The “territorial views” offer a rapid access to a selection of ancient maps that represent a selected point on the territory on a contemporary basis, like the Napoleonic cadastral tables. The “Documents” file gathers the documents in a PDF format: university projects, thematic studies, articles and monographs, methodologies, summary charts, as well as hypertext documents, a presentation of the evolution of the road network in the latter part of the 18th century, a “Mathériauthèque numérique” dedicated to construction materials, and an “Atlas des colleges” of Seine-Saint-Denis. In its present version (2.5.3, put online in March 2008), the Seine-Saint-Denis Patrimony Atlas receives between 12,000 and 14,000 hits per month.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 45-60; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.04
SIGUR: un SIG pour la pratique de l’archéologie en milieu urbain
Abstract
For cities such as Rennes, that combine a past as an ancient capital city with the status of a modern metropolis, the value of its archaeological patrimony is complicated and complex. In many cases, the poor state of preservation of vestiges is due to the successive occupations and to intense pressure for modern urban development. These factors did not allow for any consideration to preserve its patrimony. Computer technology can contribute to solve some of these problems. First, it is necessary to have a comprehensive knowledge of these vestiges. Then, a spatial analysis would make it possible to create thematic, chronological and spatial connections of the elements that make up the topography. The ability to manage all the scientific information, in its various forms, generated by the archaeological activities on the territory of the city, is essential. The pertinence of the organization of scientific data and the relative specific connection of these to the urban setting not only depends on the quality of the topographic study and urban morphology but also on the potential development. This article presents a dynamic model structure for archaeological information, as well as the application through the development of a Geographical Information System, the SIGUR application. This is a vital step before any online distribution of information to enhance patrimonial value, or before any division of this information, through the creation of collaborative sites to encourage scientific partnerships.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 61-72; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.05
Mapping resources. Instances from the Carpathian Basin
Abstract
Publishing provenance data on the Internet requires the integration of various resources, some of them easily accessible, some of them costly and protected by various copyrights. The work is based on thematic and archive maps, special fieldwork and research projects, data published in technical literature and stored in related databases. This paper will survey the accessible resources used for creating an “Atlas” of prehistoric raw materials for the Carpathian Basin, both commercial and public domain elements and will concentrate on the additional new value as well as problems of continuous maintenance. New developments in supporting reference collections at the Hungarian National Museum will be discussed as well.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 73-78; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.06
Webmapping, archéologie et Géoportail
Abstract
The “Géoportail” is a French creation responding to the INSPIRE European directive; the website http://www.geoportail.fr/ is published by IGN (Institut Géographique National) and allows for easy and free or low cost access to many geographic reference data. IGN develops various kinds of services like visualisation, download, formats and coordinates transformation and API Géoportail; it publishes these services independently or in partnership with other public agencies, companies or associations. Archaeologists may use the API Géoportail to augment the value of their results or to show partial results on a public website http://www.geoportail.fr/.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 79-86; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.07
ALPAGE: towards the setting-up of a collaborative work tool
Hélène Noizet, Alain Dallo, Georges-Xavier Blary, Laurent Costa, Frédéric Pouget
Abstract
Alpage program, based on a collaboration between historians, geographers and computer researchers, aims to build a historical GIS of Paris. First, we reconstructed the pre-Haussmannian plan of Paris by georeferencing and vectorizing the survey of the cadastre made by P. Vasserot (1810-1836). Then, on these fundamental layers, historical information layers, like medieval and modern ones, will be built by different researchers according to their specific interests (churches, town walls, fiefs, parishes, etc.). Since this tool is technologically complex and since it is intended to be a reference work for further historical studies about Paris, we must immediately take into consideration the organization of further collaborative work. Accessing the GIS data, both to share them with different types of users and to edit new data in it, is an essential question, although it is often considered a trivial one. The issue of the use of a tool by the researchers seems nevertheless to be decisive and intrinsically linked to the success of a GIS. Meeting the needs and expectations of the users, webmapping might be a good solution for editing the geometric and attribute data in a GIS. But today, setting up this kind of platform for collaborative work is still difficult and time consuming. That is why, for Alpage, a temporary solution was found, revealing what organization theorists call a “community of practice”: it combines a centralized management of the references and object identifiers via the web and an independent edition of the objects by thematicians on their own computers. For this reason the DBMS ALPAGE-References has been adapted and posted on the website of the LAMOP.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 87-102; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.08
Vers la mise en réseau des données et des chercheurs: le système d’information de la prospection d’Itanos (Crète oriental)
Laurent Costa, Alain Duplouy, Franck Eyraud, Apostolos Sarris
Abstract
As part of the archaeological research program conducted in Itanos since 1994, an archaeological survey was carried out on a substantial portion (about 20 sq. km) of the territory of the ancient city. The area surrounding Itanos offers an exceptional site that has not been occupied by any important human settlement since the Middle Ages. It thus appears as a fossilized map of the ancient occupation and presents an exceptional case in the history of the Cretan landscape. During the past few years, archaeologists have collected a huge quantity of information, that will now be presented to the scholarly community. All data have been organized in a database that is fully compatible with a GIS system. Since 2006 this searchable database offering the records of the survey has been made available online on the website of the French School of Archaeology. It is the intent of this article to present the heuristic and technical principles which lie at the basis of the project. Moreover, a GIS platform, offering a digital elevation model and a chronological distribution of all the archaeological sites surveyed, has recently been accessible on the website of the Institute for Mediterranean Studies. This GIS platform will be continually augmented by additional data and will eventually offer a powerful interpretive tool to archaeologists, which will integrate the physical conditions of the landscape which are at the core of historical explanation.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 103-122; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.09
Développement d’un outil de géo collaboration au sein d’une collectivité territoriale: l’exemple de l’Atlas historique du Val-d’Oise
Laurent Costa, Sandrine Robert
Abstract
The Historic Atlas of Val-d’Oise is a tool with the objective to propose information concerning the evolution of the territory of Val-d’Oise. This application is an important step towards the development of the archaeological GIS project which is now a part of the Val-d’Oise Department project of GIS. The interpretation of the evolution of this project shows us how the archaeological methodologies develop with these tools, and how the informational and the technological foundation gives us the opportunity to develop this online application.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 123-136; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.10
L’ASPRO: un exemple d’interface cartographique pour la consultation d’un corpus archéologique
Olivier Barge, Christine Chataigner, Emmanuelle Régagnon, Alexandre Goux
Abstract
The Atlas of Near Eastern sites (ASPRO - Atlas des Sites du Proche-Orient) is an analytical index of nearly 2000 archaeological sites occupied between 14,000 and 5700 BP (about 14,000-4500 BC) in an area extending from the Sinai to Turkmenistan and from Anatolia to the Arabian-Persian Gulf. Its objective is to propose consistent information concerning a wide area and a long period of time, based on evidence which is often difficult to access, and to free this information from the compartmentalization of knowledge. This corpus, which was published in 1994 in book form, and is now out of print, has recently been made available online in an interactive cartographic interface, at the following address: http://www.mom.fr/Aspro/login.jsp. The objective of this development is to sustain consultation of the corpus, to increase its diffusion, while offering new functionalities with more flexibility: consultation through different entries, including the cartographic entry. Thus, it will now be possible to respond to requests on the different tables which compose the base (sites, periods, bibliography, dating), and to display the results in the form of an interactive list (access to files) and in cartographic form. The display is presented in different scales and the sites may be visualized on several thematic maps (hypsometry, pluviometry, bio-geographic zones). The latter also enable selection by spatial intersection. The technical system is now in place, and the project can proceed to a new stage: the updating of the corpus through sharing of information, then validation by a group of specialists.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 137-152; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.11
Utilisation d’un site web intégré de webmapping et de gestion de contenus. L’exemple de recherches en cours en pétroarchéologie du silex appliquée au Paléolithique moyen
Christophe Tufféry, Paul Fernandes, Pierre-André Le Ny
Abstract
The nature of flints used in prehistory is essential information for increasing our knowledge of old settlements. The study of this raw material as well as the identification of its source, contribute to the evaluation of the mobility of prehistoric men and their behavior in relation to mineral resources, thus contributing to a better understanding of certain problems related to prehistoric economies. An innovative multi-field approach, based on a series of geological surveys of the siliceous formations of the French Massif Central, of Morocco and of northern Bulgaria, makes it possible today to better determine the limits of the areas exploited. The study is based on a complete examination of the evolution of flint on three scales (macroscopy, microscopy, ultramicroscopy) thus representing an improvement over petro-archaeology which traditionally uses the methods of petrography, mineralogy and micropaleontology. Moreover, the reconstitution of the initial shapes of material clarifies the technical procedures implemented for their exploitation. This methodological innovation, based on a rigorous sampling, makes it possible to present the results of an integrated analysis of the geological samples in their areas of natural diffusion. It proposes a refined paleogeographic vision of the removal made by men in these areas and of their anthropic and natural transformation at the archaeological site. The original diffusion of this scientific study, which is still in progress, is based on a platform of content management and groupware, called Map’N, which integrates access to cartographic webservices and online functions of geocoding of the iconographic and cartographic documents used or produced by these research projects.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 153-166; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.12
Le SIG (SIGRem et AtlasMed): un outil générateur d’évolution des pratiques en parallèle à la mise en place des projets
Abstract
As part of the projects SIGRem and AtlasMed involving teams from the University of Reims, two steps were developed for the use of spatial data of various origins (archaeological, geographical, historical, etc.) with a Geographical Information System. Firstly, a global database called GISSAR was constructed and linked to a GIS begun in 2003 to allow the grouping and the working of information coming from different studies in the field of archaeology. Then, this collection of data files (photographs, plans, cards, texts, pictures, etc.) of all kinds should be considered when managing information, to put results online.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 167-172; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.13
Le Stratifiant, un outil de traitement des données stratigraphiques
Abstract
“Le Stratifiant” is a simple tool for stratigraphic data processing, which can create stratigraphic diagrams with various functions: inscription in the absolute time, according to the TPQ (terminus post quem) and TAQ (terminus ante quem) available, the processing of dubious relations and the phasing of data. Developed under the software Microsoft Excel, “Le Stratifiant” can communicate with excavation databases.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 187-194; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.15
Understanding urban fabric with the OH_FET model based on social use, space and time
Bastien Lefebvre, Xavier Rodier, Laure Saligny
Abstract
The proposed principle for understanding the urban fabric is based on considering the town as a set of complex objects, taking a systemic approach. The town system used to study the urban fabric over large time spans is composed of three sub-systems relating to historical objects from the level of the excavation to that of the former urban space: function (social use), space (location, surface area and morphology) and time (dating, duration and chronology). The historical object is the analytical unit of the space studied. It is the Cartesian product of the three sets, Social use, Space and Time, from which it stems. On the basis of this process, the Historical Object (OH) is broken down into three types of simple object, functional (EF), spatial (ES) and temporal (ET). The thematic approach to the OH in an urban environment is based on social use, organized according to a hierarchical thesaurus. Space, the most formalized of the three sets, is structured on the model of a planar topological graph without isthmi. Time, always considered as continuous and linear, will be modelled through analogy with space using temporal topology defined in the field of artificial intelligence. The relationships between these three sets each characterize an interaction (social use-space, social use-time, time-space, or function-space-time). In addition to reconstructing the OH, they allow urban changes to be observed by analyzing the distributions and mapping of each of the entities singly or two-by-two. The originality of this procedure lies in its approach whereby it is possible to start not from the mapping of a phenomenon at a time t1 and comparing it to that at a time t2, but to look at it in the same way whether its input is social use, space or time. The heuristic value of this modelling lies in the shift from description (what, where, when) to understanding the phenomena of change (how, why).
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 195-214; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.16
Le webmapping sous licence libre
Clément Jamet, Henry-Louis Guillaume
Abstract
Webmapping allows us now to network tools originally integrated into GIS desk software. They can be found under free licence, with some of them in open source, and answer to the needs of scientific research as well as to their financial budgets. Research centers, corporations or institutions interested must at first define their expectations in order to elaborate the appropriate GIS to put online. With the use of static maps in HTML, vector images in SVG format, image managing with the Applet Java or the designated map servers, it is possible to create complete and complex maps. An administrator can easily adapt the interface and the tools available to the user’s needs. These solutions are compatible with the format of the files generated by other applications and do not require a meltdown of map files in order to be switched onto a new format. These programs can be associated with others available in open source such as GeoServer, in Java language, and MapServer, programmable in C++. Acting as a transactional interface, the GeoServer system consists in stocking and editing spatial objects into a network. MapServer is an asset for customizing and advancing the broadcasting tools for online dynamic maps. This year we have successfully presented our Master 2 University project in Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne entitled NeoArcheo. It puts into practice the web tools and services mentioned above.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 215-222; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.17
Implementation of Geoportal in open environment for the community of the Human Sciences and Society
François Pirot, Fabrice Irie Bi Irie, Ratsihoarana Herinimerivololona Hobinavalona
Abstract
The Center for Digital Geospatial Resources “Methodologies of Modelling for the Spatial Information Applied to Human Sciences and Society” (M2SIA– M2ISA) was created in March 2006 by the CNRS. The purpose is to facilitate the pooling, exchange, access, transmission, broadcasting, and mutualization of spatial data as well as respect the international geographical standards of the ISO/TC211 from a portal and from a geoportal. The CSDR M²SIA (CRN M²ISA) is constituted by ten partners who belong to the network of the MSH. This structure depends on multi-third party architecture in an open environment. One of the third parties of this architecture is formed by the suppliers of data who correspond to the various MSH sites. These sites give cartographic services created under the ArcIMS software with the AXL language. These services are automatically joined into the architecture and directly consumable by the simple user via an interface developed in Javascript, HTML. The AJAX and Web 2.0 technologies are implemented.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 223-229; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.18
Un logiciel libre de Modelé Numérique de Terrain (MNT)
Abstract
The author describes a free software, originated in the same sphere as videogames programming, able to work under OpenGL and SDL. Its architecture is based on Delaunay triangulation algorithms and is aimed at rapidly creating 3D realistic Digital Terrain Models. The purpose of this free license software is to give archaeologists a simple tool to overcome complex traditional topographic design software. It allows direct data transfer from acquisition tools to servers for an immediate online elaboration (consultation, updating, changes, etc.). The optimal final result could be the combined use of this free software for topographic calculus.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 231-237; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.19
Ripensare la documentazione archeologica: nuovi percorsi per la ricerca e la comunicazione
Giuliano De Felice, Maria Giuseppina Sibilano, Giuliano Volpe
Abstract
While the application of computer technology to archaeology has been characterized by numerous experiments, there has been no specific attempt to standardize processes. Archaeologists operating in the field seem to privilege “ad hoc” solutions in which the computer has been more or less actively featured. Without any pretence of presenting a model, this paper describes a series of field experiments conducted by the archaeology team of the University of Foggia, and reflections based on the growing use of computers in the various phases of our research. Beyond this, we hope to show the necessity and importance of reaching some kind of consensus regarding methodology and technological innovation. Computer technology has allowed us to rethink the process of documentation by introducing important innovations in all phases of research, from recovery of data to analysis, interpretation and reconstruction right through to the dissemination of results.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 271-291; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.22
“Mura della Bastia” – Onigo di Pederobba (Treviso). Ricerche archeologiche, rilievo 3D laser scanning e anastilosi virtuale in un castello medievale del pedemonte trevigiano
Matteo Frassine, Guido Rosada, Massimo Fabris, Vladimiro Achilli, Denis Bragagnolo, Alessandro Bezzi
Abstract
The paper presents the results of the ongoing research coordinated by the Chair of Ancient Topography at the University of Padova. The work concerns the medieval site of “Mura della Bastia” in Onigo di Pederobba (Treviso), in the North-Eastern part of Italy. Historical information from written documents and results obtained from the archaeological investigation at the Onigo castle (1994-2007) are discussed. The study provided the historical reconstruction of recent collapses of the Onigo tower and allowed the virtual reconstruction of still-cohesive blocks, which had fallen down in 1989, and which were recovered during the summer of 2007. At this time, five of the ten building blocks have been positioned; the procedure was carried out by comparing the panoply of each agglomerate with the prospect of the tower, which was obtained from the photogrammetric rectification of the historical images (2D). The 3D survey of the tower and of nine blocks was performed with a Leica HDS 2500 laser scanner. The resulting point clouds were aligned with Cyclone software, also using the coordinates of some laser scanning targets, which were measured with the Leica TC 2003 total station in a local reference system. The final 3D model obtained by the co-registration of the scans was textured with the digital images acquired with a Canon EOS 1 ds Mark II camera. Subsequently, three of the five recognized blocks were positioned on the 3D model using Reconstructor software.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 293-321; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.23
Antica rete idrologica di Petra. Studio e restauro nell’ottica della conservazione dei beni architettonici
Roberto Gabrielli, Andrea Angelini, Roberto Franchi, Pierre Drap
Abstract
The Petra monumental site is located on the left rim of the Rift Valley in central-southern Jordan. The entire valley, which is tectonic in origin, rests on Late Cambrian quartzarenite rock formations of continental origin. Past research conducted by our team has allowed us to identify the following main causes of the weathering processes: thermal expansion and shrinkage of rocks caused by the great differences in day and night temperatures contribute to the loosening of quartz grains that lead to the disintegration of the rock. Heavy rainfall and above all surface runoff contribute significantly to the removal of weathered materials from the surface. Other forms of decay are caused by the presence of salts along the fractures. Both fieldwork and laboratory analyses performed in the past in a climate chamber have demonstrated that the products usually used in conventional restoration work are not very effective, due to the “extreme” climate and the chemical and physical characteristics of the rocks. The project proposes the realization of a GIS aimed at acquiring complete knowledge of the man-made structures and hydraulic system underlying the routes of the canalisations and identifying the cisterns. This work is meant to contribute a valid support aimed at the restoration, which will involve several different disciplines, including the geological and chemical analysis of the rocks, the topography and the 3D photogrammetry.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2008, 19, 323-341; doi: 10.19282/ac.19.2008.24
A stochastic model to simulate and predict archaeological landscape taphonomy: monitoring cultural landscape values based on an Iranian survey project
Abstract
Archaeological scatters on the landscape present us with spatially patterned materials and features. Linking these spatial patterns to proximate aspects of scatter structure formation, and, ultimately, to understand the effect of land use systems in which landscape taphonomy occurred is one goal for landscape degradation analysis. While in the literature there has been a growing awareness of the pattern recognition problems posed by surface artifact distributions, due to the destruction or alteration of accompanying contextual information by landscape taphonomy processes, no substantive results have appeared in Iran. Analytical techniques for the description, classification and quantitative analysis of surface data remain poorly developed here and have often been incorrectly used and interpreted. The main concern of this paper is to investigate and interpret the effects of land use patterns on the distribution of surface artifacts. The discussion focuses on providing a quantitative model which constitutes an analytical framework integrating methods and theory. This project uses an example provided by the archaeological survey project undertaken at Garrangu River Basin from 1992 onwards in Northwestern Iran. As a case study, land use dynamics of an archaeological landscape were measured through the study period, and Markov Chain models were used to project observed changes of artifact distributional structures over a 50 year period.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2007, 18, 101-120; doi: 10.19282/ac.18.2007.06
Proposals for an archaeological analysis of pathways and movement
Pastor Fábrega Álvarez, César Parcero Oubiña
Abstract
Movement has played a significant role in archaeological analyses of territoriality in recent years. The incorporation of technologies such as GIS has reinforced that role, since they have made it possible to conduct detailed in-depth investigations of the natural constraints for movement. In this paper the authors describe a procedure developed to explore the relationship between networks of pathways, settlements and territory, following a “backward” perspective that tries to approach the processes of historical transformation of pathways. The proposal is applied to an area in Galicia (NW Iberian Peninsula), between the provinces of A Coruña and Pontevedra.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2007, 18, 121-140; doi: 10.19282/ac.18.2007.07
Tecniche speditive per la ricostruzione tridimensionale dell’area archeologica di Villa Magna
Andrea Angelini, Francesca Colosi, Roberto Gabrielli, Elizabeth Fentress, Cinzia Filippone
Abstract
The article presents the results of the GPS and photographic surveys conducted on the archaeological site of Villa Magna (Anagni, Lazio). The archaeological complex, identified as the imperial residence of Antoninus Pius, occupies an area of about 22 hectares. Presently, the visible remains are divided into two principal nuclei: the northern one, near the church of S. Pietro, and the southern one, occupied by a farmhouse. The aim of the survey was the reconstruction of the morphology of the terrain in order to produce a Digital Terrain Model and to highlight the relationship between natural elements and ancient structures. In order to speed up the work, a new procedure was used. It consists of a Differential GPS used in a kinematic way by mounting the rover antenna on a jeep. In this article the experimental method’s advantages and the problems of acquisition are analysed. Moreover, low altitude photographs of the archaeological excavations were taken using an aerostatic balloon. The photographic system was anchored to the balloon with a radio-controlled device called Picavet. Georeferenced photos can be very useful not only for documenting but also for presenting and exploiting the site.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2007, 18, 141-158; doi: 10.19282/ac.18.2007.08
Immagini satellitari ad alta risoluzione e ricerca archeologica: applicazioni e casi di studio con riprese pancromatiche e multispettrali di QuickBird
Rosa Lasaponara, Nicola Masini, Giuseppe Scardozzi
Abstract
The paper concerns the research activities of the IBAM-CNR and the IMAA-CNR in the field of archaeological remote sensing with the use of very high resolution images of QuickBird, the satellite with the greatest geometrical resolution available for civil use. These images have an enormous potential in the study of ancient urban and territorial contexts and for the identification and spatial characterization of archaeological sites, particularly when aerial photos and recent detailed maps are not available. During the archaeological research in Hierapolis of Phrygia (Turkey) and in southern Italy (Monte Irsi, Monte Serico, Jure Vetere and Metaponto), the examination and the study of panchromatic and multispectral images of QuickBird made it possible to detect surface anomalies and traces linked to ancient buried structures or to paleo-environmental elements; moreover, panchromatic images were georeferenced and used as the base field maps for the survey in Hierapolis, together with GPS systems. The satellite images were analysed both for the identification of archaeological features and for the characterisation of the contexts in which these elements were found. During field work, the traces and the anomalies identified in the images were constantly verified, so as to determine their actual relevance to archaeological elements, to interpret them and, where possible, to specify their chronology, thus avoiding misunderstandings and errors. The images were used in all phases of the research in combination with the aerial photographs and the available maps; they were also used for presentation of the results and were draped on DEM for the 3D visualization of the territories and of the archaeological features. In order to highlight particular archaeological traces and anomalies some image processing methodologies were adopted: multispectral processing and algorithms of data fusion (with the integration of the high spatial resolution of panchromatic images with the spectral capability of multispectral images), of enhancement (such as PCA, NDVI and TCT) and edge detection.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2007, 18, 187-227; doi: 10.19282/ac.18.2007.10
LandLab Project and archaeology on-line. Web-based systems for the study of settlement patterns and excavation data in classical archaeology
Abstract
The paper deals with the results of the LandLab Project, aimed at the reconstruction of ancient landscapes. The use of the Internet for presenting the results of the scientific research is discussed through the presentation of two web applications, which have been implemented by the Laboratory of Archaeological Computing of the Dept. of Cultural Heritage - University of Lecce, Italy: the WebGIS of the pre-Roman settlements of the Salento region and WODOS, the on-line version of the ODOS excavation data management system. The web-based applications are aimed at developing new approaches to the problem of data preservation and data dissemination. They use the methods and technologies available in the field of Information and Communication Technology for the transfer of data, information management systems and multimedia communication in the reconstruction of ancient landscapes and cultural systems. The project is unique in the geographical context in question here, in that it represents the first thematic laboratory for research into the ancient landscape completely based on web programming and Internet technology.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2007, 18, 243-254; doi: 10.19282/ac.18.2007.12
Il Mediterraneo antico e medievale come luogo di incontro tra Oriente e Occidente, Nord e Sud
Abstract
Introduction to the Giornata di studio sul tema “GIS e applicazioni informatiche alle ricerche archeologiche e storiche” (Roma, CNR, 5 luglio 2007).
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2007, 18, 307-311; doi: 10.19282/ac.18.2007.16
Gestione informatizzata dei dati archeologici e dei sistemi GIS. Applicazione al sito di Hierapolis di Frigia
Grazia Semeraro, Barbara Pecere
Abstract
The system used for organizing the data from the excavation at Hierapolis, a sample site for this research project, represents an example of the application of the methodology of GIS to a stratigraphically excavated site. The use of this methodology, based on the logical structuring of data in independent layers, makes it possible to reconstruct the micro-dynamics typical of a stratigraphic excavation. Once the archaeological layers are separated, divided and organized according to their geographic position, they are treated as a series of divisible and superimposable layers which can be used in order to create the floor plans of single monuments and, more generally, maps showing the different phases of the city. This type of data management makes it easier to understand the spatial organization and transformation of a city over time.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2007, 18, 313-330; doi: 10.19282/ac.18.2007.17
Hierapolis di Frigia. Applicazioni informatiche alle ricognizioni archeologiche e telerilevamento da satellite: l’esempio degli acquedotti della città
Abstract
The paper deals with some of the results of the research activities of the IBAM-CNR in the project «Il Mediterraneo antico e medievale come luogo di incontro tra Oriente e Occidente, Nord e Sud», conducted as part of the activities of the Italian Archaeological Mission in Hierapolis of Phrygia (Turkey). During the archaeological surveys in 2004-2007 satellite images with high geometric, radiometric and spectral resolutions, that constituted important tools for the research in the city and in its territory, were used because vertical aerial photos and recent detailed maps were not available. During the surveys some computer applications were also developed, such as a system which is able to facilitate and accelerate the task of positioning and managing the archaeological finds, using a palm-top computer or a Tablet PC integrated with a GPS antenna and a software for archaeological navigation and management of survey records called Ulixes, which is still in the prototype phase. The purpose of the system is to enable the users to navigate employing maps which they have chosen, or, as in the case of Hierapolis, using high resolution satellite images. In the event of an archaeological discovery, it is possible to memorise its position and metadata consisting of a record in which the geographical coordinates and a detailed description of the type of discovery are inserted. Exemplificative of the applied methodologies is the study of the aqueducts which brought water to Hierapolis. During the surveys in the territory around the ancient city three main routes were identified, documented and positioned. For the study, the reconstruction and the visualization of these routes, DEMs were also used, on which high resolution satellite images and imported waypoints from the GPS receivers used in the field work were draped.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2007, 18, 331-353; doi: 10.19282/ac.18.2007.18
Dinamiche di scambio nel Mediterraneo antico: il caso di Cerveteri
Francesco Roncalli, Paola Moscati, Nicoletta Scala
Abstract
The ISCIMA-CNR has participated in the FIRB 2001 Project with research on “Trade dynamics in the ancient Mediterranean: the role of Etruria”. This title raises a number of diverse issues: continuity and discontinuity in trading circuits in the Mediterranean Basin; structure of production and movement of goods; study of the relationship between urban and rural areas involved in their production and consumption; role of the Etruscan ports in the dynamic of trade. In order to conduct a diachronic analysis on this subject, the Etruscan metropolis of Cerveteri has been proposed as a sample area. Since the 1980s, in fact, Cerveteri has been investigated by the CNR Institute through systematic surveys and excavations, resulting in a better understanding of the urban area and the surrounding territory. In particular, within the FIRB Project, the results of the research activity come from the analysis of settlement models, the production of ceramic typological lists, the application of innovative ICT methods to field archaeology, together with archaeoastronomical and spatial analysis techniques, the use of archaeometric research tools to analyse ceramic and metallic objects. The article also describes in detail an integrated approach to define the typology and study the spatial distribution of specific classes of ceramics (in particular the archaic pottery), which have been found during excavations in the central part of the urban plateau, in an area occupied by an open-air elliptical building.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2007, 18, 355-371; doi: 10.19282/ac.18.2007.19
Perspective théorique de l’évaluation de la sensibilité des sites du paysage archéologique selon une double approche: statistique et prospection au sol. Un cas d’étude d’Iran
Abstract
The increase in human population, economic development projects and the rapid expansion of inhabited areas in Iran are in conflict with the need to protect natural and cultural landscapes. Unfortunately, the natural and cultural heritage sites are the victims of these demands and they are increasingly being threatened by the growing population and their economic demands and land use before an archaeological study can be conducted. It is important to know that formulation of research policy and implementation of sound conservation-oriented management tools based on the proper research strategies could contribute toward arresting the problems while securing the existence of invaluable natural and cultural sites. A cultural landscape is, by definition, the sum of various kinds of landforms. The probabilities are that the cultural elements of a landscape may change dramatically through time as the surrounding landscape and land use patterns change. Since cultural landscape structure and change are fundamental determinants of land use, the approaches used in landscape management which emphasize environmental and cultural landscape homogeneity, offer some useful application in a holistic analysis of landscapes. This approach explicitly links archaeological studies of landscape with various land use patterns that may have affected cultural heritage structures. This paper attempts to make a contribution toward application of the above concept to cultural landscape. In addition the paper discusses the potential of an assessment method using statistics based on findings from a case study in Iran.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2006, 17, 107-120; doi: 10.19282/ac.17.2006.07
Artificial Neural Networks in archaeology
Luca Deravignone, Giancarlo Macchi Jánica
Abstract
Artificial neural networks are adaptive models that can be used for classification and pattern recognition purposes. ANNs do not differ from standard statistical models. The main difference between ANNs and traditional statistical models is their construction and definition process. In fact ANNs are adaptive in the sense that they can learn. Landscape Archaeology is a research area where the application of ANNs can be very useful. ANNs can be used for Landscape pattern recognition and Settlement systems modeling. This paper illustrate some aspects of the development of new tools and the application of ANNs in a raster GIS environment for archaeological predictive modeling purposes.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2006, 17, 121-136; doi: 10.19282/ac.17.2006.08
Viewshed e Cost Surface Analyses per uno studio dei sistemi insediativi antichi: il caso della Daunia tra X e VI sec. a.C
Abstract
This paper aims to illustrate how the use of GIS tools and the application of spatial analysis techniques can help to enhance our understanding of the geographical, spatial and temporal dimensions of ancient landscapes. The theoretical and methodological point of reference of the research comes from the experience gained in a European context in the field of Settlement Archaeology, especially on a regional scale. Pre-Roman Daunia is a specific case study falling within a larger project that encompasses the whole of southern Italy, developed by the Laboratory of Archaeological Computing at the University of Lecce. Viewshed Analyses and Cost Surface Analyses were used to investigate the possible relationships between the physical and human landscape systems and to verify the presence or absence of a possible hierarchy among the sites belonging to these systems. Some interesting considerations emerged from the analysis of the Iron Age settlement system. In the earliest phases (10th-9th centuries BC), characterised by the absence of dominant towns, the settlements were organized into “small systems” made up of a number of sites, laid out in accordance with systems of physical landscape that seem to reflect precise choices; in the later phases (8th-first half of the 7th century BC), at the same time as the abandonment of the “small system” model of sites, the first signs of a hierarchy among sites emerge, and this begins to take more visible forms in the Archaic age. The work conducted on this case study has shown how the results of spatial analyses can provide the starting point for the formulation of new research hypotheses and surveying strategies in a territory where the surveys conducted up until now have tended to focus on the field of material culture, which is better documented thanks to the large collections of finds from funerary contexts, which have received more attention.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2006, 17, 177-213; doi: 10.19282/ac.17.2006.11
The Tiber Valley Project. The role of GIS and databases in field survey data integration and analysis
Stephen Kay, Robert E. Witcher
Abstract
Information Technology is at the heart of the Tiber Valley Project, from the integration, storage and analysis of data, through project management to the visualization and dissemination of results. Here, some of the ongoing applications of this technology, both implicit and explicit, have been presented. Detailed results will be published as the project continues, with a synthetic volume currently in preparation (PATTERSON et al. in preparation).
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2005, 16, 113-127; doi: 10.19282/ac.16.2005.06
Relazioni tra geomorfologia, processi post-deposizionali e visibilità del suolo nella lettura dei dati di prospezione archeologica
Oscar Belvedere, Aurelio Burgio, Rosa Maria Cucco, Daniela Lauro
Abstract
This paper takes into examination two different districts of the vast area investigated by the archaeological survey of the hinterland of the ancient Greek colony of Himera: the coastal area between the northern Imera and Rocella rivers and the hilly watershed zone located between the northern Imera, southern Imera and Platani rivers. The study examines the relationships between geomorphology, post-depositional processes and visibility of the ground and their impact on the interpretation of data collected during the archaeological survey and, consequently, on the historical reconstruction of the population of the territory from Prehistory to the Middle Ages. Three aspects in particular have been taken into consideration: a) the impact of geomorphology on the recognition of archaeological traces; b) the relationship between geomorphology and visibility of archaeological finds; c) the role of the geomorphological and/or of the human factors in the selection of areas to be settled. Our conclusion is that the geomorphological context assumes a major role in the selection of areas of settlement, while the visibility of the ground seems to affect not only the number of archaeological finds, but also their legibility and interpretation.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2005, 16, 129-152; doi: 10.19282/ac.16.2005.07
Il GIS del sito romano di Podere Cosciano: un esempio di gestione integrata dei dati di scavo
Lorenza Camin, Antonella Negri
Abstract
Between 1999 and 2001, as part of the project Archaeology of Volterra and its territory, excavation took place at a rural site of the Roman period, situated near the old village of Montegemoli (Pomarance, Pisa). For the systematic management of all the mainly paper documentation gathered during the various excavations (US records, records of finds, plans of strata, reliefs and sections, matrix, photographs, IGM cartography), an information system within the scope of GIS technology was planned and set up. The results achieved are presented in this work, with particular reference to the methodology followed. Moreover, attention is drawn to the advantages obtained by using GIS technology, which has enabled complex phenomena and spatial-temporal relations to be represented and analysed at a multiplicity of levels, as well as acting as a support for objective interpretative evaluations.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2005, 16, 153-166; doi: 10.19282/ac.16.2005.08
Tecnologie GPS e Personal Data Assistant applicati all'archeologia dei paesaggi
Abstract
The Department of Medieval Archaeology of the University of Siena has been engaged for several years in the testing of GPS survey application for landscape archaeology. In the first section of this paper we have summarised the GPS application developed for field-walking, aerial, geophysical and topographical surveys. In the second section we have discussed the fact that, since the second half of the 1990s, we have felt a progressive disjunction between work in the laboratory and work in the field. While the availability of advanced technologies has been rapidly growing, activities in the field have continued to make use of instruments and methodologies developed in the 1970s. A mobile GIS system managed through the merging of PDA and GPS technologies represents at the moment the best available solution for restoring the link. The conclusions reached in our experiments using these devices consistently go far beyond the increased fieldwork efficiency and finally make it possible to systematically apply strategies and methodologies developed in the past but rarely used up to now because they were too time consuming.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2005, 16, 177-197; doi: 10.19282/ac.16.2005.10
Topologia: identificazione, significato e valenza nella ricerca archeologica
Maurizio Cattani, Andrea Fiorini
Abstract
Topology is the science to manage and identify spatial relationships between geometrical features. Application of topology in archaeology means the possibility of analysing the logic of space as it was in the mind of ancient communities or as it has been fixed in stratigraphical contexts by post-depositional effects. Qualitative definition of proximity, continuity, connection and of many other spatial properties, included since the earlier registration on the field for each archaeological feature, broaden the capability to find out spatial relationships and formal representation of logical expression of space. The intent of this paper is to deal with the apparently difficult aspect of topology, starting from recent applications in architecture or, only partially, in archaeology. It suggests to find out methods of approach through a new form of stratigraphical unit and through representations of system theories and graphs. A case study of architectural protohistorical complex is presented for application of these principles and facilitate the comprehension of the use of topology. The development of GIS is always more directed to record and ensure spatial topological data and it appears to be the best way for future applications in archaeology.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2004, 15, 317-340; doi: 10.19282/ac.15.2004.20
Modello dei dati e trattamento del dato sul GIS di scavo
Marco Valenti, Alessandra Nardini
Abstract
The paper focuses on the problems related to archaeological excavation data management through the use of a GIS solution; it considers aspects ranging from the planning of an open and functional data model, fitting the complexity of stratigraphy, to the possibilities of data processing such as the production of thematic maps or the elaboration of interpretative and predictive models using statistical and mathematical tools. It also discusses the difficulty of 3D data recording, as well as the recent technological development of Internet mapping servers and web-based dynamic GIS systems.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2004, 15, 341-358; doi: 10.19282/ac.15.2004.21
L'Atlante informativo dei beni culturali 'Cluster': da strumento di ricerca a portale di diffusione multimediale della conoscenza
Laura Petacco, Luca Sasso D'Elia
Abstract
The Second University of Naples has been working, for the last three years, on a cultural heritage atlas of the most interesting areas of the Caserta district, for the first time considering this region as a single unit, in terms of archaeological and historical evidence, from antiquity to modern times. Therefore, the data model - designed to classify the evidence - permits the virtual repatriation of cultural resources that have either been transferred or destroyed throughout the last centuries. It also permits the expansion of the scale of investigation, from the reading of the landscape through time to the archaeological excavation of the most significant areas, such as Calatia (Maddaloni, Caserta). Nevertheless, the object of the research was a multi-faceted reality, in terms of quality, spatial and temporal dimensions and chronology. For that reason, the information system developed has a complex architecture, structured on the usual four dimensions, including the temporal level. Great importance has been given to the development of a multi-medial information system, supporting all the different experts involved in research (archaeologists, experts in ancient topography, art historians, architects) and the different sources, such as aerial photographs, ancient cartography, files, images, both ancient and new. The hardware is also innovative: it enables the user to integrate both Intranet and Internet solutions and to use both fixed and mobile equipment, as well as to acquire images both through scanners and digital cameras. The engine for data base processing is SQL Server at the moment, even if a future exploitation of Oracle is considered; the input/output clients are carried out through Microsoft Access 2002. The GIS engine is ESRI and it is fully integrated with the applications through a viewer, designed to allow bidirectional queries, both from cartography to database and vice versa. This information system is structured to run on Intranet at the moment; meanwhile a consultation and input data pilot project of image files has been started up, before sending the information collected on Web. The viewer GIS has been set up for use in a Web GIS context.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2004, 15, 359-379; doi: 10.19282/ac.15.2004.22
Basi di dati georeferenziati in ambiente GIS: esperienze di ricerca archeologica e topografica in siti magnogreci e siciliani
Maria Cecilia Parra, Alessio Arnese, Michela Gargini
Abstract
In 1998 the Laboratory for History, Archaeology and Topography of the Ancient World of the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa began an experiment with archaeological databases and GIS. Initially, we made a GIS for the Entella survey. Since then, the experiment on this sample-survey has become a more structured system for the management of archaeological data (excavations, surveys, pictures, artefacts, etc.). In particular, we have focused our attention on data normalisation. Since 2002 we have also used a GPS receiver for the Kaulonia survey in order to geo-reference the sites. At the moment, the GIS manages only survey data, but it could also include excavation data. Using this system we are able to create chronological maps, and analyse infra- and intra-site artefact distribution.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2004, 15, 381-391; doi: 10.19282/ac.15.2004.23
The landscapes of power: visibility, time and (dis)continuity in central Italy
Abstract
Interpreting the results of computerised methods in archaeology cannot be done without a reference to theoretical archaeology. The main aim of this paper is to discuss the theoretical assumptions behind the use of GIS and visibility analysis in modelling controlled territories. An underlying assumption is that changing locations of settlements are related to changing needs of communities in their environment. The relationship between visible areas and those needed for subsistence is reviewed in a specific context. The case studies presented are those of Nepi and Gabii. The different position these sites had in central Italian settlement hierarchies is discussed in relation with the interwoven relationship between assumptions on and interpretations of the results of visibility analyses.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2004, 15, 393-408; doi: 10.19282/ac.15.2004.24
'Segeda Project': the I.T. management of the territory of a Celtiberian city-state
Francisco Burillo Mozota, Severino Escolano Utrilla, Enrique Ruíz Budría
Abstract
This article defends the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the management, analysis, examination and modelling of the archaeological data concerning the territory. Within this context, we outline some types of analyses that are being carried out with the use of GIS applied to the case of Segeda. Drawing on these and other experiments, we conclude that GIS technologies and their well-established capacity for the integration, analysis and examination of information from different sources constitute a particularly effective tool for the modelling of complex realities such as the one we are concerned with in our project.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2004, 15, 409-420; doi: 10.19282/ac.15.2004.25
Digital spaces: Pompeii, the Internet, and beyond
Abstract
The emphasis of archaeological communication is no longer simply text on paper, but has moved on to encompass the expression of space and visibility. This paper discusses these new phenomena from the perspective of two recent projects, both of which presented spatial research material for dissemination on the World Wide Web. The first created a QuickTime virtual reality of Pompeii, Regio VI, and the second used an Internet based game engine to create a real-time virtual reconstruction of a Pompeian house. The paper also examines issues central to the integration of academia with the Internet and computing technology such as the advantages and disadvantages of using proprietary software and the opportunities and responsibilities presented by communication in the global community.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2004, 15, 449-464; doi: 10.19282/ac.15.2004.27
Dizionario dei soggetti e Thesaurus di Toponomastica Archeologica (TTA)
Giulia Pardi, Donatella Venturi
Abstract
The Dictionary of Subjects and the TTA are the results of the cataloguing of bibliographical resources. The TTA is a source of archaeological sites (8000 sites in the Mediterranean area, mostly in Tuscany) indexed by category. In TTA a place-name is the logical focus of a record. The record place-name includes the preferred place-name, the variant names and the historical names, the note that provides archaeological information about the place, the relative position in the administrative division of the State, the geographic coordinates (UTM or Gauss Boaga) and the bibliographic sources. The purpose of the TTA is to contribute to the knowledge of the topographical distribution of ancient peoples, with the advantage that the administrative subdivisions reflect those used by the Italian Institutes responsible for cultural heritage.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2003, 14, 73-96; doi: 10.19282/ac.14.2003.03
Spatial Analysis Utilities (SAU). Uno strumento per lo studio quantitativo dei sistemi di distribuzione spaziale
Abstract
The study of the distributive characteristics of settlement patterns is one of the most important topics in the reconstruction of historical landscapes. Unfortunately, advanced knowledge of GIS techniques, as well as quantitative techniques and methods are required in order to achieve positive results in this area. Furthermore, the application of spatial analysis in archaeological research requires a large and expensive investment of software and hardware to accomplish such tasks. In order to address all these issues, this year we started the development of an analytical tool for the study and analysis of spatial distributions. This software, rather than a GIS application, will be conceived as a general utility for data processing. In fact, the main aim of Spatial Analysis Utilities (SAU) is to accomplish in a quick and easy manner the entire quantitative process. The philosophy of the software is to provide conclusive statistical data with just some mouse clicks to non-advanced GIS users.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2003, 14, 137-151; doi: 10.19282/ac.14.2003.06
Cerveteri: topografia della Vigna Parrocchiale I. Ricerche e dati archeologici, con Appendice di S. Piro
Abstract
The article describes the topography and the main archaeological features of the 'Vigna Parrocchiale' area, located on the urban plateau of the ancient Etruscan town of Cerveteri, where a geophysical survey has also been carried out (cfr. Colosi et al., this volume). The accurate description of data coming from field surveys, excavations and archival research makes it possible to recognize in this area a long archaeological stratification from the Villanovan through to the Roman period. These results, achieved over many years of archaeological research, can be profitably linked to those coming from the application of geophysical surveying techniques. The article closes with a technical Appendix, relevant to a magnetometric survey carried out in 1987 during the excavations conducted by CNR in the 'Vigna Parrocchiale' area.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2003, 14, 153-176; doi: 10.19282/ac.14.2003.07
A digital Mediterranean countryside: GIS approaches to the spatial structure of the post-medieval landscape on Kythera (Greece)
Andrew H. Bevan, Charles Frederick, Athanasia Krahtopoulou
Abstract
Mediterranean landscapes have been fragmented, connected and reformed by countless trackways, buildings and field systems. On the Greek Island of Kythera, an extensive and detailed record of such structures has been recorded as part of broader multidisciplinary investigation of the island's long-term history by the Kythera Island Project (KIP). This rich dataset can be complemented further by KIP's intensive archaeological and geoarchaeological surveys, offering both practical checks on existing data and insights at a greater resolution. This paper draws on this combination of material and deploys spatial analysis techniques to explore and quantify a range of issues relating to anthropogenic landscapes.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2003, 14, 217-236; doi: 10.19282/ac.14.2003.10
Ricerche archeologiche sul campo e archivi digitali: il manoscritto di Ercole Nardi
Claudio Barchesi, Paola Moscati, Paola Santoro, Dario Scarpati
Abstract
The article presents some aspects of the research project which has been carried out in the middle Tiber Valley (Sabina Tiberina), to analyse the distribution of archaeological sites in the territory, based on new field surveys and the study of archive documents ('Progetto Galantina'). The research takes advantage of the positive experiment conducted by the Istituto di Studi sulle Civiltà Italiche e del Mediterraneo Antico (ISCIMA) of the Italian CNR to set up and integrate within a Geographical Information System a new model of archiving, managing and querying archaeological information, focused on the analysis of excavation diaries and their SGML and XML encoding. The implemented system gives rise to a many-sided repeatable digital model, easily exportable in various situations. The integration between the DTD established to formally describe archaeological data and the elements of the TEI Lite and Dublin Core standards makes it possible to record and query data coming from both published excavation reports and archive documents dating from the nineteenth century, which deal with the description of archaeological itineraries around Rome. The example presented in this paper refers to the manuscript by Ercole Nardi 'Ruderi delle Ville Romano-Sabine nei dintorni di Poggio Mirteto' (1885) and is aimed at preserving archaeological information through digital supports, electronic exchange formats and especially reliability of the information integrity. Moreover, it makes an attempt to experiment and develop new forms of knowledge diffusion which are more suitable for interactive web consultation than passive reading.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2003, 14, 295-325; doi: 10.19282/ac.14.2003.13
Analisi spaziali intra-site. Soluzioni GIS per lo scavo archeologico
Abstract
Review article.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2003, 14, 329-335; doi: 10.19282/ac.14.2003.14
From an Etruscan town to modern technologies: new advancements in the "Caere Project"
Abstract
In 1997, within the framework of the research activity carried out by the Istituto per l'Archeologia Etrusco-Italica, a census of GIS applications in archaeology was promoted and then published in the ninth issue of the journal 'Archeologia e Calcolatori'. This international survey allowed us to collect significant methodological and technical information useful to outline the main guidelines of the 'Caere Project', aimed at the establishment of an Archaeological Information System for the analysis of the Etruscan town and its surrounding territory. A recent update of this survey confirmed the previsions published four years ago by the members of an international Scientific Committee coordinated by François Djindjian. Some methodological aspects of the 'Caere Project' are also discussed, with particular emphasis on the need of integrating many different computer techniques in order to gain a comprehensive, organic knowledge of the ancient landscape and town organisation. The results of the innovative use of markup languages and multimedia systems in the processing of archaeological excavation data are also presented. In fact, the methodological approach of the 'Caere Project' is based on the principle that information is not sufficient if not linked by new forms of knowledge representation, which can promote an interactive consultation more than just a passive reading.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2002, 13, 135-149; doi: 10.19282/ac.13.2002.08
The Minoan peak sanctuary landscape through a GIS approach
Steven Soetens, Jan Driessen, Apostolos Sarris, Sophia Topouzi
Abstract
The research project, 'Building a cultural landscape model of Minoan peak sanctuaries through a GIS approach', based on a collaboration between the Institute of Mediterranean Studies (F.O.R.T.H.) and the Université Catholique de Louvain, aims to redefine the peak sanctuary, to clarify its function, and examine the relationship between the cultural and natural variables, which characterize the distribution of these sites in the Cretan landscape. To accomplish these goals we used advanced mapping techniques, satellite remote sensing, statistical analysis and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Intervisibility was investigated with viewshed analysis. A chronological evolution of the peak sanctuary landscape is proposed, explaining the location of the sanctuaries, in relationship to each other and other site types.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2002, 13, 161-170; doi: 10.19282/ac.13.2002.10
Linking location and space to process using precision mapping
Abstract
Over the last five years global positioning systems (GPS) and electronic total stations (ETS) have become viable tools for use in archaeological field mapping. When used in conjunction GPS and ETS can generate precise, accurate, and georeferenced three-dimensional digital data sets in real time. As survey work proceeds, associated attribute tables incorporating field measurements and commentary can also be created, and the entire dataset can be imported directly into a geographic information system (GIS). This technique may be called precision digital mapping, and produces accurate, high density data sets of unprecedented richness. The revolutions in data management, visualization, and analysis made possible by GIS are now being mirrored by a revolution in field mapping techniques.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2002, 13, 171-178; doi: 10.19282/ac.13.2002.11
Progetto Caere: dallo scavo al territorio. Una soluzione per la distribuzione dei dati tramite un GIS on-line
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to describe the principles on which the Caere GIS has been created and to offer an overview of the spatial analyses conducted and the theoretical principles on which they are based. In order to satisfy the ultimate goal of the project, a solution is described for the dissemination of the results across the Internet through GIS technology. Indeed, at the outset of the project, the decision had been taken to create both a GIS application for internal use and a separate dynamic GIS multimedia application for data diffusion across the Internet. Through the GIS platform, thematic maps of the site have been created, exploiting the ability of topological analysis to explore the mutual relationships between structures. The use of the GIS was not restricted solely to this application, as its full potential was exploited through the use of its analytical engine. Several spatial analysis techniques were used (in particular Viewshed analysis) both for the study of the distribution of finds at site level and for the wider analysis of the surrounding territory of Cerveteri. Finally, the on-line publication of the GIS will offer a chance to create a living document, continually reviewed and updated by the author. It will also constitute the first step towards the standardisation of a metalanguage, that will permit effective multimedia communication and the exchange of different data formats and sources.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2001, 12, 105-121; doi: 10.19282/ac.12.2001.06
Análisis de visibilidad y patrones de asentamiento protohistóricos. Los yacimientos del Bronce Final y período Orientalizante en el Sureste de la campiña sevillana
Abstract
A new approach to the topic of Late Bronze-First Iron Age settlement patterns in the south-eastern countryside around Seville (Andalusia, Spain) is presented by the application of a new landscape analysis technique: visibility analysis. Some aspects of visibility analysis are discussed, as well as the resulting methodological proposals. Finally, this methodology is applied to the study area, generating historical interpretations about related questions (settlement patterns, means of communication).
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2001, 12, 123-142; doi: 10.19282/ac.12.2001.07
Modelli matematici per la ricostruzione dei paesaggi storici
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to illustrate the enormous opportunities that the archaeologist is offered in the study of historical landscapes by the process of reconstructing spatial models. This formal process is characterised by the progressive incorporation of social and ecological variables in the form of numerical cartographic surfaces within a given model. In fact, the distortion of social space requires such a quantity, variety and complexity of operations that they could not be realised and synthesised without the help of a computer. Once this process has been completed, it can be exploited in various fields, like the history of roadways and transportation networks, or for a better comprehension of the effects of certain settlement layers on other levels of social occupation of space.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2001, 12, 143-165; doi: 10.19282/ac.12.2001.08
Impiego del Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) per lo studio del paesaggio antico: alcuni esempi rappresentativi
Francesca Colosi, Roberto Gabrielli, Daniela Peloso, Dario Rose
Abstract
In recent years, the use of DGPS (Digital Ground Positioning System) satellite antennas has become widespread within the framework of the historical-topographic research. They give us the possibility of geo-referencing, in a simple manner, different objects spread across the territory, and permit the delimitation and geometrical survey of specific areas rendered in the shape of polygons. In the present project, new case-studies, aimed at defining new procedures for the geo-referencing of territorial elements, are produced. In these case-studies the use of DGPS, employed in a new and integrated way with other modern topographical instruments, has enabled us to survey complex structures and to produce detailed morphological studies of the sites. The archaeological sites that have been examined show great differences. Firstly, in their geomorphologic characteristics, the historical period, the cultural environment and related problems and secondly, for the different scale of the research, procedures and level of investigation of the archaeological research.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2001, 12, 181-197; doi: 10.19282/ac.12.2001.10
Computer mobili per la gestione dei dati di scavo
Massimo Ancona, Gabriella Dodero, Vittoria Gianuzzi
Abstract
This paper describes a system for real-time field support to archaeological excavations, and for interaction with remote researchers, via the Internet. To this aim, a prototype system has already been field tested at the site of Poliochni in Greece. The system is composed of a wireless LAN, including one (two or more in the future) mobile unit (Telxon PTC), and a wired LAN, with at least one PC or Workstation running Windows NT and Lotus Notes Domino for groupware activities. The two LANs are connected by means of an Access Point Aironet 630 (Radio-hub). The system provides a communication link with remote workstations installed in Universities or Museums where researchers who are interested in cooperating in real-time with field operators can work. Archaeologists can use the mobile units to draw finds on the screen using a magnetic pen, to write related textual information and to send these sketches or digital snapshots to the fixed host by using suitable interfaces (serial, parallel, PCMCIA, and so on).
PETRA: un sistema integrato per la gestione dei dati archeologici
Marco Crescioli, Franco Niccolucci, Cristina Tonghini, Guido Vannini
Abstract
This paper describes a database management system created for organising the data which emerged during an investigation conducted by a team from the University of Florence in Petra, Jordan. The subject of the research are Crusader settlements in Transjordan and, in particular, the castle system of the Petra valley; the study employed a methodological approach based on so-called “light archaeology”, that is a set of methods typical of European Medieval archaeology like “landscape archaeology” and “standing structure archaeology”. The study, which is still in progress, has revealed the key role of Petra in the territorial organisation of Transjordan during the Crusader period. By focusing on Wu’ayra, the most important fortress of the Petra valley, by means of a series of trial trenches, the project has documented the different settlement stages of the site. It is now apparent that the site was defended by a double wall overhanging the surrounding wadi with a single access and fourteen square towers on the outer ring and the inner walls, and an extreme defence nucleus, the fortified church, inside the cassero, in the centre of the system. Of the nine stages studied so far, three concern the Crusader settlement, one a very short occupation by the Ayyubids, and five correspond to the phase of abandonment of the castle with subsequent occasional use by Bedouin communities. The investigation will eventually evolve into a wide ranging study of the Crusader border, from Antioch to Aqaba. The computer project consists of a database management system, which is based on a Java servlet, a software which uses the HTTP protocol to generate and submit HTML pages “on demand”, and which can be viewed using a common Internet browser. This helps communication and simplifies access to data, which can also be shared on-line. Future developments will include spatial information, based on freely available GIS software. A particular feature of this investigation is the close connection which is maintained between computer technology and archaeological methods, which envisages new forms of co-operation in interdisciplinary research and new skills that draw from both disciplines.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2000, 11, 49-67; doi: 10.19282/ac.11.2000.02
Un sistema informativo archeologico: l'applicazione del Syslat a Fratte di Salerno
Alfonso Santoriello, Francesco Scelza
Abstract
Some years ago, the chair of Archaeology of the University of Salerno, in cooperation with the Soprintendenza Archeologica and the Amministrazione Provinciale, began a methodical research program on the ancient settlement of Fratte. This settlement is situated on the hill of Scigliato, in the north-eastern part of Salerno on the Irno River, at the confluence of the Pastorano and Grancano streams. Since 1985 the archaeological area - partly rediscovered in the 50’s and immediately expropriated, enclosed and set aside as a park - has been the subject of a new systematic research project aimed at defining the chronology and the town-plan and understanding the monuments and their functions. Thanks to new scientific knowledge, since 1995 the research project, which is still in progress, has defined two principal aims. Firstly, strictly scientific, to acquire and organise as much information as possible in order to reconstruct the geo-morphological dynamics and human activity involving the entire territorial context of the ancient settlement. Secondly, to develop the archaeological park, which is considered a key element for the improvement of the neighbouring urban areas. As the information about the scientific methods and documentary records from the beginning of this century until now was not homogeneous, it was necessary to plan a new strategy for the management and systematic organisation of all the records that would guarantee consistent documentation. For this purpose we suggest using Syslat, which was created specifically for the recording of archaeological data, as the most reliable system for guaranteeing a standard of consistent documentation, description and global analysis of all records (e.g. Stratigraphic Units, map-making, photos, reports, etc.). This can also be used for the organisation and handling of all information which emerges during research projects using statistic and quantitative methods. Moreover, the possibility of connecting individual data-bases for different sites will make it possible to project each dossier on the largest scale, i.e., on a “regional” level. This information system, which has been tested since 1983 at the proto-historic site of Lattes (Herault, France) by a team of researchers from CNRS (M. Py, M. Bats, J.L. Fiches) was adopted by the Laboratorio di Archeologia using the earliest versions in order to test its effectiveness and to optimise the results. Continuous exchange of ideas and comparison of results between the French team, the “Centre J. Bérard” and the Istituto Orientale of Naples have allowed us to elaborate a “personal” application, which is specifically suited to the theoretical organisation and to the specific and complex requirements of archaeological research in Fratte.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2000, 11, 69-92; doi: 10.19282/ac.11.2000.03
La piattaforma GIS dello scavo. Filosofia di lavoro e provocazioni, modello dei dati e "soluzione GIS"
Abstract
It is our intention to present the experience accumulated in the last decade by the LIAAM (Laboratorio di Informatica Applicata all’Archeologia Medievale). In recent years we have worked to develop solutions for managing all types of information produced by an archaeological project. We have operated on different levels (from regional surveys down to detailed records of all the finds). In particular, all the data was administered within a system made up of three components: different GIS platforms, an alphanumerical database and a media database; these are linked by a system level application called OpenArcheo, directly engineered and developed at our Laboratory. Basic concepts of our system are the multidirectional links between information types (which allow the user to query and retrieve all the information related to a feature starting from any of the components mentioned above), modular organisation of the architecture in order to implement the ever changing variables and detail levels of archaeological research that suit the specific needs of every single project, and user-friendliness so that the management of complex data is possible for anyone who has a basic knowledge in the use of computers. In short, our aim is to optimise the management of information produced by archaeological projects and make it possible that the archaeologist has all the different kinds of data at hand in real time. Such a system, and particularly a “GIS solution”, is perfectly suited for the management of an excavation and the application of inter-site spatial and statistical analysis tools, organising each campaign of our projects and providing simulations of the parts we cannot investigate.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2000, 11, 93-109; doi: 10.19282/ac.11.2000.04
La piattaforma GIS dello scavo di Poggio Imperiale a Poggibonsi. Dalla creazione del modello dei dati alla loro lettura
Abstract
This paper concerns the specific experience of our Laboratory in managing archaeological excavations on a GIS platform; the development process of our solution started five years ago and brought us, through successive stages of refinement, to an efficient data model. The basic idea was to reproduce on a graphic level the exact situation we find in the field. We therefore organised our objects according to an overall composite plan representing all the excavated layers, as well as the necessary landscape features, related only in spatial terms; detailed alphanumerical data and interpreted information were derived from the DBMS using specific identifiers. The objects were organised in views according to different parameters and queries; examples of views we created involved the surrounding landscape (e.g. with archaeological surveys, land cover and use, geology, etc.), preliminary investigations (with analytical surveys and crop-marks detection), and stratigraphical data (with a composite plan of all layers as well as analytical views based on chronological aspects, excavated structures, etc.).
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2000, 11, 111-123; doi: 10.19282/ac.11.2000.05
Il sistema di gestione degli archivi nello scavo di Poggio Imperiale a Poggibonsi. Una soluzione all'interno della "soluzione GIS"
Abstract
Designing a database to fit the needs of an archaeological excavation meant creating an open architecture capable of adapting to the evolving aspects of our research project (in range of data as well as in level of detail); this, together with the complete integration within the global system developed at our Laboratory, were the first aims we pursued in building our solution. The DBMS, based on an open ID system, can be considered a large data container which is continuously updated in its structure; it allows us to easily build relational indexes, increase the level of data detail and create new table and forms in order to manage new types of data. Essential aspects of this solution are total control over data consistency and data vocabularies, a self-made and user-friendly interface, and the possibility of managing multiple projects together. The automation of many repetitive tasks through programming also helps archaeologists in elaborating their data in order to produce information (the elaborated finds quantification and frequency routines are a good example).
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2000, 11, 125-137; doi: 10.19282/ac.11.2000.06
Lo studio del territorio impiegando diverse metodologie d'indagine: il caso della valle del Tevere
Francesca Colosi, Alessandra Costantini, Roberto Gabrielli, Salvatore Piro, Paola Santoro
Abstract
In general, a territory can be considered as the centre which contains all information related to different historical ages. The study of a portion of a given territory characterised by the presence of archaeological sites must be aimed at the complete and accurate acquisition of environmental data (e.g. topography, geo-morphology, litho-stratigraphy, land use, etc.), which will be used for an overall study of the site, the reconstruction of the man-environment interaction, and the evaluation of possible applications of geophysical prospecting methods. By interpreting different sets of remote-sensing data, studying existing geological and geo-morphological information and through systematic field work (e.g. archaeological survey, geophysical investigations, etc.), a wide spectrum of environmental data can be collected. The methodology of a complete analysis of the territory can be summarised as follows: analysis of remote-sensing data sets and their geo-referencing; DTM of the selected study area; morphological and geological definition of the selected study area; identification, location and geo-referencing of all archaeological sites in the territory; high-resolution integrated geophysical prospecting methods, to delineate the extension of the site and to locate the archaeological structures; a complete description of the site in its environmental context; definition of an integrated analysis method, based on the spatial correlation of the different data sets; study and design of a GIS for the management of all data sets which have been collected, elaborated and interpreted; definition of a model for the knowledge and protection of the historical and environmental aspects of the territory.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2000, 11, 171-189; doi: 10.19282/ac.11.2000.09
Applicazione di un GIS intra-site al giacimento paleolitico di Garba IV - Melka Kunture (Etiopia)
Andrea D'Andrea, Marcello Piperno, Rosalia Gallotti
Abstract
Applicazione di un GIS intra-site al giacimento paleolitico di Garba IV – Melka Kunture (Etiopia). Spatial analysis has been widely utilised by Italian archaeologists to obtain territorial information at an inter-site level, but only a few attempts have been made to study the organisation of Early Palaeolithic paleosurfaces. The application presented here concerns the spatial analysis of the Early Palaeolithic site of Garba IV (Melka Kunture, Ethiopia). The excavation of two levels (C and D) over an area of more than 100 square metres has produced several thousand stone tools and faunal remains, which make it possible to attribute the site to the Developed Oldowan period, dated to 1.5/1.4 m.y. The entire set of data, concerning both the taphonomy and the techno-typological study of the lithic and faunal remains from level D, have been inserted in a database system (Microsoft Access and Excel). The plans of the excavation were drawn using Autocad and subsequently imported into the software Maplnfo and associated to the database. The management of the spatial data has been organised in order to meet the following goals: 1) Visualisation of the position and concentration of all the remains of the paleosurface D; 2) possibility of selecting the different classes of lithic materials and faunal remains in order to elaborate plans according to different themes; 3) application of statistical and quantitative methods together with spatial analysis to the study of each square metre of paleosurface D. The statistical and quantitative approach to the study of the frequency and density of particular tool types and faunal remains permit the identification of numerous hidden structures, which are probably related to several functionally differentiated areas of this Oldowan paleosurface.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2000, 11, 319-338; doi: 10.19282/ac.11.2000.18
Un SIT per Entella (Comune di Contessa Entellina, PA)
Abstract
The aim of this project has been to create a GIS for the archaeological survey in Contessa Entellina (Palermo) that was conducted in 1998 by the Historic-Archaeological Topography Laboratory of the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa. The survey covered an area (about 42 km2) of the territory of Contessa Entellina. Like the survey, the GIS was also a model for research. During the survey Topographic Units (UT) were located with large concentrations of finds and other zones labelled “Sporadic Material” (MS) were also identified. The GIS includes only the Topographic Units. With the software ArcView GIS 3.1, UTs have been located as points on a raster map at a scale of 1:5000, the same as used for the survey. The survey data has been recorded in a relational database that holds information about the finds, the documents, the relationship between UTs, the chronology, the vegetation, etc. We focused our attention on the representation of temporal information. However, it is very difficult to represent archaeological dates in a database scheme because their limits are uncertain. Therefore, to represent this uncertainty every Topographic Unit is characterised by several periods. Each period has a beginning (field “Inizio”, meaning “Start”) and an ending (field “Fine”, meaning “End”). These two limits have a symmetrical tolerance (for example ±50 years). In the future, this system will be completed and used to analyse the spatial relations between UTs and their visibility.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2000, 11, 339-346; doi: 10.19282/ac.11.2000.19
A multi-disciplinary approach for research and presentation of Bracara Augusta's Archaeological Heritage
Manuela Martins, Paulo Bernardes
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to present an archaeological information system and multimedia application used to record, manage and diffuse the data provided by the excavations conducted, since 1976, in Braga, Portugal, and related to the “Urban Rescue Project of Bracara Augusta”. The Geographical Information System built to manage and process the archaeological information (SIABRA), created by a team from the Archaeology Unit of Minho University, which was responsible for the project, is presented here. A natural result and advantage of this system is to simplify and enhance spatial analysis and data articulation related to the main buildings which have already been found, as well as the urban interpretation. One further advantage is the three dimensional model reconstruction, where a specialist (archaeologist, architect, urbanist) can analyse and visualise complex and diachronic information concerning the Roman town, in order to simplify the global understanding of buildings, their reconstruction phases and the general relationships between them. The development of virtual environments reproducing archaeological sites, such as the Roman town of Bracara Augusta, can be considered as an important and powerful tool for facilitating the research of specialists and improving heritage consciousness.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2000, 11, 347-357; doi: 10.19282/ac.11.2000.20
Rischio archeologico: se lo conosci lo eviti. Convegno di studi su cartografia archeologica e tutela del territorio (Ferrara, 24-25 marzo 2000)
Abstract
Review article.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2000, 11, 375-381; doi: 10.19282/ac.11.2000.22
Modelli di carte archeologiche per un GIS di pianificazione paesistica (un caso siciliano)
Abstract
The author illustrates a specimen of an archaeological map on a provincial scale and a prototype of an archaeological map on a municipal scale (Contessa Entellina area, near Palermo, ancient Entella) carried out by the Laboratorio di Topografia Storico Archeologica of the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa within the GIS project of “Regione Sicilia”.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1999, 10, 159-163; doi: 10.19282/ac.10.1999.12
Il "Progetto Caere": un esempio di informatizzazione dei diari di scavo
Paola Moscati, Simona Mariotti, Berardino Limata
Abstract
In 1996 the Istituto per l’Archeologica Etrusco-Italica of the Italian National Research Council proposed, within the Cultural Heritage Special Project, the research programme “Establishment of an Archaeological Information System model and its application to ancient Caere” (“The Caere Project”). Its purpose is to use an archaeological information system to study the ancient Etruscan town of Caere, where the Institute has been carrying out surveys and excavations since 1982, together with the Superintendence of Southern Etruria. The authors illustrate an aspect of the project, related to the computerisation of the “Vigna Parrocchiale” excavation data. In fact, an innovative procedure was followed, through the use of the Standard Generalized Markup Language in order to encode the yearly excavation diaries in hypertext format. In this way, an easily transferable HTML text illustrated with photographic and graphic information was established. This type of text, which will be immediately available on-line, has allowed us to test new kinds of queries and information retrieval, in order to diachronically investigate the successive stages of our excavation and to organise the documentation relative to different areas, until finally reaching the essential association and the subsequent analysis of finds, also through the use of a statistical approach.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1999, 10, 165-188; doi: 10.19282/ac.10.1999.13
Alcuni esempi di applicazioni GIS alle ricerche topografiche nel territorio di Cingoli (Macerata)
Abstract
The author illustrates some applications of the Idrisi GIS to the archaeological research he is carrying out in the Cingoli area, a territory having a considerable presence of prehistoric sites. In particular, he analyses the relationship between the archaeological sites and some landscape features. The archaeological record highlights a considerable concentration of Palaeolithic sites near areas of the flint outcrops (mainly in the inferior Palaeolithic). A further point of interest is represented by the different middle Palaeolithic sites mean altitude: compared with the inferior Palaeolithic situation, this difference could demonstrate a downwards displacement of settlements. With regard to the Neolithic, Aeneolithic and Bronze Age, the location of sites and their close relationships with Musone and Rudielle rivers could suggest the presence of a road running alongside these rivers and linking the two important valleys of the Marche Region: the Esino valley to the North, and the Potenza valley to the South.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1999, 10, 189-205; doi: 10.19282/ac.10.1999.14
Reconstructing a fossil landscape by Remote Sensing and GIS applications: sites, virtual models and territory during the Middle Bronze Age in the Po Plain (Northern Italy)
Mauro Cremaschi, Maurizio Forte
Abstract
This paper illustrates preliminary results of the research project “An inventory of the Terramare in the central Po plain: physiographic context, stratigraphic and structural characteristics, state of preservation”, part of the Cultural Heritage Special Project, promoted by Italian National Research Council. The project involves GIS and remote sensing applications in order to integrate different 2D-3D georeferenced data (sites, excavations, surveys, landscape and territorial data) such as: a) raster data (aerial photographs of different periods starting from 1950, regional cartography, DEM); b) vector data (cartography, thematic layers, archaeological sites, etc.); c) a DEM created by cartographic contour lines and using a total laser station on the ground; d) alphanumeric data (excavation databases, territorial databases). The methodological approach has been to represent and analyse archaeological data from micro-scale (intra-site) to macro-scale (inter-sites), in particular exploring the perspectives of 3D GIS visualisations. Attention was therefore concentrated on the topographical reconstruction of microrelief in relation with the aerial photos (of different periods) used as textures, geomorphological features and archaeological data. We can define this kind of processing as a visualisation of an invisible landscape, as much more information can be retrieved from the terrain than using traditional techniques (aerial photo-interpretation, survey, etc.); in many cases this is very useful in order to help plan an excavation. Regarding the acquisition and processing of multi-temporal, multi-layer and multi-dimensional data, this research deals with a large-scale detailed study of the data collected by topography, but enhanced by surveys and acquisition of data on the ground. In fact one of the main tasks of our project is the creation of detailed models on the basis of the microrelief.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1999, 10, 207-225; doi: 10.19282/ac.10.1999.15
Il GIS nella produzione delle carte dell'impatto archeologico: l'esempio di Pontecagnano
Abstract
Archaeological investigations over the last thirty years in Pontecagnano, an important Etruscan-Campanian site about 70 km south of Naples, have brought to light an interesting archaeological context consisting of a large ancient site and an extended cemetery with more then 7000 graves, dating from the 9th to the 4th century BC The need to acquire, analyse and display this rich collection of data has given rise to the project, addressed to the application of a vector GIS to handle archaeological records from funerary contexts. This work consists in the elaboration of a powerful cartographical database, including the spatial location of graves and their attribute data. In this way it is possible to create and display thematic maps in order to trace a reconstruction of the social organisation of the ancient settlement through the patterns of development of the cemetery. Meanwhile the exact recording of the excavated areas in the digital cartography, superimposed on the topography of the modern Pontecagnano, allows us to have a complete, updated view of the operations, in order to define a new townplan and infrastructural projects in the local area. The package chosen for the full integration of conventional archaeological data with maps is Mapinfo, a desktop mapping software in use in archaeological computing applications. The information has been organized into three tables: burial data, paleobiological remains and grave-goods. These tables are linked to the digital cartography, structured according to different layers representing the ancient levels of the graves and the topography of the modern town. The project, involving numerous public agencies with different institutional aims, is designed to offer a single tool responding to different needs: scientific research, territorial management, running of a museum, townplanning and informing the public.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1999, 10, 227-237; doi: 10.19282/ac.10.1999.16
Dispersione dei materiali archeologici e interpretazione: il contributo del GIS Idrisi
Abstract
The author illustrates the results of a research project on the scattered sherd dispersion in the Lower Sangro Valley, where he has supervised a survey since 1995. While a number of dispersion causes have been detected, the author analyses here only the effects of meteoric water spill and of the agricultural work on the landscape. The analysis was performed using the DISPERSE module of the GIS Idrisi 2.0 for Windows.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1999, 10, 239-248; doi: 10.19282/ac.10.1999.17
Il Tevere e il suo antico corso
Alessandra Costantini, Anna De Meo, Francesca Colosi, Roberto Gabrielli
Abstract
In this paper, the results of a scientific collaboration between the Institute of Etrusco-Italic Archaeology, the Institute of Technologies Applied to Cultural Heritage and the Civic Museum of Magliano Sabina are presented. The aim of this research is to study the distribution of archaeological sites in the territory of Magliano Sabina (Tiber Valley) and their relationship with the environmental-historical context. This area is a section of the Tiber Valley, where the river has always represented an important element from an historical point of view. In the present day in this area the river no longer follows its original course, so it was decided to find its old course in order to better understand the distribution of the ancient settlements in this territory. On the basis of research carried out at the Archivio di Stato di Roma it was possible to verify that the river Tiber originally flowed in the lower part of Magliano Sabina, nowadays the area of “Piana di Ramelli”. The study of historical cartography allowed us to verify the change of the river course since 1589, the year of the construction of the “Felice” bridge. The data has been confirmed by the morphological and geological characterisation of the selected study area. A GIS of the area has been used to compare and integrate all data sets with the aim of producing thematic maps to better understand the environmental evolution of the territory of Magliano Sabina.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1999, 10, 249-273; doi: 10.19282/ac.10.1999.18
Sabina Tiberina. Modellizzazione della distribuzione delle presenze archeologiche
Francesca Colosi, Giuseppe Espa, Salvatore Espa, Roberto Gabrielli, Ugo Ricci, Flaminia Verga
Abstract
The paper summarises some preliminary results obtained by a research team of the Istituto per le Tecnologie Applicate ai Beni Culturali of the Italian National Research Council (CNR-ITABC) in the archaeological area of Sabina Tiberina (Rieti). The study makes use of statistical methods and information technology with the goal of implementing a GIS of the above mentioned territory. The area investigated, falling within the counties of Magliano Sabina and Stimigliano, presents a wide chronological stratification dating from prehistory to the Roman age. The anthropological pre-existence considered show differences depending on settlements themselves which are always numerous in the various ages; in fact the proximity of the river (the Tiber) is the reason for their existence, allowing a cultural transmission besides the natural function of trade route. This paper is divided into two parts. In the first, all data concerning surveys carried out with the goal of finding and classifying the settlements of Roman age are included. In the second, some descriptive-documentary aspects gained through developing the GIS, together with statistical processing aimed at the creation of maps of data and settlements, are commented upon.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1999, 10, 275-287; doi: 10.19282/ac.10.1999.19
Il progetto Valle del Belice: applicazioni GIS e di Remote Sensing su dati archeologici
Maurizio Forte, Marco Montebelli
Abstract
In every region of the world there are some areas that assume an important role for cultural change and development of the neighbouring regions. This was the case of the Belice Valley in Sicily: its primary role in cultural change was the product of its long running in North-East/South-West direction that cuts almost all of Sicily from North to South, connecting the Tirrenian Sea with the African Sea. This preliminary study concerns the project “The Belice Valley: early cultural development in the Mediterranean area”, carried out in order to analyse the archaeological landscape on the basis of the socio-economic activities in pre-defined archaic societies. In order to process this complex information, we have started to undertake GIS and remote sensing applications reconstructing 3D models of the valley from macro-scale (territory) to micro-scale (sites). Finally, with virtual interactive navigation through the archaeological landscapes, we have created cognitive models of archaeological information that may hopefully also be useful for planning new archaeological parks.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1998, 9, 291-304; doi: 10.19282/ac.9.1998.14
La gestione informatica del dato. Percorsi ed evoluzioni nell'attività della Cattedra di Archeologia Medievale del Dipartimento di Archeologia e Storia delle Arti - Sezione Archeologica dell'Università di Siena
Abstract
The paper presents a proposal fir the computer-based management of all the archaeological data produced by the Poggio Imperiale project. It highlights in particular, perhaps for the first time, a complete GIS solution to fit the needs of representing, querying and spatially analysing the features of an excavation. The hypermedia and multidirectional system we have developed provides a programmed user interface linking the interactions between three different applications: a GIS platform (with digital cartography ranging from the whole hill to a single stone of the excavation), a relational alphanumeric DBMS (collecting all the data from fieldwalking to stratigraphical layer records with all the finds) and a media archive (storing pictures, 3D reconstructions, movies, hypermedia products, etc.). The aim is to create a standard in the management of archaeological data.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1998, 9, 305-329; doi: 10.19282/ac.9.1998.15
Metodologie statistiche e procedure informatiche per l'analisi esplorativa di dati archeologici a connotazione spaziale
Giuseppe Espa, Salvatore Espa, Roberto Gabrielli, Ugo Ricci, Guido Righini
Abstract
Recent studies have emphasised the usefulness of a jointed employment, in historical and archaeological research, of the most advanced computer technologies with statistical methods. In this work, as an application of a Geographical Information System (GIS), we present a Matlab language program for the statistical analysis of spatial data related to ancient human settlements. The explanation of the program is preceded by some notes about the GIS, the area from which data have been collected, and the statistical methods applied to analyse the data.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1997, 8, 27-36; doi: 10.19282/ac.8.1997.02
Statistical modelling of archaeological sites locations as non-stationary cox processes and its use in forecasting
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to introduce a class of testable statistical models aimed at modelling archaeological sites locations (ASL) or a continuous space and at producing probability maps of ASL. These models are based on collected statistical and auxiliary information (such as information about the slope or exposure of the land, the topography, the hydrology, the topology, etc.). More explicitly the model for the ASL is based on the assumption that the location of the existing archaeological sites is fixed and that the location of new archaeological sites not yet found is a realization of a non-stationary point process depending on the spatial interaction with other existing sites, on the distance from important location or communication networks, and on a set of auxiliary variables. It is also possible to introduce into the discussion information we have about the archaeological site dimensions. In fact, it is plausible that the interaction between existing archaeological sites and candidate locations for new archaeological sites is dependent on their dimension. These models can prove valuable in that they formalize some “common sense” knowledge and can help in producing automated probability maps on a continuous space to support excavation decisions.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1997, 8, 37-41; doi: 10.19282/ac.8.1997.03
Patrones de distribución y agrupaciones espaciales: reflexiones sobre el test del vecino más próximo en 3D
Abstract
Within the framework of the ANITES methodology, designed for the study of the spatial articulation of the archaeological record, we use a remodelled version of the nearest-neighbour in 3D, that computes the distances between three-dimensional points (x, y, z). In this paper we present some technical questions related to performances for the study of the distribution patterns and for the determination of the spatial category groups. We use a comparison between the results obtained in different data processing (El Cingle Vermell, El Roc del Migdia, Túnel VII and Punta Baja sites) to evaluate the relationships and incidence of the variables involved (values of the coefficient R, critical distance, number of effective and number of category groups). This technical evaluation shows that the test of the nearest-neighbour in 3D works for our expectation and is very useful when inserted in the framework of the ANITES methodology.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1997, 8, 43-53; doi: 10.19282/ac.8.1997.04
Spatial analyses, field survey, territories and mental maps on the island of Brac
Vincent Gaffney, Krištof Oštir, Tomaž Podobnikar, Zoran Stancic
Abstract
An international team of scholars from Croatia, Canada, Britain and Slovenia is attempting to analyse the human adaptation of nature on the Central Dalmatian islands in Croatia. Archaeological data and various forms of environmental information were integrated into a GIS. This system is an ideal platform for a variety of analytical procedures: the economy of past societies was analysed, territories of larger communities were modelled, trade routes were predicted and the positioning of different sites was observed. In this paper, special emphasis is paid to the GIS application of a sites and monuments database in the analysis of the perception of space using the data from the Bronze Age.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 27-41; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.02
A view from space. Monitoring and management for World Heritage Sites
Gaetano Palumbo, Dominic Powlesland
Abstract
NASA and The Getty Conservation Institute are conducting an experiment in the application of remotely sensed multispectral and radar data for monitoring change at World Heritage Sites. The project is concerned both with the principles of this approach and with current limitations. The latter have clearly demonstrated that automatic monitoring cannot be easily achieved, due to problems of low resolution, lack of repeatability, and cost, but the integration of this remotely sensed data with other data types into a geographic data management system may provide a monitoring management tool that can be used to test the potential of a fully integrated approach to site definition, monitoring, and management. The test case being adopted covers the area of Chaco Culture National Historic Park, in New Mexico, USA, a major Anasazi complex which is registered in the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Data assembled included a variety of remotely-sensed information, GPS surveys, and the preparation of a baseline GIS, but also historic aerial photographs and excavation data. The resulting data management system, which also includes basic classification conducted on some of the multispectral data available, is an example of a relatively simple system of archaeological data management which could serve the needs of site managers and archaeologists.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 43-50; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.03
Elaborazione ed interpretazione di immagini telerilevate per lo studio sistematico delle testimonianze antropiche nel territorio. I casi di Palmyra e di Selinunte
Francesca Colosi, Laura Pompeo, Domenico Sangiorgio, Cristina Zamboni
Abstract
Remote sensing, through orbital, airborne or close range images, is, today, the most accurate and suitable methodology to achieve an exhaustive investigation of a defined territory. It can be regarded as a great reservoir of any document left by past human societies, who settled in the studied area, from which it is possible to recover the spatial organisation of the culture produced by those societies. The multispectral images record both the reflected and the emitted energy; the latter is linked to the nature of the soil and, in particular, to standing structures. Through surface investigation, geophysical survey and accurate georeferencing, mainly by GPS receivers, it is possible to build a topographic information system to be integrated with the known information of all the preserved documents about the settlement system within the investigated region. Two case studies are discussed here: the area surrounding Palmyra in Syria and the territory of Selinus in Sicily; both illustrate, through newly discovered evidence, the results of the applied methodology.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 51-71; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.04
Raddrizzamento digitale applicato al rilievo di beni culturali
Abstract
The present technique of digital image processing follows the concept of analytical rectification, allowing for the elimination of the geometric distortions from the original image and the retrieval of the correct dimensional information. The image can be produced in various ways: most often, sampling is done with a scanner, but recently a new method is becoming more frequently used, that is the acquisition of digital images directly on ground by means of digital cameras with a CCD image sensor. The processing software is now offered by various producers of photogrammetric equipment, which allows us to carry out surveys of manufactured flat items, starting from a single image, to create a vector graphics superimposed in CAD environment.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 73-77; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.05
Analisi di siti archeologici inquadrati nel loro contesto territoriale: gli insediamenti protostorici del bacino del fiume Fiora
Neda Parmegiani, Maurizio Poscolieri
Abstract
Relationships between communities who inhabited the Fiora river basin during the Bronze Age and surrounding landscape have been examined to give more insight into the choice of settlement location, on the basis of landscape analysis methods adopted in environmental studies. By processing Landsat TM and elevation (raster) data and water related (vector) data (all georeferenced to a UTM grid), respectively spectral (the six TM band values), morphometric (elevation, aspect and slope etc.) and hydrological (distance to water from a site etc.) parameters have been derived for about 50 settlements detected in the study area. These parameters have been statistically analysed by separately processing the spectral, morphometric and morpho-hydrological values using a hierarchical cluster analysis method. The spectral data classification has yielded, with two exceptions, two main groups, one characterised by intermediate reflectivity, medium-low vegetation percentage and variable moisture; the other, more defined, with mostly dark and very humid soils, includes also 32% of the Final Bronze settlements. The classification of the morphometric parameters has highlighted elevation as the discriminating variable, obtaining two main clusters: the first includes sites located above 400 m; the second splits into two subclusters, one with sites between 50 and 200 m, the other between 200 and 400 m. Among the subclasses, three exhibit sites belonging to the Final Bronze Age, one includes sites of the Early Bronze Age. Therefore, the classification of the morpho-hydrological parameters shows that both elevation and water distance appear discriminating. The highest values of these two variables characterise a single site, clearly separated after cluster analysis application, which again yielded three subgroups belonging to the Final Bronze Age.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 79-89; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.06
Una nuova metodologia di archiviazione per una migliore gestione del patrimonio archeologico
Abstract
The procedures followed for the preparation of the thematic layers, describing the finding in an Etruscan site, are presented. The testimonial shows the advantages of using AutoCAD based tools, in order to link the database, containing the description of the objects in the drawing, to the CAD elements. This paper shows how to use the potential of a desktop GIS, based on AutoCAD and DBIV, in a variety of fields: from the preparation of hazard maps, showing the risk zones of fragile archaeological sites, to the preparation of a micro GIS project of fractures and related sections of a painting restoration project. The methodology proposed starts with the preparation of a topographic layer for the archiving of objects found on the site. The use of AutoCAD in conjunction with GDL-Graphic Data Link by Alpha Consult srl of Rome and ADE by AutoDesk is proposed, in order to simplify mapping of archaeological sites and perform relational queries on stored data. The AutoCAD application, called GDL/ARCHEO, is designed to establish and maintain DWG/DXF-DBF LINK, that can be utilized by ArcCAD (ARCINFO Data Structure), MAPINFO and INTERGRAPH. GDL/ARCHEO, a personalization of GDL is used as the data input environment for descriptive data related to AutoCAD featured in the drawing. The program has a library of Etruscan vases that can be further personalized and expanded; the default database can be modified to accommodate personalized projects. GDL/ARCHEO has the ability to create overlays, to assign ID-values to the resulting polygon, to provide network tracing capabilities and establish buffer areas for further studies. The program is an add-on ADE (AutoDesk Data Extension) for large archaeological sites. The paper also describes the GIS functions of overlay, buffer, polygon processing and network tracing to prepare hazard maps showing the risk analysis related to the different sites.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 91-102; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.07
Impiego di un sistema geografico informativo per un confronto modellistico preliminare tra due aree archeologiche sabine
Anna De Meo, Giuseppe Espa, Salvatore Espa, Roberto Gabrielli, Ugo Ricci
Abstract
The aim of this work is to contribute to a better understanding of the historical and archaeological heritage. Archaeological and territorial data have been collected and processed in a GIS in order to provide information on the evolution of the population settlement in a selected area used as a case study. The area investigated was that located between the rivers Nera and Aniene (North-South direction) and between the river Tiber and the Sabine Mountains (East-West direction). It is historically identified as the “Sabina Tiberina” region. This area is characterised by a large number of sequential settlements of different populations beginning in the Iron through to the Medieval period. The GIS developed offers the possibility of describing and interpreting the territorial changes caused by the various populations. One of the main features of the GIS is its easy use for non-expert users (such as teachers, students and decision makers). Examples of different types of maps that can be generated by our GIS are presented. Two examples of composite maps containing different types of information (geographical, historical, geological etc.) are presented to show the possibilities afforded by the system.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 103-112; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.08
Sistema cartografico per il centro antico di Nora
Maria Letizia Gualandi, Manuela Tascio, Giorgio Pala, Jacopo Bonetto
Abstract
Due to the recommencing of methodical archaeological excavation on the site of Nora, first Phoenician then Punic and Roman town, situated on the southern coast of Sardinia approximately 30 Km west of Cagliari, it was necessary to establish a cartographic system extended to all the hill on which the settlement standed (the settlement had never been completely mapped). This system had to cover previously surveyed areas and to allow the continuous updating with data resulting from new excavations. With these requirements, a computerised cartographic system was created, which consisted of basic information regarding not only the archaeological remains, but also the modern topography and the morphology of the hill. The aim was to design an operating system practical both for research and for safeguarding the archaeological site and allowing planning of its infrastructure. The project has been carried out in several phases: a) planning of the cartographical base; b) aerial survey of the zone; c) aerophotogrammetric zone; d) implementation of the numerical cartographic system; e) layout of the archives. The aerophotogrammetric information produced numerical files containing 3D data for every mapped point; using this data it was possible to create 3D models whose use is not only for archaeological research but also for aiding in planning for future infrastructural intervention in the archaeological park.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 113-128; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.09
Unbiasing the archaeological record
Abstract
The Wroxeter Hinterland Project is a three-year regional research project employing GIS technology in the planning, management, research and publication of a study of the Iron Age and Roman landscape around the Roman city of Viroconium (Wroxeter) in Shropshire. The use of GIS technology in projects such as this has again highlighted the problems associated with scientific interpretation of the known archaeological record, built up mainly over the past century. In particular, the capability of GIS to recognise, extract, and extrapolate patterns in multivariate map data has meant that archaeologists must now resist the temptation to interpret such patterns as anything more than relatively recently introduce biases of site preservation and visibility. This paper explores ways in which GIS can be used to discover, and correct, such biases.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 129-135; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.10
Building an urban image
Abstract
Abandoned towns have long been recognised as one of the most important resources to understanding the development and decline of the urban environment. In Britain, the number of opportunities for studies into abandoned Roman towns is limited as most have continued in use until the present day. The Wroxeter Hinterland Project is currently engaged in research on the best-preserved deserted Roman town in Britain: Viroconium Cornoviorum, in Shropshire – modern Wroxeter. The approach has been to use a broad range of geophysical prospecting methods to elucidate the nature and density of occupation on the site. Standard geophysical techniques such as magnetometry and resistivity have been extensively deployed alongside the newer technologies of Ground-penetrating radar, multi-probe, continuous-reading automated resistivity, seismology and conductivity. Airborne survey is adding another dimension through multi-spectral scanning and conventional aerial photography, while sub-surface surveys are being hatched up with ground-truthing data collected through conventional survey methods. The results are being processed in the Project’s GIS database and will provide as full an insight into the nature of occupation at Wroxeter as is possible without further extensive excavation. It is intended that the results will be published in an atlas and will also be accessible via the World-Wide-Web.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 137-147; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.11
Trattamento informatico dei dati relativi alle trasformazioni di aree centuriate dell'Italia centrale: il caso di Urbs Salvia
Abstract
The author illustrates the main purpose of a research project that he is carrying out on Roman centuriation in Central Italy. In particular, the paper discusses the evolution of Roman cadastre of Urbs Salvia during the Early Middle Ages and Middle Ages. The author suggests that starting from a hypothetical centuriated form, study should be made of field boundaries that can be extracted, for example, from medieval documents, ancient maps and cabrei. In this way, if significant data is found, we have a reliable confirmation of the supposed original schema. In the Urbs Salvia’s centuriation several medieval field boundaries abut the Roman limits or the burial monuments that the Romans used to mark limits. Moreover some roads, mentioned in several documents of the Chiaravalle di Fiastra Cistercian Abbey, run exactly in the middle of a row of centuriae. Data is recorded using AutoCAD R13 (for numeric cartography) and Paradox 5.0 for Windows (other data).
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 149-159; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.12
Un archivio georeferenziato di insediamenti archeologici
Franco Niccolucci, Giulia Pardi, Tommaso Zoppi
Abstract
This contribution deals with the survey of medieval sites in Tuscany, carried out to record territorial, topographical, historical and archaeological data and to integrate these different kinds of sources. It studies the region corresponding to the ancient county owned by the Ardengheschi family, in the south of Tuscany. The collected data are organised into a relational database; its most important tables contain administrative, geographical, environmental, historical and archaeological (descriptive and interpretative) data. Each database record is also geographically referenced by means of the coordinates of the central point of the corresponding site. This organisation makes it possible to investigate chronological and spatial relationships among sites. Some examples show the inadequacy of Euclidean distance and how it can be correctly defined to obtain coherent results; others deal with the definition of “contemporary” settlements, and it is shown how paradoxical results may derive from a “blind” use of database queries. To avoid such consequences, the use of “fuzzy logic” is proposed to define the lifetime of a site, especially if historical and archaeological records span over different periods; an application of fuzzy logical operators is considered in a final example.
«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1996, 7, 161-177; doi: 10.19282/ac.7.1996.13