Articles by Subject

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

The site of Norba is located in the Latium Region, about 90 km S of Rome, Italy. The city is one of the best example of urban town planning, with a regular layout dating back to antiquity. Over the years, many studies and archaeological excavations have brought to light important remains of several buildings, which are still very well preserved. To enhance the knowledge of the unexcavated portions of the archaeological site and to locate the position of the unknown and hypothesized buried structures, extensive geophysical surveys employing the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Gradiometric methods were planned and conducted between 2017 and 2018. For the measurements, a GPR system SIR3000 (GSSI), equipped with a 400 MHz bistatic antenna with constant offset, was used to survey 27 different sectors close to few excavated areas. Taking into account the environmental conditions of the site and the nature of the buried structures, some areas were surveyed with a spacing interval between parallel profiles of 0.25 m while other areas were investigated with a spatial interval between closed parallel profiles of 0.50 m. Furthermore, fluxgate differential magnetic (Gradiometric) surveys were carried out using the geoscan FM256 in two areas, overlapping the GPR areas. In order to have a better understanding of the subsurface, methods of qualitative and quantitative integration of the results have been employed: maps overlays and RGB color composites (graphical integration), binary data analysis and cluster analysis (discrete data integration), and data sum, data product and principal component analysis (continuous data integration). The results obtained from the geophysical surveys were interpreted together with the archaeologists to define the meaning of the structures identified and to enhance the knowledge of the ancient town’s layout and mapping.

The town of Catania, located in the southern part of the Sicily region, Italy, holds the remains of an ancient settlement in the city centre. One of the most important buildings is the Cathedral and the buried Achillean Baths. The Cathedral was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt after the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that occurred over time. The first building dates back to the period 1078-1093 and was built on the ruins of the Roman Achillean Baths, on the initiative of Count Roger, acquiring all the characteristics of an equipped (i.e. fortified) ecclesia. Already in 1169, a catastrophic earthquake demolished it almost completely, leaving intact only the apse. In 1194 a fire created considerable damage and finally in 1693 the earthquake that hit the Val di Noto destroyed it almost completely. The area around the Cathedral is today highly urbanized, but it was the locus of social and political life over the centuries for people of different cultures who have inhabited the area since the 8th century BC. Therefore, this area contains stratigraphically complex layers of buildings and other remains, which can help understand the use of this area of the town over many centuries. A ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography surveys were performed inside and outside the Cathedral of Catania. Data were visualized in three-dimensions using a standard amplitude slice technique as well as the construction of isosurface images of amplitudes. These images reveal the position of architectural features whose shape, size and burial depth suggest they are Roman and earlier in age. The features mapped overlap the development of the Achillean Baths and the presence of some tombs and unknown rooms.

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.

Since 2016, an extensive survey has been conducted at the archaeological site of Doclea in the areas between the forum, the basilica, the Capitolium, the thermae and the walls of the city, as well as around the eastern medieval churches, and in the S part of the temple of Dea Roma and of the private house. GPR results have produced a detailed and extensive plan of hidden structures (walls, roads, ditches and gullies) inside the walls of the city. The knowledge of these features is of great worth in promoting archaeological excavations and projects of valorisation for the site.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In recent years Remote Sensing applications in archaeology have become increasingly frequent. This plurality of applications depends mostly on the rising interest of the scientific community in modern methods for surveying geographic data, which have become increasingly powerful, automatic and reliable. Remote Sensing, with its various techniques, offers the rapid acquisition of a huge quantity of metric and qualitative data in order to describe or to identify archaeological sites. For an appropriate and widespread use of these data, it is still necessary to have recourse to GIS techniques; as a matter of fact, only the combined use of both methodologies provides a full exploitation of their potential for an in-depth understanding and an effective utilization of data related to an archaeological site. The authors illustrate some case studies concerning use of remote sensed data for cartographic applications and detection of possible buried archaeological structures.

During the years 2006-2007, three teams of scientists (archaeologists with geophysicists) detected the archaeological surface of the Late Antique villa at Aiano-Torraccia di Chiusi (Siena, Tuscany) using GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar), Resistivity and Magnetometry. Their aim was to identify archaeological remains and consequently spend less time and money on digging. At the conclusion of the fieldwork and data treatment, they used a CAD program to overlap geophysical and archaeological layers and check geophysical results on archaeological remains. Despite surveys in many other archaeological sites, they obtained few results: surveys located anomalies in less than 1/4 of the archaeological remains excavated in 2008 and 2009. In this paper the authors attempt to analyze (and try to find better solutions for the future) errors in the geophysical surveys caused by incorrect calibration of the database, low accuracy of grid intersections and excessively long grid lines, in relationship to site conditions and the kinds of archaeological remains. These technical problems in fact certainly create a less than optimal operational synergy between archaeologists and geologists during the post-processing of the data: an analysis of these problems may help to improve future projects of this type.

The project for the urban redevelopment of Paolo Orsi Square (ex slaughterhouse) in Rosarno (Reggio Calabria, Italy) represented an important opportunity to investigate the archaeological area and experiment new technologies in a very important sacred area of the ancient polis of Medma. The Greek colony is located under modern Rosarno and in particular, in the eastern part, under Paolo Orsi Square, there was a sacred area. An OhmMapper (Geometrics-US) archaeological resistivity survey was carried out in the area occupied by the ex-municipal slaughterhouse, where a small part of the structures of a sanctuary (6th-2nd cent. B.C.) was brought to light. Data acquired through the resistivity survey were used to create 2D and 3D models of the subsurface; in these models it is possible to identify with a good level of precision the geometry and depth of archaeological features. These results helped us to reconstruct the direction of the walls and the location of the main structures related to the sanctuary, without invasive procedures. Thanks to the results of the geophysical survey, some areas of considerable archaeological potential were preserved during the project of urban redevelopment, conducted thanks to POR (Programmi Operativi Regionali) funds.

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.

After years spent in developing FLOSS we have reached a high quality level in computational archaeology, and therefore, in 2008 we focused our research on OS hardware projects to develop our data acquisition methodology. In this article we present our experiments in building a drone for aerial documentation..

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.

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.

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.

The article presents activities and specific technologies connected to a multidisciplinary project, developed within the 'Caere Project' (http://www.progettocaere.rm.cnr.it) and conducted by researchers of the CNR-ITABC and the University of Molise. The goal of the research is to contribute to the archaeological documentation of the Etruscan town of Cerveteri (Rome-Italy), employing a vast array of technologies for the 3D reconstruction of the landscape. The research is also aimed at integrating instruments for topographic relief and innovative methodologies of surveying (DGPS, total stations, 3D laser scanning), to collect geometrical and morphological data at territorial and site scale. A geophysical survey in the Vigna Parrocchiale area, located in the centre of the urban plateau, was carried out using geoelectric methods of investigation to enable archaeologists to detect subsurface structures. The results obtained and illustrated in this paper will be validated by the reopening in the near future of the excavations by CNR-ISCIMA.

Since its establishment in 1987, the Cecina Valley Survey Project, directed by Nicola Terrenato of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has undertaken the systematic investigation of the landscape surrounding the Etruscan, and then later Roman, city of Volaterrae in Northern Etruria, modern Tuscany. Whilst the main aim of the study is to investigate the distributions of settlements in the valley between 600 BC and AD 600, the survey has recorded the presence of artefacts of all periods. Together with a diverse approach to geophysical survey, the project has generated a wealth of data that has been documented within a spatial database, thus permitting interpretation to include both remotely sensed data and field surface collection. Through the powerful application of this GIS technology combined with a detailed site documentation, a useful methodology was developed that could be reapplied in the field. The combination of field walking and a multiple site approach to geophysical survey, enhanced by the application of mobile computing technology, allowed an immediate initial interpretation of the site to be made. This approach to field survey, combining the techniques of GIS, geophysics and traditional field walking, allowed a rapid detailed appraisal of the site, particularly through a target specific form of remote sensing. Presented here are some results from two seasons of geophysical surveying of rural settlements in the Cecina Valley and a discussion of the development of this integrated field survey approach. Appraisal is also made of the most suitable geophysical methods to be applied to individuate Hellenistic and early Roman rural settlements and the different forms of computer filter analysis that can be applied to extract clearer results.

A contribution to archaeological resource management. Ghent University has organised an archaeological aerial survey of both provinces of East- and West-Flanders since the beginning of the 1980s. As a result of these activities, some 50,000 photographs have been captured. They reveal thousands of archaeological structures, from the Neolithic through to the most recent periods. Since 1997, financial support has been received from the Flemish Community aimed at the realisation of a GIS based database (Access 97 relational database - Arcview 3.1) and the digitalization of some 50% of the photographs. As a result, it was possible to locate all 50,000 images and connect them with geographical information offered by the support centre GIS Flanders. It is expected in the near future that this information will be available for SMR-purposes and archaeological heritage management. There are also several scientific outputs: one of them is the study of Bronze Age barrows.

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.

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.