Sistemi informativi territoriali e prospezioni archeologiche: una convergenza necessaria

Mauro Cucarzi

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 1995, 6, 61-73

Abstract

The Geographic Information System ODYSSEUS presented here is a database, set up according to the procedures established by the Ministero dei Beni Culturali e Ambientali, and extended through an additional information system relevant to archaeological and geophysical prospection, core drilling and surface collection. The database is organised for information retrieval (Highway) whereby any data may be found by name rather than graphical identificatio. The drawing of maps is undertaken in vector (DWG) format, the most commonly used in archaeology. In essence, the system is designed to receive images and link them to the appropriate database tables. It allows the visualisation and management of a DWG file, and the overlay at the same scale on other raster images (e.g. aerial photos), thereby producing a vector drawing of all the data highlighted on the raster maps. For all database “objects”, a series of mathematical algorithms automatically construct thematic maps. Geo-archaeological exploration of the data inserted in the database - geophysical prospections, core drillings, surface distribution of ceramic fragments, etc. - increases the number of parameter classes important in determining the characteristics for settlement-location models. This article provides a brief overview of the ODYSSEUS system, and two examples of its application: Oppido Mamertina, in the Calabria region of Italy, and the “Microregion”, a large area under protection in eastern Hungary.

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