Legacy data GIS integration and surface survey for the archaeology of the Atellan landscape (Campania, Italy)

Rodolfo Brancato, Antonino Bottone, Giuseppe Luongo, Teresa Tescione

«Archeologia e Calcolatori» 2025, 36.2, 179-198; doi: 10.19282/ac.36.2.2025.15

Abstract

This paper presents preliminary results of the In.Res.Agri (PRIN 2022) case study on the ancient topography of Atella (Campania, Italy). We integrated legacy archival datasets – standardised to ICCD/ICA models – within a QGIS environment and guided systematic surface survey (c. 130 ha) using mobile mapping (QField). Preventive archaeology trenches and sondages were digitised as MOSI records alongside newly documented features, enabling multi-scale analyses of settlement and infrastructure. The database now comprises 285 MOSI (≈548% increase over the pre-existing picture), with c. 69% of entries derived from archival review. Fieldwork refined the mapping of extra-urban axes, including the paved road at Sant’Arpino and a compacted path (UO 206) plausibly aligned with the ‘Acerrae-Atella I’ system. Re-oriented excavation drawings from the Frattaminore ‘Novio Atellano’ site reveal orthogonal roadways whose E-W axis accords with the ager Campanus, suggesting long-term cadastral persistence despite mantling by AD 79 and later tephras. The integrated workflow tests earlier hypotheses on centuriation, clarifies urban-rural relations, and delivers reproducible, georeferenced expectations for targeted verification. At project close, all geodata will be published via Digital Groma and the National Geoportal for Archaeology.

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