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Archeologia e Calcolatori 21 - 2010

21 articles

Journal articles

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La catalogazione nei musei archeologici del Lazio: contributo per una terminologia ragionata

Ilaria D'Ambrosio, Paola Pascucci

Abstract

In 1999 the Museum Service of the Lazio Region, together with the firm Andromeda, set up a database for the archaeological finds in the municipal museums in the region. The project, called IDRA, was created for the purpose of locating and quantifying the archaeological material in each museum. Designed as a client/server system with an SQL engine, IDRA software combines the philosophy of relational databases with object-oriented structures, where the information is organized hierarchically. At this time the database consists of around 17,000 files - provided with digital images and referring to 50 different museums - that are now available on the Culture Portal of the Lazio Region (http://www.culturalazio.it/site/it-IT/Argomenti/Banche_dati_online/). A tentative model used to locate both museums and finding sites through Google Maps has also been made. On the basis of specific agreements with the Ministry of Culture and the Municipality of Rome a project was initiated for a shared consultation of databases pertinent to different authorities as well as for a common investigation about structured terminology lists. To this aim we have conducted a standardization of terminology related to the entry “Object Definition”, and developed a list of about 500 terms. In the present article we have focused on some of the issues that emerged during our work in order to submit them to public discussion. We deal, for instance, with how to define the state of preservation of the object in relation to its definition; whether and how to use diminutives; how to structure the categories of material so as to define the finds for optimal searching; and how to file objects reused at a later period.

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Museo and Web: un kit pratico per le istituzioni culturali che vogliono realizzare un sito web di qualità

Maria Teresa Natale, Rubino Saccoccio

Abstract

Museo and Web is a best practice, the result of shared results at a European level as part of the MINERVA project (http://www.minervaeurope.org/), which produced a series of very important guidelines in the field of the quality of cultural websites. One of these results was the creation of the open source CMS (Content Management System) Museo and Web, produced and funded by the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities, especially devoted to cultural institutions (museums, libraries, archives, etc.) that want to build a website. The importance of this CMS, characterised by modules especially planned for cultural institutions, is that it is not imposed by third parties, but is designed with the contributions of the cultural institutions which participate in the enrichment of the platform by expressing their needs. The diffusion of the kit (which also includes a series of guidelines on how to build the architecture of the websites of cultural institutions) contribute to increase awareness among the stakeholders of cultural institutions dealing with communication and web publishing on accessibility, usability and quality of cultural website in general. More than 150 Italian institutions have already built their websites with Museo and Web. A few hours of training are enough to learn how it runs and how to use it. In 2010, the source codes will be made available on the SourceForge platform, in order to share these results with a larger audience.

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Nuove tecnologie per la conoscenza e la comunicazione di Lucca romana

Lorenza Camin, Marcello Carrozzino, Rosario Leonardi, Antonella Negri

Abstract

This article describes the results of a project related to IT applied to the city of Lucca in the Roman era (Tecnologie informatiche per la conoscenza e la comunicazione di Lucca romana), which was conducted as part of a Ph.D. program in Technologies and Management of Cultural Heritage at the Institute for Advanced Studies IMT Lucca. The work done can be divided into three separate stages, each of which is distinguished by the utilization of specific surveying tools. The first to be set up was GIS LUCA (Looking at an Urban Context Archive), where all the existing documentation on Roman Lucca was archived (maps, iconography, surveys, images, descriptive data). The information processed in LUCA provided data for the creation of the three-dimensional model of Roman Lucca, whereby the walls, main monuments and arteries, which still identify the town as Roman today, are represented in a schematic yet scientifically correct way. Additional experimentation was conducted as part of the research. Using an innovative three-dimensional relief technique, the ZScan, which enables cloud points to be taken from a photographic scan, three-dimensional models of the pillars of the eastern gate were elaborated, as well as three arches of the Roman amphitheatre that have been particularly well preserved. Lastly, the website www.luccaromana.com was created to publish the results that were obtained. The site proposes numerous knowledge paths around the ancient town by means of a range of highly innovative access methods, that provide a global yet synthetic description of Roman Lucca, which is a result of the research and experimentation conducted as part of the project.

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The Cultural Heritage Map of Apulia Project

Angela Barbanente, Giuliano Volpe, Caterina Annese, Antonietta Buglione, Annalisa Di Zanni, Roberto Goffredo, Angelo Valentino Romano

Abstract

The Cultural Heritage Map of Apulia, started in September 2007, is a mapping project carried out by the Regional Department of Land Management (Apulia, Italy) in collaboration with the Regional Department for Cultural Heritage, the four Regional Universities of Apulia and the Regional Central Department for Cultural and Environmental Heritage. The project aim is to create a thematic cartography in order to archive, map and describe in detail the Cultural Heritage of the territory of Apulia, superseding the traditional method of cataloguing based on a concept of Cultural Heritage as spots on a map. The other main purpose of the project is to analyze and describe the stratified historical landscapes of the regional countryside, from prehistory up to now, as long-term evidence of the identity of people and places. These aims have been achieved combining different disciplines and methodologies and a geo-database which is part of the Apulia Region GIS organized in different themes and informative layers. This is intended to be an innovative and dynamic instrument for Cultural Heritage preservation and it is expected that conformity with the Cultural Heritage Map of Apulia will be the necessary requirement for the approval of every land-planning activity in order to preserve the local Cultural Heritage.

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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.

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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.

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

Enrico Cavada, Matteo Rapanà

Abstract

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

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"L’intervisibilité": application à la région de la Tolfa-Allumiere

Soraya Siafi

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.

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Statistical analysis of some loomweights from Pompeii: a postscript

Michael J. Baxter, Hilary E.M. Cool, Michael Andrew Anderson

Abstract

In 2008 the authors undertook a detailed statistical analysis of the dimensions of a large sample of loomweights from Insula VI.1, Pompeii. A major finding was that the weights of the loomweights appeared to have a bimodal distribution. Further analysis using loomweights that have come to light since the original work strengthens this observation. An analysis of loomweight volume has been undertaken with a view to predicting weight from volume for incomplete loomweights where sufficient information is retained to allow a volume calculation. Recently published experimental work allows an interpretation of the bimodality of the weights in terms of the loom set-up and the cloth being woven, and this is explored in some detail, along with further, tentative, observations on the chronology of the weights.

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Un'anfora frammentaria dalla Laguna di Venezia

Iwona Modrzewska, Giancarlo Taroni, Franco Pianetti

Abstract

In this paper the authors have analyzed a fragmentary amphora found in the Venetian lagoon at Chiese Bruciate, which has analogies with another amphora from the lagoon which was found in the Rigà Canal. By comparing the amphorae on a typological basis it was found that they represent one of the least common shapes among the amphorae produced in the eastern Mediterranean which are known as the Late Roman type. Both of the amphorae discovered in the lagoon seem to have been imported from Asia Minor or the Aegean area of the Mediterranean during the Late Antique or Byzantine era. The amphora from Chiese Bruciate was attributed to the Late Roman 2 group and in particular to the Dyczek 25 type. As has been done in other study cases, along with the typological analysis a geometric shape study - i.e., a morphometric analysis of the amphorae made by comparing the different forms using geometric indexes calculated on the coordinates of the points measured on the outline of the vase - have also been conducted. Two known statistical indices were used: the coefficient r of Bravais Pearson and the similarity ratio k. For the analysis of the analogies between the shape of the amphora from Chiese Bruciate (SB) and the other amphorae open source R software was used.

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Correspondence Analysis in R for archaeologists: an educational account

Michael J. Baxter, Hilary E.M. Cool

Abstract

Correspondence Analysis (CA) is a popular tool for archaeological data analysis, appropriate for use with tables of non-negative number. The technique allows the visual display of the associations between the rows and between the columns of a data matrix, and the relationships between them. Archaeologists with this kind of data often have no problem in understanding the ideas behind CA, but with limited training in statistics may have problems in implementing it. Commercial, menu driven, statistical software packages of the type used for service teaching in universities are expensive and restrictive in the way results from a CA can be presented. Archaeologists outside the university sector may not have access to such software. This paper is a guide to how the open-source software R can be used to undertake CA. R is a sophisticated, ‘state-of-the-art’ package that is constantly updated. It is not menu driven and can seem forbidding to new users. The paper provides a detailed account, ranging from installation of the package through to real applications of CA, that has helped, and we hope will continue to help, encourage the use of CA among archaeologists who have previously been discouraged from engaging with it.

Quantitative Methods for the Challenges in 21st Century Archaeology, Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the UISPP 4th Commission (Budapest, Hungarian National Museum, 5-6 June 2009

Edited by Katalin T. Biró

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Editorial notes for the Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the UISPP 4th Commission (Budapest, Hungarian National Museum, 5-6 June 2009)

Katalin T. Biró

Abstract

Editorial notes for the Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the UISPP 4th Commission (Budapest, Hungarian National Museum, 5-6 June 2009)

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Quantifier les processus archéologiques

François Djindjian

Abstract

Since 1950, in the history of Quantitative Archaeology, the data approach has been the essence of the mathematical and statistical applications in Archaeology. In the present paper, it is proposed to focus on the process approach and to point out new fields of mathematical applications in Archaeology. Several archaeological processes are shown, for example, archaeological business process, stratigraphy process, post-depositional process, taphonomic process, technological (manufacturing) process, building process, intersite spatial process (landscape archaeology), exchange process, cultural change process. The list is not exhaustive and has only the purpose of illustrating the interest of such an approach. Several examples of applications are given, which show the differences between the data approach and the process approach. The mathematical techniques, which are used, are mainly the description and the quantification of the processes, elementary statistics, data analysis, stochastic models and the simulation by multi-agent systems.

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Fit for purpose? Archaeological data in the 21st century

Clive Orton

Abstract

Archaeology continues to generate large amounts of data, in a growing range of formats and media. Old datasets have been or are being digitised, and there is increasing emphasis on the re-use of old datasets, and on preparing new datasets with re-use in mind. That being so, surprisingly little attention has been paid to the prevention and detection of errors in archaeological data, and in acquiring or developing robust methods of analysis. The sorts of errors that can be encountered in different types of data are approached and discussed through a series of case studies, dealing with counting errors, measurement errors, and classificatory errors. They are linked to another obstacle to the re-use of data: the lack of standardised terminology between different originators. Strategies for mitigating these problems (which cannot be totally overcome) are discussed.

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Symmetry analysis of Neolithic painted pottery from the Republic of Macedonia

Goce Naumov

Abstract

Neolithic pottery from the Balkans and Anatolia is well known for its remarkable and unique decoration. Very often the visual features of these objects are used for determining the relative chronology of excavated sites, without considering its potential for mathematical observation. The repertoire of patterns used for developing the compositional structures painted on the vessels provide abundant data for such analysis. Almost all of the fragments discovered so far as well as the completely preserved painted pots from these regions were decorated following several visual principles which made it possible to achieve a precise disposition of the patterns on the spherical surface of the vessel. This decorative approach was established on the basis of the standards of Neolithic geometry which employ both symmetry and the principles of visual entropy. For this reason, the painted vessels from Early and Middle Neolithic settlements discovered in the Republic of Macedonia provide a variety of information about the organization and structures incorporated on the decorated pottery. In the earlier phases these painted compositions were mostly based on The Four Rigid Motions of pattern disposition on a one dimensional format, while later, besides using this concept, the principle of asymmetry was implemented in order to compose a two-dimensional image . The aim of this paper is to identify all possible forms of plane symmetry, patterns and compositions applied in the decoration of Neolithic vessels from the Republic of Macedonia, as well to promote the use of geometric symmetry as a possibility for the reconstruction of decorated fragments.

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The Ancient Charm Project: new neutron based imaging methods for cultural heritage studies

Ralf Schulze, László Szentmiklósi, Zoltán Kis

Abstract

It has been shown in the frame of the Ancient Charm project that neutron based methods have a great potential for the investigation of cultural heritage objects. Several measurements on replicas and real objects have been performed, some still being under analysis. The main disadvantage of the 3D methods compared to their bulk counterparts is their reduced statistics, which limits sensitivity and increases the measurement time that is needed to get meaningful results. If one limits oneself to 2D space this drawback is reduced. As was shown for the 2D-PGAI the combination with a beforehand performed neutron tomography, together with some reasonable assumptions about the sample, can be used to deduce the 3D elemental distribution for not too complex objects. For relatively flat objects, like the belt mount that was shown here, the additional information obtained from a real 3D measurement may be negligible compared to the information gained from increased statistical significance. For the future the results of a full 3D scan of the real fibula and the 3D reconstruction from a NRT tomography can be expected.

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CeraMIS: interactive Internet-based information system on Neolithic pottery

Judith Zöldföldi, Viktoria Leno, Balázs Székely, Veronika Szilágyi, Katalin T. Biró, Péter Hegedűs

Abstract

Most Neolithic pottery, except for some high quality fineware, is thought to be made of local material. However, in order to be able to conclude whether certain types of fineware were contemporaneously imported or not, considerable archaeometric analysis is required as well as the systemization of the acquired data. The development of CeraMIS, an interdisciplinary database management system for analytical results of raw materials for pottery (geological samples of clay and temper) and pottery artefacts (archaeological samples) is modelled on earlier ceramic provenance studies. It is an innovation established as part of a German-Hungarian bilateral project on "Long distance trade in Neolithic pottery". The database management system contains two main components: the SQL database and the software CeraMIS that organizes the storage of data. Applying a logical, already traditional methodological procedure of provenance analysis on archaeological pottery, in this paper results of petro-mineralogical and geochemical investigations of the samples are presented. The collection of results on surface treatment (painting, slip, and other techniques), investigations by non-destructive, high-resolution methods is also an important part of this procedure. Moreover, one of the important features of the database is that of clarifying the differences between analyses made on complete vessels, shards, the clay paste, temper and surface treatments. To present the results of these complex investigations and make the information available to specialists involved in this field of research, we have developed a software solution based on client/server architecture. The client software CeraMIS connects the server via the Internet, so that the user does not need to install any additional software. The database can be queried using traditional search methods. The system is designed in a way that makes further amendments and extensions possible without loss of data. It is updated and tailored according to the experience acquired during its use. The system functionalities, data structure and data content are regularly revised according to the requirements of the users and data providers.

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Burial mounds: detecting ancient surfaces. The method of (semi)quantitative phytolith and biomorph analysis

Ákos Pető

Abstract

The detection of ancient palaeo-surfaces and horizons is feasible with various pedological methods. The aim of the biomorph analysis is to provide data on the properties of ancient surfaces by locating the palaeo-horizons and describing their vegetational patterns. While conducting the kurgan research, we have often faced the problem of the precise description and localisation of palaeo-horizons within the stratigraphy of the formations. The biomorph analysis provides data in palaeoecological research through the examination of "phyto" and "zoo" microremains. The so-called "multiple biomorph analysis" works both with organic (spores, pollen, charcoal, detritus) and mineral (inorganic) (phytoliths, spicules of sponges, diatoms) biogenic microparticles that can be recovered from soil/sediment samples. One aim of the quantitative analysis of these particles is the identification of the biomorph content in the relevant fractions of the cultural layers and genetic soil horizons and the graphical display throughout the examined cross-section. The present paper is aimed at introducing the utilisation of the quantitative biomorph analysis in palaeoecology and environmental archaeology.

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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.

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Statistical tools in Landscape Archaeology

Dan Ştefan, Valeriu Sîrbu

Abstract

Archaeological Predictive Models (APMs) represent an important evolution of spatial integrated databases of archaeological records. Before the development and the analysis of a predictive model, numerous other steps are required in order to integrate the raw data sets into functional archaeological systems. Our aim is to assess the evolution of archaeological data sets into APMs and to reconsider the real value of such attempts for the Romanian Heritage Protection or for scientific purposes. We will consider, as well, certain aspects regarding the deductive/inductive nature of the APMs. In our perspective, there are a few ways APMs could be improved: the use of more variables, as well as the understanding both of the analytical nature of data sets and of the real nature of archaeological data sets.

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