Archeologia e Calcolatori 32.2 - 2021

Introduction to the section From Pottery To Context. Archaeology and Virtual Modelling

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

While the branch of Classical studies on Greek figured pottery focused for decades on the development of Beazley’s lifework (i.e. attributions of Greek vases to anonymous painters), the study of the potter’s work, the organization of workshops, their networks and relative chronology (although sporadically studied by several scholars, e.g. Haspels, Bloesh, Mackay, Jubier-Galinier) remained broadly neglected and were never systematically analysed. Yet, Beazley was perfectly aware of the need to restore the potter and his/her wheel to the centre of the workshop. In this paper, we first outline the history of the research on the shapes of Greek vases and their attributions to anonymous potters, showing why this work is fundamental to understand the organization of potters’ quarters (in Greece and elsewhere) and describing the most recent methodologies which we developed in this regard. In the second part, we build on case studies to move past stylistic attribution in order to show how the study of vase shapes in general can help archaeologists understand broader questions like the mechanisms of intercultural exchanges in the ancient Mediterranean.

The study of the Attic-figured pottery is closely connected with the ‘Beazley method’, which consists in the possibility of recognizing a painting ‘hand’ exclusively based on the style of the work; the Beazley method, despite having suffered some criticism, is still considered substantially valid. The need to have images which can be analyzed from a stylistic point of view, has suggested to combine the use of some open-source programs of 3D photogrammetry (such as VisualSFM and Meshlab) and 3D modeling (such as Blender), in order to shift the figured frieze from the pot to paper, avoiding the limitations associated with traditional direct drawing.

The city of Kainua (Marzabotto), inhabited between the end of the 6 th century BC and the beginning of the 4th century BC, is one of the most important and best-preserved Etruscan centers. During the excavations performed by the University of Bologna in the area of the temple of Uni, masses of rare red ochre and Egyptian blue pigments have been found. After this discovery, a series of analyses has been carried out in order to study the polychromy of the architectural terracottas of the site. Thanks to spectroscopic analysis, it has been possible to examine the composition of the pigments that were employed. Moreover, the Visible- Induced Luminescence (VIL) technique not only confirmed the use of Egyptian blue, but also allowed to rediscover the decoration pattern of some painted tiles which belonged to one of the temples of the acropolis. This discovery is very important because the use of Egyptian blue had never been attested before in the Etruscan Po Valley. Lastly, the study has allowed to create a 3D reconstruction of some painted architectural elements, which are preserved nowadays in fragments.

The paper aims to illustrate an intervention of digital restoration carried out on different groups of antefixes coming from excavations started in 1845 in a private fund today located in Curti, near Caserta and pertaining to sacred building roofs of a sanctuary whose oldest phase is dated to the 6th century BC. Nowadays, finds are preserved in the Museo Provinciale Campano, located in Capua. Particularly, two hundred and fifty antefixes belonging to the group named ‘female heads within the nimbus’, have been studied, articulated into thirty different series, filed in a database created ad hoc, and the digital restoration of their prototypes has been completed. Issues relating to seriality and traceability of these finds to individual archetypes will be explored, features that make a faithful 3D reconstruction of a prototype possible, based on the combination of physical data of fragmented antefixes pertaining to each series. Furthermore, phases and techniques of detection and scanning of an archaeological find using a laser scanner for small objects will be particularly analyzed. It will show how to achieve a mesh from a scanning file and how to elaborate it. Lastly, processing steps necessary to the realization of a 3D restoration will be illustrated through modeling techniques and collation of different 3D scannings. These kinds of technological experimentations contribute to diversify our memory transmission modes. They offer the chance to create digital and implementable catalogs, useful for a dynamic documentation of the Archaeological Heritage, but also and above all, fundamental tools for the monitoring, conservation and fruition of analyzed corpora.

Heir to a centuries-old tradition, the phenomenon of collecting ancient pottery, especially Greek and Southern-Italian, is still particularly active, and denoting a still lively adherence to classical taste. The materials of these collections, however, often appear decontextualized, that is to say deprived of their fundamental informative component. Since 2018, through a multidisciplinary approach, the MemO Project, directed by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padova, has dealt with the study of these materials in order to reconstruct their history and origin, i.e. to systematically recount their memory. This contribution intends to analyze the complexity of the narration of the archaeological data for the decontextualized material and, above all, to detect its informative potential in order to recreate the original context. Through a multidisciplinary teamwork, we intend to present the results obtained in the context of the reconstruction of the history of inevitably inaccessible materials.

This article describes an interdisciplinary study carried out by a team of archaeologists, 3D surveyors and experts of new technologies applied to cultural heritage. The research was aimed at developing a virtual reality experience dedicated to Etruscan hypogean tombs in the city of Volterra. The application, intended for non-expert users, has been implemented in a touch screen version (mobile devices) as well as in VR mode (Samsung Gear Headset). In both versions, the user can easily interact with the immersive virtual context, browsing through the necropolises and/or underground tombs, and acquire textual and multimedia information.

Introduction to the section ARCHAEOLOGICAL COMPUTING: SELECTED PAPERS FROM THE 2020 IMEKO TC-4 METROARCHAEO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

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.

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.

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.

The aim of this study is to obtain an estimate of the volumetric capacity of a selection of ceramic vessels from the Neolithic site of Lugo di Grezzana (Verona, Italy). The method applied involved the use of Blender, a free and open source 3D computer graphics software. This program can calculate the volume from the graphic elaboration of the archaeological drawing of the artifacts. Through the calculation of volume it has been possible to obtain an estimate of the total capacity of the vessels, proposing two types of content. Volumetric estimates were then compared between the diameter and height of each ceramic vessels, to define size classes. The research shows that the internal variability of some ceramic shapes could be the consequence of different functional and/or cultural choices. The methodology tested in this paper could be applied in future research projects.

The article emphasizes the importance of anatomical-morphological analysis of a volume 3D model reconstructed from microcomputer tomographic 2D images for archaeological documentation and treatment, non-invasive archaeological analysis, and a more optimal selection of conservation methods and techniques. The object of μCT reconstruction is a 40,000-year-old Palaeolithic hunting weapon found in 2008 in the Ljubljanica River near Sinja Gorica (Vrhnika, lat.: Nauportus, Slovenia). This wooden point (yew; lat.: Taxus baccata) is so far just one of only eight known Palaeolithic wooden artifacts found in Europe. Between 2013 and 2017, the point was conserved using a traditional waterlogged wood processing technique with melamine resin. Using computer volumetric analysis of five surface 3D models, taken before, during and after the conservation, it was found out that volumetric changes and deviations of the point have occurred (bending, weight, volume, surface cracks and changes). Surface changes of the 3D models did not answer the question: what are the causes for the resulting changes after the conservation process? Only anatomical-morphological analysis of the internal structure of the point could answer this question. To this end, we developed an iterative segmentation algorithm adapted to archaeological analysis for the reconstruction of a volume 3D model from microtomographic 2D images. In this way, we successfully supplemented the data of the surface 3D model and confirmed volumetrically and graphically the current and critical state of the internal anatomical structure of the artifact (cracks, fractures, etc.). The case study confirmed the exceptional importance of the use of microcomputed tomography as a non-invasive technique in archaeological analysis and in the planning and selection of procedures for conservation, restoration and storage of sensitive archaeological heritage remains in situ or ex situ.

Over the past decade, we have witnessed an increase in the use of technology, through the creation of virtual itineraries and exhibitions, as a tool to guarantee and increase the usability of museums and more generally of artistic and historical works. In fact, it often happens that many works of art and artefacts of archaeological and cultural importance are not accessible to the public, either because they are kept in museum deposits or because they are difficult to access. In a context such as the current one, however, with an ongoing pandemic that forces most of the population to remain at home, the virtualization of museums, and historical and cultural heritage, becomes the main tool for exploring and enhancing culture. Among the various methodologies used for the creation of three-dimensional models, photogrammetry stands out for ease of use and low cost. This article analyses the use of photogrammetry in 3D modelling, focusing on pros and cons as a rapid, low-cost tool, which makes artworks virtually accessible to the public via museum websites and social network forums.

Imaging systems are the basic tools of the trade for art historians, conservators, and archaeologists, when they are called to document the results of their work. However, photo cameras and imaging systems are also powerful research tools. These systems, in fact, are inherently portable and give the possibility of acquiring high-resolution, spectrally resolved digital images that can be elaborated exploiting the most advanced algorithms of information science. In this contribution, we will outline the many possibilities opened by the available instrumentation and techniques, to suggest the use of image analysis as the first step of the diagnostic process in Cultural Heritage conservation and study.

In this paper we investigated the application of the optical scanning micro-profilometry based on conoscopic holography sensors for the acquisition and the surface analysis of archaeological objects with a micrometric resolution. The portability of the setup developed and its modularity allow to work in situ with a multi-scale and multi-material approach. In addition, we have developed our own tools to create a mesh from the 2D-arrays of distances collected with the resulting possibility to obtain a replica of the artwork using 3D printing technologies. We test the microprofilometer on two case studies: a fragment of an archaeological amphora, also presenting the workflow to obtain the 3D printed object, and an Etruscan bronze mirror, analyzing its surface.

In the last decade portable devices for the analysis of Cultural Heritage (e.g. laser-scanners, spectroscopes, XRF) have reached levels of reliability that can replace benchtop instruments and enable in situ survey. One of the most effective application is the digitization and diagnosis of artworks preserved inside museums. Indeed, moving art objects or finds from the place of preservation to specific laboratories can often be difficult for several reasons such as fragility, large size, risk of damage, lack of authorizations etc. The paper shows the results of a collaboration between the IPCF-CNR of Messina and the Archaeological Museum of Lipari aimed at creating a ‘mobile laboratory’ for chemical analysis and 3D digitization of artefacts presenting different challenges. The activities have been carried out using two high-performing and non-contact tools: a laser-scanner arm by Faro (sometimes in combination with an external camera) and a handheld Raman spectrometer by Bruker. The test was performed to plan more extensive and systematic analyses of other materials preserved in Lipari, which will be soon examined as part of an ongoing agreement between the two institutions. The results of this test clearly demonstrate the advantages, both in terms of scientific results and dissemination, that can be achieved when science and the humanities dialogue for a common goal.

During the Late Republic and Early Empire, central Adriatic Italy was one of the most urbanised regions in the Roman world and most cities were extensively equipped with monumental buildings, often lavishly decorated with imported marbles and sculptures. This contribution presents the results of an archaeological and archaeometric study of the architectural and sculptural marbles used in this central Adriatic area. The determination of the geographical origin of white and polychrome marbles was carried out through macroscopic examination and laboratory investigations (optical petrography, X-ray diffraction, oxygen and carbon stable isotopes). The analyses revealed the presence of a wide range of lithotypes from Italy, Greece (mainland and Aegean islands), Asia Minor, North Africa and Egypt, including varieties of white marble from Carrara, Proconnesos, Pentelikon, Thasos, Paros and Dokimeion.

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.