Archeologia e Calcolatori 36.2 - 2025

Preface to the section Networks and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology and Art History: Essays from the Venice Symposium (5-6 December 2024)

Introduction to the section Networks and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology and Art History: Essays from the Venice Symposium (5-6 December 2024)

The article introduces the concept of ‘Long Data’ as an innovative approach to enhancing the cultural heritage preserved in historical archives. This concept distinguishes itself from Big Data by focusing on the deep historical context found in meticulously preserved archives, revealing valuable insights into cultural heritage. By using new Artificial Intelligence technologies in harmony with traditional archival methods, Long Data aims to analyze, transcribe, and model historical data on an unprecedented scale. This approach promises a more comprehensive understanding of history, improving studies on social and cultural evolution. A key example of Long Data’s application is the Venice State Archive (ASVe), which holds documents dating back over a millennium. The initiative seeks multidisciplinary collaboration to make this vast archive accessible, thereby safeguarding cultural heritage and paving the way for a revolution in historical research.

Within the CHANGES Project, Spoke 8 focuses on integrated advanced technologies and scientific methods to enhance the sustainability and resilience of Tangible Cultural Heritage (TCH). The project fosters the creation of a transdisciplinary unit aimed at improving the knowledge, understanding, management, and dissemination of TCH contexts and assets, supported by innovative workflows and methodologies. It emphasizes transforming fragmented data into shared systems of knowledge. By geolocating information, the project directs scientific focus toward specific problems, promoting data-driven, interdisciplinary approaches for sustainable heritage management. The case studies, including the Ancient Latium, Amendolara (CS), and Syracuse projects, represent preliminary outcomes of this methodology, encompassing the systematic inventory and classification of diverse data, the assessment of knowledge frameworks, and the implementation of cultural narratives.

The Census of Antique Works of Art and Architecture Known in the Renaissance, established in 1946, is a research project that traces the knowledge and reception of antiquities known during the Renaissance by linking them with Early Modern visual and textual records. It has over its long history evolved from an analog system, to one of the earliest digital art history projects, to an online database (https://database.census.de). Recent innovations (2021–2023) have transformed the database into semantic data using the CIDOC-CRM ontology, aligning it with FAIR principles and encouraging broader engagement with the Census’s rigorously-researched dataset. The modeling process involved creating eight Semantic Census models, supported by extensive documentation. The semantic transformation of Census data used the X3ML language and 3M tool for mapping and verification, ensuring consistency and compatibility with other datasets, such as those in the CORDH network. Queries can now be performed using SPARQL, with documented query examples to guide researchers unfamiliar with semantic data. The Semantic Census models have the ability to facilitate new research purposes for Census data, not only in the fields of art history and archaeology, but also beyond the project’s original scope.

The ‘Sacra Absentia’ project, led by Simone Piazza (PI) with Giulia Anna Bianca Bordi (research fellow), is part of the PNRR (2022-2025) within the CHANGES program, Spoke 8, at University Ca' Foscari Venice. This study examines medieval and early modern pilgrims’ accounts of Venice’s religious heritage, informing the cataloguing and spatial reconstruction of lost or recontextualized liturgical furnishings. An online database georeferences these objects using contemporary maps and Jacopo de’ Barbari’s 1500 Venice view. A case study on Sant’Agnese, integrating published and unpublished sources, demonstrates the methodology’s effectiveness in uncovering new historical insights.

The church of San Fantin in Venice embodies the city’s architectural and historical evolution, with its origins in the High Middle Ages still uncertain. This article explores the church’s transformation through a multidisciplinary approach, combining digital modeling, material analysis, and archival research. Carlotta Zaramella reconstructs San Fantin’s architectural phases using a Building Information Modeling (BIM) model. Myriam Pilutti Namer analyzes the phenomenon of reused materials in Venice, with particular focus on the types of ancient marbles incorporated into the church’s fabric. Giulia A.B. Bordi investigates medieval material evidence and archival records of the baptismal font and the holy water stoup

According to a traditional distinction, quantitative and qualitative research approaches are the exclusive domain of the hard sciences, the former, and the humanities, the latter. Taking as its starting point E. Panofsky’s reflections on the disciplinary status of Art History in relation to its method of investigation (1940), this paper aims to demonstrate the anachronism of the hierarchy between disciplines based on the adoption of quantitative or qualitative methods, in favour of a more transversal scientific methodology. Looking at Art History in particular, it is undeniable that the digital revolution has enabled and strongly stimulated quantitative approaches and at the same time fostered transdisciplinary collaborations between different scientific areas. Based on these premises, the article presents the research methodologies and some results of the project Mapping Sacred Spaces: Forms, Functions, and Aesthetics in Medieval Southern Italy, in which the management of a large amount of fragmentary data is addressed. These are either fragmented artistic artefacts scattered over a wide geography, to be analysed at different topographical scales, or a single case study to which a large number of sources and research materials are linked, requiring a systematic and simultaneous management of data. In particular, a preview of the digital archive of the project will be offered, while the preliminary reconstructive 3D model (realised with HBIM technology) of the choir screens and ambo of the Cathedral of Monreale (c. 1180) will be presented for the first time.

This paper explores the impact of digital technologies on the study, conservation, and enhancement of cultural heritage, highlighting how tools such as integrated large-scale surveys, georeferencing, GIS, and BIM are transforming the research and management landscape of cultural assets, particularly in the integration of heterogeneous data. The paper emphasizes how the collection, selection, and interpretation of such data can be integrated into an interoperable system that connects various types of sources (historical, architectural, graphic) within a shared and phygital environment. The case study of the Church of S. Lorenzo in Miranda (Rome) is presented to demonstrate how the collected data enable a more accurate understanding of ancient structures and their transformations. The proposed approach allows overcoming the limitations of traditional methods, offering new opportunities for documentation, research, and conservation. The paper concludes by highlighting the need to invest in shared digital infrastructures and open-access policies to ensure that cultural heritage becomes a global and sustainable resource for future generations.

This study presents a novel approach for remote Fiber Optic Reflectance Spectroscopy (FORS) applied to the Renaissance painting Saints Peter and Stephen, tentatively attributed to Antonio del Massaro da Viterbo. The painting, housed at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice, was analyzed using both contact and remote FORS, with the latter performed at an 8 meter distance using a custom optical setup inspired by astronomical techniques. The reflectance spectra obtained in both configurations showed strong agreement, enabling the identification of pigments such as iron-based yellows, red lake, malachite, and azurite. The findings offer new insights into the artist’s material choices and techniques, while also demonstrating the feasibility of remote FORS as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for cultural heritage. Future developments will focus on refining the optical setup to further improve measurement accuracy and expand the applicability of remote FORS in heritage science

This paper discusses two recent volumes that significantly contribute to the field of archaeological network research: Network Science in Archaeology (2023), edited by Tom Brughmans and Matthew A. Peeples, and The Oxford Handbook of Archaeological Network Research (2024), edited by Tom Brughmans, Barbara J. Mills, Jessica Munson, and Matthew A. Peeples. Together, these works provide a comprehensive overview of current methodologies and applications of network science in archaeology, offering valuable theoretical frameworks and case studies.

Introduction to the section Investigating Resilient Roman Agricultural Landscapes in Southern Italy. An integrated and open it approach for archaeological topography of centuriation. Proceedings of the final conference of the PRIN 2022 project ‘In.Res.Agri’ (Naples, 20th-21st November 2025)

The case study identified in Eastern Irpinia includes the territories belonging to the colony of Aeclanum, to the N, and ancient Compsa, to the S. It is a vast area bordered by the Calore River to the W, which reaches and exceeds the banks of the Ufita River to the E. It offers the opportunity to study a territory that has been little explored in relation to the topic of agrarian divisions, likely due to its decidedly complex geomorphological nature, characterized by a predominantly hilly landscape and rich hydrography, with limited plains. Furthermore, the historical interpretation of the entire territory is equally complex, for which the boundaries of each center can only be hypothesized. Following the indications of the Liber Coloniarum, which mentions divisions for both Aeclanum and Compsa, and considering the discovery of eight agrarian division stones, of which at least 6 dating to Gracchan period, an attempt is being made to reconstruct the agrarian divisions implemented in the territory through the analysis of historical cartography, aerial photographs and with the aid of machine-learning applications starting from high-resolution satellite images.

This research, conducted within the framework of the In.Res.Agri project, explores the integration of advanced remote sensing and artificial intelligence techniques to investigate archaeological landscapes in the Campania region (Italy), with a focus on the regions of Irpinia and the Campanian Plain. The study utilises high- and very-high-resolution multispectral satellite imagery, processed through software such as eCognition, with the objective of identifying and analysing land divisions, including Roman centuriation, and other archaeological features. The methodology combines traditional topographical analysis with both semi-automated and fully automated deep learning approaches, notably the training of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for the automated detection of linear features. Preliminary results demonstrate the software’s capacity to validate known archaeological layouts while revealing previously unidentified structures, such as ancient road networks, in challenging terrain. The continuous enhancement of CNN models is intended to achieve fully automated detection, with the objective of accelerating landscape analysis and enabling field validation. The project under discussion demonstrates the considerable potential for the integration of geospatial analysis and AI-driven technologies to enhance our comprehension of archaeological landscapes. It is important to acknowledge, however, that such endeavours are not without their limitations, and that there is a necessity for ongoing refinement and on-site verification.

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.

Archaeological investigations conducted over the last thirty years in the Campania plain and the Naples area have provided incredible insights into the evolution of the landscape and the agricultural practices of the land between the Late Neolithic and the modern era. This paper will attempt to provide a concise overview of the available knowledge for reconstructing pre- and protohistoric agricultural structures in the Naples area and the southern part of the Campania plain between it and the Regi Lagni. This area has been affected by the eruptive activity of Somma Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields; it is characterized by eruptions of sometimes strong intensity punctuated by periods of quiescence. During the periods of quiescence between the various eruptions, human settlements stabilized and various forms of land use spread, favored by fertile soils and favorable climatic conditions.

This study aims to reconstruct the long-term interactions between humans and the environment in the northern sector of Gricignano d’Aversa (CE), using historical data integrated into a Geographic Information System (GIS). Legacy data from the Archaeological Museum of Naples were digitized as part of a project involving the National Geoportal and the development of a Territorial Information System (TIS). The latter is primarily based on the elevations of stratigraphic units, georeferenced in QGIS. The soil elevation data were obtained from both archaeological and geological surveys. These data sets allowed the development of a geoarchaeological section, created with AutoCAD, as well as Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) generated with QGIS. The results show that the site’s geomorphology was mainly shaped by volcanic events, first the Campanian Ignimbrite eruption (39,000 years ago), which had a strong impact on settlement patterns. Topographical variations resulting from these events played a key role in settlement choices. Moreover, the proximity to the Clanio River influenced settlement choices, with communities preferring areas far from the river to avoid flooding. This trend changed by the Roman period, when drainage techniques, evidenced by canalizations, allowed settlement closer to the river.

The fertile plain of Acerra, within the Campania Felix, has yielded significant new data from the preventive excavations carried out along the Naples-Bari high-speed railway. The discoveries – mainly rustic villas and related agrarian structures – provide an unprecedented picture of the rural organisation between Acerrae, Suessula, and Atella. These settlements, dating from the late Republican to the early Imperial period and often lasting until Late Antiquity, illustrate the intensive agricultural exploitation of the area through integrated systems of villas, drainage canals, roads, and centuriations. Stratigraphic and spatial analyses reveal the coexistence of different cadastral grids, particularly the ‘Acerrae-Atella I’ and ‘Ager Campanus’ systems, testifying to successive phases of Roman territorial planning. The villas, later abandoned and reused as burial areas after the 4th century AD, mark the transformation of the rural landscape in response to broader socio-economic and political changes in the Roman Empire.

The contribution aims to present the unpublished data collected during a preventive archaeology excavation carried out in Nola-via Feudo, a suburban area S of the ancient city. The investigation shed light on a succession of dirt roads, dated from late republic to the end of the 5th century A.D., lined with graves. In the most recent phase, sealed by the so-called eruption of Pollena (472 A.D.), the beaten track was flanked by a ploughed field, covering partially the necropolis area along the street. The necropolis, partially violated in modern times, consisted of twenty-one burials with inhumation ‘alla cappuccina’, enchytrismós and in earthen pits. The preliminary study presented here increases our knowledge of the ager Nolanus to Late Antiquity, in the wake of the studies carried out in last decades.

This paper examines the resilience of ancient landscapes by analyzing ceramic assemblages from the Atellan hinterland in the central Campanian Plain. Using a multidisciplinary approach based on historical ecology and resilience theory, the study examines how pottery reflects adaptive responses to environmental, climatic, and socioeconomic changes over a long period of time, from the Samnite age to the contemporary era. The ceramic record, collected during recent non-invasive surveys (2024-2025), includes over 1100 artifacts cataloged using the Digital Groma standards. The results suggest a substantial increase in rural settlement and agricultural activity between the fourth and third centuries BC, accompanied by evident integration into regional trade networks. Late Roman assemblages demonstrate continued vitality, challenging earlier hypothesis of urban decline. The presence of North African and eastern Mediterranean imports alongside local imitations highlights sustained economic activity and adaptability. Changes in cooking ware types, notably the increase in casseroles, may indicate dietary shifts related to climatic deterioration. The apparent absence of medieval phases, followed by the reappearance of modern ceramics, suggests discontinuities in settlement. Ultimately, ceramic evidence provides a valuable perspective for understanding long-term human-environment interactions, resilience strategies, and cultural transformations within the Atellan landscape in the longue durée.

ASH investigates the role of Andosols, i.e. volcanic-ash soils, in four case studies in central and southern Italy (Southern Etruria/Northern Latium, the Campanian Plain, the Poro highplain in Calabria, and the Ionian–Etnean area of Sicily). It studies how the distribution and properties of these soils shaped agricultural productivity, settlement systems, and longterm landscape use from Late Prehistory to Antiquity. The research combines archaeological records (new fieldwork and legacy data) with pedological and archaeobotanical studies and multi-temporal remote sensing (historical satellite images, multispectral imagery, spectral indices mapping, sampling, integrated machine-learning and deep-learning analyses). A standards-based GIS supports cross-domain integration and spatial modelling. The project advances knowledge of human-environment relations, highlighting the strategic importance – and vulnerability – of volcanic-ash soils as a crucial subsistence resource. It also establishes a basis for transdisciplinary work linking archaeology, remote sensing, pedology, and environmental research, and provides evidence to inform responsible management of soil and landscape heritage today. Newly collected datasets and GIS mapping enable reproducible analyses and open deposition to benefit future research and heritage governance.

A recent systematic survey project, carried out between 2017 and 2019 in the North Vulsinian area (territories of Grotte di Castro and San Lorenzo Nuovo), has partially filled the previous lack of data in the northern sector of the Lake Bolsena. The investigation, based on an intensive and systematic approach, covered about 7 km² (11% of the total area), revealing numerous new archaeological sites dating from Prehistory to Late Antiquity. This paper focuses on new settlement evidence attributable mainly to the Early and Middle Bronze Age. It clearly emerges that in order to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of protohistoric settlement patterns – particularly for the earliest phases of the Bronze Age – intensive and systematic territorial surveys are required, as they are the only means capable of detecting the most fragile and now largely eroded traces of small settlements. A similar observation also arises from the Tuscania Survey Project, while the comparison with other past survey projects highlights less attention to the issue.

This paper presents the In.Res.Agri digital archive, developed within the PRIN 2022 project In.Res.Agri – Investigating Resilient Roman Agricultural Landscapes in Southern Italy. Conceived as part of the Digital Groma platform, the archive provides an open and FAIR-compliant environment for managing heterogeneous data related to topographical resources. Built on a PostgreSQL relational database, it integrates information from diverse sources – archaeological, geomorphological, textual, and archival – within a coherent data model structured around seven core entities. The system adopts national documentation standards to ensure semantic coherence, interoperability, and long-term sustainability.