In località Baratti (Piombino, LI), lungo la strada comunale che conduce a Populonia Alta, sono state condotte indagini archeologiche di emergenza¹ a seguito della disastrosa alluvione che colpì l’area nell’ottobre 2015. Le ricerche hanno interessato le pendici orientali di Poggio del Castello e hanno messo in luce la planimetria di un edificio² – solo parzialmente scavato in profondità – piuttosto articolato, composto da ambienti definiti da muri con zoccolo in pezzame di pietra e alzati in mattoni crudi. La struttura doveva svilupparsi su due livelli ed era dotata di un accesso su una strada secondaria, lastricata utilizzando lastre di calcarenite con innesti...
In the 6thand 5th centuries B.C., Gela (Italy, Sicily) was one of the most important production centres of architectural terracottas in the Mediterranean basin. Nevertheless, few archaeometric data are actually available in scientific literature on this interesting artifacts class. Here we report an archaeometric characterization of Geloan coroplastic materials. In particular, an investigation on finest architectural terracottas found in dumps archaeological contexts in Gela has been carried out with the aim at identifying the distinctive features of the production and the manufacturing techniques. The group of samples includes various remarkable architectural elements: painted sima and geison fragments, and acroteria specimens. Information about provenance, fabric features, technology and manufacturing techniques have been obtained by performing petrographic (OM), mineralogical (XRD) and chemical analyses (XRF). Moreover, as most of the identified petrographic fabrics have revealed the presence of volcanic temper, EDS chemical analysis have been performed on clinopiroxenes, being the latter ones an effective tool for provenance attributions. Finally, an analytical characterization of the painted polychrome decoration has been carried out by using Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy-Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM-EDS) and micro Raman spectroscopy. The obtained results allow us to define, for the first time, the technological features of the Geolan architectural terracottas production, opening new perspectives in the study of the coroplastic art in archaic Sicily.
This work focuses on petro-chemical characterisation of the volcanic inclusions often found within the fabric of many ceramic remains from various archaeological sites in eastern Sicily. Petrographic observations and EMP analyses revealed that volcanic glass is strongly influenced by chemical modifications during the firing process, whereas clinopyroxenes keep their original composition unaltered thus constituting an effective tool for provenance attributions. Multivariate statistical analysis of the latter can in fact unambiguously discriminate between different productive areas by comparisons with pyroxenes from volcanics belonging to distinct magmatic provinces. The method proposed here was tested on ceramic remains of different ages and typologies found in southern Italy.
Cette contribution a pour objectif de réexaminer toutes les données actuellement disponibles sur la production du fer de l’île d’Elbe à Populonia. L’examen des données, provenant de l’exploitation moderne des scories ferreuses, a permis la reconstruction des phases historiques de la fabrication du fer. Les différentes productions apparaissent dans le courant du VIe siècle avant J.-C. et leur distribution sur le territoire est étroitement liée aux espaces funéraires, révélant ainsi un contrôle direct de l’industrie ferreuse de la part des élites. Avec l’entrée, sans doute violente, de Populonia dans l’orbite de Rome, la cité devient le point focal de la production du fer destinée aux activités en lien avec la guerre punique. Les témoignages de cette production du iiie siècle avant J.‑C., logiquement différente de celle étrusque, sont clairement identifiables. La dernière activité industrielle, frénétique et intensive, semble commencer avant l’expédition africaine de Scipion, après quoi le travail du fer s’interrompt.
Archaeological excavations at Ban Khao Din Tai archaeological site have revealed a substantial number of iron slags. Studying these iron slags was important because of their archaeological and technological interests. In this study selected five iron slags for the archaeometallurgical studies, energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry was used to determine the bulk chemical composition. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to identify the mineralogical and micro-structural composition. Furthermore, X-ray powder diffraction was used to confirm the mineralogical composition. The archaeometallurgical studies suggest that Ban Khao Din Tai slag evidence is entirely consistent with the expect waste product of the bloomery iron-making process or direct smelting process. All samples were produced in a very similar manner in terms of the methodological approach to the technology and the ingredients used. Iron, silica and alumina oxide are the main compounds in most iron slags and no flux was used in this operation but the processes could benefit from the self-fluxing of used material ore. Fayalite is dominant component of all samples and the presence of fayalite might be preliminarily indicate a relatively high operating temperature of exceed 1, 100°C.
Slags from three iron smelting and processing sites were investigated. The composition of the slags is connected to the metallurgical processes and the investigation should provide an indication of the process conditions.A slag from a small bloomery furnace at the archaeological site Waschenberg (Hallstatt period) was investigated. Slags from the medieval period were found near Eisenerz and at this time iron was produced in developed bloomery furnaces (Stuckofen). These slags are termed fayalitic slags and they consist of wustite (FeO), fayalite (Fe2SiO4) and glass-phase (amorphous silicates) in various concentrations. Three solidification-types were described and correlated with the microstructures and the FeO-SiO2-CaO2 phase diagram.During the 19th century steel was produced in puddling furnaces by remelting iron products from Eisenerz. Such slags, from this process, found in the surroundings of Palfau, were investigated and contain FeO and Ca rich glass-phase, but no fayalite.Due to the different compositions of the slags the solidification and the microstructures are different.
The micro-Raman spectroscopy was used to identify manganese oxides, pyrolusite, manganite and cryptomelane in archaeological sites in northern Atacama Desert, Chile. The present micro-Raman data allow us to compare and expand the origins of raw materials used by archaic groups of the Atacama Desert. In the Andean highlands, pyrolusite and manganite were identified while in the coastal lowlands manganite and cryptomelane were found. The present results complement the data obtained from the lithic materials and rock art painting analyses pointing to a better understanding of the daily life of ancient populations and minerals use in this region.
The Oxford Handbook of Archaeological Ceramic Analysis draws together topics and methodologies essential for the socio-cultural, mineralogical, and geochemical analysis of archaeological ceramic. Ceramic is one of the most complex and ubiquitous archaeomaterials in the archaeological record: it occurs around the world and through time in almost every culture and context, from building materials and technological installations to utilitarian wares and votive figurines. For more than 100 years, archaeologists have used ceramic analysis to answer complex questions about economy, subsistence, technological innovation, social organization, and dating. The volume is structured around the themes “Research design and data analysis,” “Foundational concepts,” “Evaluating ceramic provenance,” “Investigating ceramic manufacture,” “Assessing vessel function,” and “Dating ceramic assemblages.” It provides a common vocabulary and offers practical tools and guidelines for ceramic analysis using techniques and methodologies ranging from network analysis and typology to rehydroxylation dating and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Each chapter provides the theoretical background and practical guidelines, such as cost and destructiveness of analysis, for each technique, as well as detailed case studies illustrating the application and interpretation of analytical data for answering anthropological questions.
This contribute aims to provide new insight on the production and circulation of full-figure architectural terracotta images adorning temples, namely fictiles, in northern Etruria. The investigation focuses on the recent discovering of a relevant corpus of architectural terracottas in Populonia, emerged during the excavation in La Casaccia locality, on the eastern slopes of Poggio del Castello (Baratti, Livorno, Tuscany). The review of the typological study and the archaeometric analysis on a selection of representative antefixes and relief plaques disclosed a complex scenario revealing the presence of both local and imported fictiles. Future and already planned investigations of architectural terracottas from Volterra promise to enlarge the frame on the circulation of imported fictiles from the nearby Campanian areas, redrawing the dual interpretation of mobility of goods vs mobility of men for decorating public buildings in northern Etruria.
This paper presents a transformative approach that allows for the utilization of existing 3D models from diverse sources within a geographic context. It introduces the concept of external metadata, which describes these models, making them searchable, accessible, and seamlessly intergrated in webGIS environments using Three.js and MapLibre GL. This paper addresses the demand for the reuse of three-dimensional data representation in the geospatial domain and acknowledges the wealth of 3D models available from various sources. By introducing a standardized metadata schema, it establishes a structured framework for the incorporation of these models into webGIS systems. A central theme of this work is the development of a metadata standard that acts as a bridge between 3D models and webGIS environments granting it all information that can be used to correctly locate, scale and orient the models. It enables efficient searching, rendering, and utilization of these models within geographic contexts. Leveraging MapLibre GL JS and Three.js, the paper showcases how external metadata can significantly enhance the integration of 3D models into webGIS, thereby fostering a more versatile and comprehensive geospatial data exploration experience.
The Open Digital Epigraphy Hub (EpiHub) is an open access digital platform developed to streamline accessibility and organization of resources in digital epigraphy. Created within the Humanities and Cultural Heritage Italian Open Science Cloud (H2IOSC), EpiHub addresses the fragmented landscape of digital epigraphic resources, which span disciplines like linguistics, philology, and archaeology. Offering a comprehensive catalogue of national and international resources – such as datasets, digital tools, geographical and chronological gazetteers, dictionaries, and text-processing software – EpiHub structures these assets through descriptive metadata to facilitate discoverability and usability for researchers and practitioners across diverse cultural and temporal scopes. The platform’s flexible back-end architecture supports efficient data management and real-time updates to enhance front-end accessibility, organizing resources by thematic collections and allowing advanced searches based on specific epigraphic needs, such as language, geographic region, or historical period. Emphasizing FAIR principles, EpiHub standardizes metadata and controlled vocabularies to foster broader interoperability and data reuse across research projects. Integrated with related H2IOSC resources, including H-SeTIS and DHeLO, EpiHub aims to become a central resource, continuously enriched to support collaboration and innovation within the digital epigraphy community.
By exploring the importance of archeological images databases in the history of studies, the article presents the digital archiving activities initiated within the PNRR Changes, Spoke 8, Project. The objective of the activities is the attribution of metadata to this type of images, for the purpose of their dialogue with European infrastructures. This process represents a tool for supporting different knowledge paths and maximizing the accessibility of the Cultural Heritage, according to the goals of the Project. The article therefore presents the activity carried out so far, namely the development of a metadata table, developed following the recognition of the main national and international thesauri and taxonomies, as well as a first metadating experiment conducted on a dataset of approximately 600 images from A&C Journal.
Over the course of 35 years since its foundation, the open access journal «Archeologia e Calcolatori» has been providing its publications online via the website, as well as open access metadata since 2005 through the OAI-PMH repository. In 2024, the website underwent a major update and restyling, including the addition of modern interoperability features, most notably the newly implemented JSON REST API. This paper is concerned with the technical description of the design and development of the new website and additional functionalities for «Archeologia e Calcolatori», while also giving a short overview of how the journal’s online presence has evolved over time. The exchange of data between the journal’s REST API and the Open Archaeology Hub (ArchaeoHub) currently being developed in the context of the H2IOSC project is described as well. Finally, some future perspectives for further improvement are presented.
The paper highlights the crucial role of legacy data in reconstructing archaeological sites and historical landscapes, emphasizing the need for digitization to safeguard and democratize access to heritage. Focused strategies for digital acquisition are essential, particularly in regions like Sicily with diverse cultural heritage facing challenges of preservation in the digital age. The project ‘Digital strategies for enhancing cultural heritage: the Villa del Casale of Piazza Armerina, from the late antique building site to the Museum Collection’ exemplifies this approach. Its foundation, aiming to bridge the gap between the Palazzo Trigona Museum and Villa del Casale through a web-based digital ecosystem, is firstly presented here. By adopting a multidisciplinary methodology, the project aims to gather scattered legacy data, advance scientific understanding, and develops precise datasets through historical research and digitization. The resulting digital ecosystem will feature immersive experiences and educational opportunities, enhancing accessibility and interoperability of digital contents. By integrating 3D artifact galleries with virtual models and legacy data, the project seeks to reveal the full potential of Villa del Casale cultural heritage, promoting appreciation and understanding for future generations.
This study explores the GIS legacy data integration for a reassessment of the archaeological topography of Syracuse, with a focus on the Acquedotto del Paradiso. The research updates the understanding of Syracuse’s ancient waterscape by combining traditional archaeological methods with advanced digital technologies. Legacy data, historical maps, and recent fieldwork were systematically integrated into a GIS software, enhancing the spatial analysis and re-evaluation of the aqueduct’s route and construction phases. The study incorporated topographical bases, LiDAR point clouds, and autoptic analyses, revealing new insights into the aqueduct’s structural phases, including potential multi-phase construction and a double gallery system. The integration of these diverse datasets not only refined the known path of the aqueduct but also provided a detailed 2D and 3D visualization of it. This multidisciplinary approach emphasises the importance of combining traditional and modern techniques to improve the accuracy of archaeological topography, offering a more comprehensive understanding of ancient urban water supply systems in Syracuse.
For some years now, both in the archaeological and speleological fields, experiments have been carried out with portable MLS (Mobile Laser Scanner) or HMLS (Hand-held Mobile Laser Scanner) scanners that use LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology. This choice is due to their basic characteristics such as ease of use, reliability, efficiency and (a fact not to be underestimated) low costs compared to traditional indirect survey systems. These characteristics have made these tools extremely popular, especially since this technology can be used by owners of Apple devices, which has made it available for its tablets and smartphones, thanks to the ever-increasing sensor miniaturization. On the basis of some encouraging data presented in an archaeometry paper (Fiorini 2022) and from direct experiences in various underground sites proposed by several Italian caving groups, the authors have decided to test the device performance in the context of exploration and research on artificial cavities in the archaeological field which, very often, due to size and constraints, do not allow the use of other devices. Through the presentation of some case studies, it was possible to show the advantages and the limitations in the use of this technique in the archaeo-spelaeological field.
Focusing on Late Antique epigraphic and architectural artifacts preserved in Italian and Greek contexts – starting from the research project ‘Ravenna and its Late Antique and Medieval Epigraphic Landscape’ – this study assesses the effectiveness of Structure from Motion (SfM) and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) in generating 3D models suitable for sharing as open data within digital collections. The analysis compares the speed and accessibility of SfM and LiDAR in producing reconstructions, as well as their precision in capturing engravings and decorations. In fact, the research project on Epigraphy from Ravenna, under the guidance of Prof. S. Cosentino at the Department of Cultural Heritage of the Alma Mater Studiorum, Università di Bologna, aims to digitize inscriptions in Ravenna spanning from 402 to 1441. A key project objective is to establish a digital platform that
The contribution presents the results of a research that involves the use of data acquired by a multispectral camera transported by a UAV and their analysis and interpretation in the context of archaeological diagnostics. The experimentation expected the acquisition of multispectral images and the extraction of all the possible vegetation indexes on the basis of the spectral bands of the specific camera used (Sentera 6X). The tests, carried out in different contexts (Antium, Nersae), analyze the readability of the index data extracted from multispectral images in comparison with the marks visible in the panchromatic images, especially considering cases in which the marks are visible only in processed indices that interpolate the NIR band.
The In.Res.Agri project aims to optimize the understanding of Roman agricultural landscapes in Southern Italy by integrating topographical, archaeological, environmental, and textual data within an innovative data-science platform. It focuses on examining the resilience of Roman agrarian landscapes, specifically through elements such as centuriation, route networks, and settlement patterns. The project employs both traditional survey methods and advanced technologies to recover, interpret, and manage archaeo-topographical data related to centuriation. Key methods include using Machine Learning for the automatic detection of centuriated fields, spatial analysis of both legacy and new data, and the use of annotated epigraphic and literary sources. All collected data will be implemented into the Digital_Groma platform, which will feature a digital archive and a webGIS for data display and querying; data will be exposed adhering to FAIR principles. In.Res.Agri will focus on regions in Campania (Vesuvian Area, Irpinia) and Puglia (Tavoliere), exploring the link between contemporary landscapes and Roman centuriated agro-ecosystems. This research is crucial for understanding the impact of environmental changes on Cultural Heritage, aligning with the priorities of the European Commission and UNESCO. The Digital_Groma platform will be accessible to researchers, tourists, and public institutions involved in archaeology, urban planning, and cultural heritage protection.
The world of research is currently undergoing a profound transformation, characterized by the extensive use of digital data available online. To optimize the utilization of these resources, artificial intelligence offers researchers several tools capable of aggregating both structured and unstructured information. The need to train algorithms to enhance the use of artificial intelligence techniques in data classification has led to the creation of structured datasets. However, it is not always possible to fully automate the transfer of data to more modern environments without substantial human intervention, aimed at extracting the implicit knowledge present in digital data. The category of CAD data appears to be particularly challenging in terms of automated management of spatial resources. The use of graphical entities for digital drawings, without semantically identified components, makes automatic conversion into GIS extremely complex. The paper is based on a partial test conducted on a cartographic archive that has been formed over 70 years of field research, aiming to demonstrate the importance of prioritizing legacy spatial data, both digital and non-digital, as archaeological data.
This paper challenges conventional mapping methods of Bronze Age ceramic variation in western Asian archaeology, which often oversimplify the complexity of cultural phenomena. Drawing on geostatistical techniques, we propose a novel approach that considers both similarities and differences in ceramic traits. By incorporating Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) and kriging interpolation techniques, our methodology aims to provide a nuanced representation of pottery distribution, moving beyond static cultural-historical mapping. We argue that this approach offers a more comprehensive understanding of archaeological landscapes by acknowledging the diversity of pottery variation. Through a case study utilising legacy pottery data – which will be published in the future according to the FAIR principles – we demonstrate the practical application and potential insights of our methodology, which seeks to advance archaeological methods and contribute to a richer interpretation of the past.
‘Godscapes’ proposes to combine a material approach with the Semantic Web to investigate cultural transformation and, specifically, how external elements trigger the transformation of religiosity, resulting in new hybrid elements. Focusing on a case-study on the Levant during the second millennium BCE, the project investigates the interplay between indigenous and exogenous elements (Egyptian, Syrian, Mesopotamian, Aegean, Anatolian) in shaping polytheistic beliefs and practices through the analysis of four types of data – funerary, architectural, iconographic and textual. Thus, the project addresses a new scientific perspective emphasizing the use of material culture to understand the connection between humans and the divine. The focus is on the unravelling of past religious hybridization to grasp how the second millennium cultural and religious intermingling persisted in the syncretic experience leading to the construction of the Israelite monolatry in the first millennium BCE.
This paper discusses the application of a machine learning pipeline to automatically digitise text on historical maps and make it searchable, as explored by the ‘Machines Reading Maps’ project. Looking at the Ordnance Survey Maps of Great Britain as a case study, we will suggest ways in which this new kind of open datasets, of both a textual and spatial nature, offers the unprecedented opportunity to study maps at scale, analysing map collections as digital corpora. These new approaches facilitate the use of map as historical sources in humanities research, and their investigation as complex cultural objects that combine heterogeneous knowledge. In particular, we will focus on the uncommonly detailed representation of ancient sites on the Ordnance Survey maps, and how a further layer of information around them is delivered not by the words’ literal meaning but by their appearance. We will propose ways in which this peculiarity could be digitally leveraged to retrace, investigate, and perhaps re-interpret the archaeological information on the Ordnance Survey maps. We will conclude by reflecting on the need for new, more sophisticated workflows that take into account the richness of information delivered by visual clues in words printed on maps.
This paper describes the objectives and methodological approaches of the project ‘IN-ROME – The INscribed city: urban structures and interaction in imperial ROME’. The project aims at mapping as comprehensively as possible a wide range of activities that shaped both the physical environment and the relationships between its inhabitants. Focussing on the time period between the 1 st century BCE and the 3rd century CE, and on the area outside the 4th century BCE ‘Servian’ Walls up to about the 9th mile of Rome’s consular roads, it draws on archaeological, literary and archival sources. In addition, and crucially, it aims to virtually re-contextualise c. 50,000 inscriptions in the Epigraphic Database Roma with a known provenance from the area, thus restoring agency to the archaeological landscape. To this end, a new webGIS is being developed that allows for the topographical visualisation of all relevant data.
