7067 resources

• Kainua Project: principles, theoretical framework and archaeological analysis
  The use of virtual reconstructions is an approach which has already been applied for past projects in the Etruscan city of Marzabotto. The Kainua Project, which aims at the virtual recreation of the whole Etruscan city, is based on the principles of the London and the Seville Charter. The modelling process of the virtual Kainua is based on a rigorous archaeological analysis. The ArchaeoBIM method, formed within the project, has been used to confirm the validation of the models and is therefore an important step towards a more detailed architectural analysis of non-preserved structures. The unexcavated areas of the Etruscan city were involved in a campaign of geophysical surveys, which were the basis for the recreation of wide areas of the city with a good approximation thanks to an interpretative scheme of the modules of the buildings and their allocation within the blocks. The virtual Kainua is first of all an analysis tool. As a matter of fact, through forms of interactivity and simulations the virtual model allows us to formulate important considerations about historical and social issues. The model, however, is also the base for an updated system for the fruition of the archaeological area by a wider audience, chiefly onsite and it becomes a decoding key that visitors can use during their visit.
• Informatica archeologica e archeologia digitale. Le risposte dalla rete
  The article illustrates the most recent achievements of archaeological computing, through a systematic survey that starts with the very name of the discipline, as used at national and international levels. The aim is to examine if the distinction made between 'archaeological computing' and 'digital archaeology' can really be helpful in framing the discipline in its theoretical and methodological evolution. From the synthesis made, the dominance of technological aspects on the theoretical and methodological approach clearly emerges. For some time now, technology has governed the three main areas of archaeological practice: field work, laboratory analysis and cultural heritage management and promotion. Two other important aspects are today rapidly gaining ground: 'Communicating archaeological research' and 'European digital infrastructures for archaeology'. Finally, particularly significant is the sector of Digital Heritage or Heritage Science, which today seems to be the focus of all digital archaeology involvements.
• SfM-photogrammetry for fast recording of archaeological features in remote areas
  Digital documenting of archaeological evidence represents a crucial tool in the study, preservation, management, and promotion of archaeological sites in remote regions and in fragile landscapes. In fact, in marginal environment, the knowledge related to archaeological heritage can quickly disappear, especially when policies to protect cultural heritage are unreliable or lacking. In the last few decades, archaeological fieldwork has seen the increasing use of Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetric technique as a tool for mapping and recording archaeological evidence. This technique allows the creation of highly detailed 3D models of archaeological sites, monuments, and artefacts from sets of simple but accurately taken pictures, thus preserving the data for further research or (digital) cultural valorisation. Nowadays, low-cost/commercial off-the-shelf sensors (professional and semi-professional digital cameras and smartphones as well) are widely available and accessible by most of the users operating in cultural heritage documentation. This has made the acquisition of field pictures in archaeological research much more flexible and cost-effective. 3D models obtained from these pictures through photogrammetric commercial software can be scaled with a known-measure providing highly detailed models for archaeological purposes. This enhances the ability of archaeologists to record archaeological features during field surveys and rapidly obtain 3D models. This is especially useful in the case of archaeological surveys carried out in remote and barely accessible areas. In this paper, we present the results of the application of the above-mentioned methods during archaeological surveys in the Sultanate of Oman, where several archaeological features have been recorded through SfM photogrammetry using commercial devices and portable scale-bars. We demonstrate that this is a highly-flexible and fast process to record archaeological heritage in low-accessible or fragile contexts, where a 3D model (with centimetric precision) represents a valuable dataset for further in-lab analysis and cultural dissemination.
• La digitalizzazione per la documentazione, lo studio e la fruizione di un sito archeologico. La VR experience del teatro di Ricina
  This paper presents a workflow developed thanks to the collaboration between archae- ologists and engineers, aimed at the documentation, representation and virtual fruition of an archaeological site. The purpose is to exploit the data acquired through digital solutions and the consequent elaboration of a reality 3D model to support archaeological studies and to effectively disseminate their results. The presented case study is the Roman Theatre of Ricina (Villa Potenza, MC). The building has preserved much of its masonry, but it is very different from that which could be appreciated by the audience of theatrical performances in Roman times. The work has been developed according to three steps: 1) digital documentation of the site and elaboration of a reality-based 3D model; 2) study of the archaeological finds thanks to the reality-based 3D model and design of a possible reconstruction, represented through a second 3D model elaborated by anastylosis; 3) development of a Virtual Reality environment for the fruition and the interaction with the two 3D models. The final output is therefore an immersive VR application that offers the possibility to access to the theatre both in its current form and in the original one. An experience that is not limited to a simple visualization rather presenting itself as a guided tour across the centuries.
• L’Aula Ovest del complesso di Domiziano tra Foro Romano e Palatino: metodologie a confronto per un rilievo XXL
  The survey campaign on the monumental remains of the West Hall of the Domitian Complex (Roman Forum) has provided an opportunity for a general reflection on the archaeological surveying of architecture. Above all, there is the problem of how to guarantee an accurate documentation, when approaching ‘XXL buildings’, like those of this architectural complex. Working with two different methodologies, in particular digital photogrammetry and laser scanning, the authors have detected the best operating procedure for the documentation of such very big structures. The data obtained during the surveying campaign has also allowed the reconstruction of the different historical phases for the West Hall in the Roman Forum.
• The Davanzali necropolis of Numana (AN): from the archaeological context to the virtual environment
  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.
• From finds to landscape: archaeological analysis and virtual modelling of the Davanzali necropolis in the Picenian emporion of Numana (AN)
  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.
• Strumenti per la comunicazione e la conservazione della documentazione del patrimonio archeologico: il complesso di Villa Adriana (Tivoli, RM) e il sito archeologico di Masada (Israele)
  Today we are able to produce a considerable amount of information in relation to heritage documentation thanks to the opportunities offered by remote sensing in all its aspects, from 3D laser scanner survey to the latest generation of photogrammetry. However, the remarkable ability to acquire data is not matched by methods of management, conservation and the possibility of using the generated databases at various levels. In the scientific area, not only visual techniques are experimented but also multisensory applications aimed at creating ‘intelligent’ digital models. In this work, some recent experiences carried out in the specific field of 3D digital survey documentation on sites of great archaeological interest are presented, such as Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli, near Rome, and the Masada fortress in Israel.
• Developing an ABIM system: a new prospective for archaeological data management
  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.
• Rule-based inferencing diagnosis in HBIM
  The aim of this paper is the implementation of a methodological workflow for the diagnosis of masonry settlings, within the HBIM approach, developing a rule-based logical inference tool in Visual Programming Language. The rule-based inferencing diagnosis is a guided process, which increases the confidence factor about settlings and actual causes, on the basis of surveyors’ technical insights and evidences. The final step is the suggestion of appropriate interventions. The results show that inference logic is directly applicable to the diagnosis problem; their efficacy depends on i) the structured parametric and data modelling of decay patterns in the HBIM model and ii) the knowledge base training. The application has been validated on a case study, Masseria Don Cataldo (Bari, South Italy).
• The ArchaeoBIM method and the role of digital models in archaeology
  The paper deals with the development of a novel methodology, named ArchaeoBIM, aimed at the creation of digital models representing no longer existing buildings, starting from the available information collected from the archaeological contexts. The process is inferred by the Building Information Modeling used in the contemporary building industry, where different disciplines converge into digital models. The achieved models meet some of the cutting-edge issues of the Virtual Archaeology, i.e. validation, management of data, simulation. These products answer to important needs in the fields of research, conservation and dissemination and could be considered as archaeological records themselves.
• Sustainability of 3D heritage data: life cycle and impact
  In recent years, the exploit of 3D data use in Archaeology and the Cultural Heritage sector in general has caused an exponential multiplication of digital content that can be viewed on the web. Nevertheless, web platforms can display a concerning dualism: on one side some contents are over-represented with the same models uploaded dozens of times even inside the same platform; on the other, the inaccessibility or absence of proper 3D documentation for certain datasets limits the usefulness of the resources. As a result of substantial funding received (mostly from public institutions) and the volume of data produced by each digitization project, the final impacts on the broader scientific community remain limited. Starting from the analysis of data published about EU-funded projects by the European Union Commission on the platform CORDIS, this research approaches the delicate issue of the unsustainability of the current 3D data life cycle. The analysis of 110 selected projects revealed a disturbing pattern: even though the EU provided funds for many projects that approached in different ways 3D data diffusion or sharing, currently only 8 of them made the data accessible.
• Sharing structured archaeological 3D data: open source tools for artificial intelligence applications and collaborative frameworks
  This paper focuses on collaborative methods and open source tools aimed to analyze and query 3D photogrammetric models of ancient architectures. The processing of virtual models led to the constitution of a training dataset of around 1300 wall facing stones from four archaeological sites in Crete. Through a purposely-conceived add-on of the open source software Blender, some algorithms expressed in Python are able to extract archaeologically significant features and to perform processes of Machine Learning and data mining. The resulting data are imported into a dedicated DB managed through a web application based on the open source framework Django. This workflow addresses some peculiar challenges of the application of Artificial Intelligence to archaeological heritage: the lack of training dataset, particularly related to architecture; the lack of best practices for geometry processing and analysis of 3D data; the use of poorly predictive data in semi-automatic processes; the sharing of data into the scientific community; the importance of the open source technology and open data.
• Il rilievo fotogrammetrico di Doclea
  This paper deals with the practical application of photogrammetry in the study of the Roman city of Doclea in Montenegro, with particular reference to the use of Structure from Motion (SfM) techniques. Among the various research areas, archaeology of architecture and settlement archaeology make today an increasing use of photogrammetry for the in-field documentation of archaeological features. This method has an essential role in obtaining a reliable geometric survey that in turn forms the basis for the structural assessment of the architectural heritage thanks to consolidated methods such as archaeological stratigraphy and direct examination. In recent years, digital photogrammetry and the implementation of data processing technologies have made it possible to create three-dimensional models using images acquired through high-definition cameras. In addition to an accurate topographical survey, the aforementioned methods offer the opportunity to obtain a faithful representation of the real world, providing a basis for subsequent architectural and territorial studies. The use of drones equipped with cameras has proved to be particularly effective and capable of detecting large areas quickly and with good results. Due to its versatility and relative ease of use, photogrammetry could actually be deemed as an essential tool for the study and conservation of cultural heritage.
• Antiche e moderne tecnologie: l’applicazione delle tecniche di rilevamento tridimensionale per la rappresentazione e l’analisi dei manufatti litici
  In the past few years, the application of digital techniques to archaeology has strongly increased, including 3D recording of lithic artefacts for purposes of documentation and analysis. In this paper, the main acquisition techniques are reviewed focusing on their application to lithics, and on the cost-benefit analysis which largely depends on the research objectives. The introduction of the main functions of the virtual approaches to lithics comes from the new possibilities offered in the area of graphic documentation. In fact, 3D models could gradually replace the archaeological drawing thanks to the data objectivity and to the ability to undergo remote analysis. Indeed, in virtual models complex metric data and technological information are easily recorded. Furthermore, 3D models allow the application of quantitative and statistical analysis for different aims, such as reduction intensity estimation and geometric morphometrics, especially thanks to the landmark-based approach. All these potentials have been already explored in recent years, some of them have produced a considerable number of publications. However, this diversification needs the sharing of Open Data protocols in order to evaluate the methods, as well as the application of integrated approaches. Some examples of integration between traditional and 3D analyses derive from traceology and refitting studies, where the virtual tool is not considered as replacing but complementary. Finally, the options in the fields of data storage and cataloguing have been addressed, besides the free circulation of 3D models for academic and museological purposes, including 3D printing.
• From the river to the sea of the setting sun: route networks between the Euphrates and the Mediterranean during the Iron Age (1200-600 BCE)
  The study of ancient roads has been important in understanding political, social, and cultural transformations of ancient trade networks and economies. In the Near East, landscape-oriented research has immensely contributed to the analysis of pre-modern road systems. However, while for Roman and medieval periods this method produced a dataset that implemented the rich corpus of historical information, research on pre-Roman connectivity networks strongly relies on the archaeological record, mostly represented by data from surveys. The use of these data allows a long term and chronologically unprecise reconstruction of ancient itineraries. Therefore, gaps in the data are often filled by the transposition of later itineraries, risking reiterating the idea that road networks are static, stable over a very long period. This article aims to contextualise connecting networks and route landscapes from the Euphrates river to the Mediterranean sea during the Iron Age (1200-600 BCE). The study will make use of an integrated approach by using multiple datasets. The research will argue that by considering different data, it is possible to offer a critical interpretation of the main route network employed during the Iron Age to connect the Euphrates area with the sea.
• Analisi di visibilità delle fortificazioni d’altura di epoca arcaica nella Valle Peligna (Abruzzo). Ipotesi, analisi informatiche e ricostruzione
  This paper analyses a new form of environmental visibility of ancient highland sites in Abruzzo (Central Italy) during arcaic period. This investigation offers unique opportunities for understanding the management of economic and political spaces of pre-Roman populations (i.e., Peligni). Through spatial analyses, the sites of valle Peligna are classified into different types. Then, they are contextualised within the historical and archaeological landscape. The results offer new clues for identifying a nonurban state system, which is well known in ancient literature but has yet to be traced in archaeological reconstructive models.
• La villa romana di Matrice (CB) tra geofisica e scavo
  The Roman villa at Matrice, located in Molise, central Italy, offers a rare opportunity to reflect on a typology of site that is sparsely documented. The building at Matrice presents distinctive elements of a rural villa of the 1st century AD, dedicated to agricultural, pastoral and wine production activities. However, these elements are adapted here in a decentralized area of the Roman State, where the local elites did not exhibit the same opulence of those belonging to major urban centres. The villa displays peculiar aspects and reflects local economic, social, and geographical conditions. After the excavation of the 1980s, archaeological research at Matrice was renewed in 2017 by a joint team from the British School at Rome, King’s College London, and the Ashmolean Museum of Oxford. The project used a preliminary geophysical survey to explore the area around the site, discovering new archaeological features. The following excavation season assessed the geophysical results and provided significant stratigraphic information. The paper focuses on the methodological aspect of the research, comparing the geophysical results with data from the excavation. It also underlines the potential implications of the new evidence for the understanding of the site.
• Accurata, ma sostenibile: soluzioni operative per la documentazione grafica e fotografica dello scavo sul sito di Vignale
  In the last couple of years, as part of the archaeological project ‘Uomini e Cose a Vignale’ several tests were conducted, focused on fast and effective methods for the graphic and photographic documentation of the archaeological excavation. This paper presents three case studies, which have produced promising results. All of these were conceived and carried on in order to be based on cost-effective and straightforward procedures, which can be further experimented by other research groups. The final outputs are both sufficiently precise and adequate for the online sharing. The first case study focuses on developing an effective pipeline, based on UAV and 3D modeling, and easy enough to allow every member of the excavation team to carry on autonomously the documentation of its excavation area. The second case study has been aimed at 3D modeling of archival data in order to increase their informational potential. The third case study consisted in the elaboration of a high-definition photoplan of a wide (9x3 m) late antique mosaic. The proposed case studies show that the use of sustainable and low-cost procedures and tools leads to the production of graphic and photographic documentation maintaining good quality standards and suitable for communication purposes.
• A resource hub for interoperability and data integration in Heritage research: the H-SeTIS database
  This article explores the contributions of the Milan branch of CNR-ISPC to the Humanities and Cultural Heritage Italian Open Science Cloud (H2IOSC) Project, focusing on facilitating data integration within Heritage Science. Its primary objective is to ensure seamless interoperability between resources from multiple institutions by establishing a shared semantic framework. The multidisciplinary nature of Heritage Science underscores the necessity for shared data repositories and effective management tools. Recent literature highlights the importance of semantic technologies in improving data integration and interoperability. To this end, the H-SeTIS database is currently under development. H-SeTIS will function as a hub for the systematic surveying and description of various semantic tools relevant to the Heritage domain. Interestingly, a preliminary analysis of data within H-SeTIS reveals that many semantic resources specifically designed to address the unique requirements of the Heritage domain do not meet the minimum quality requirements of accessibility and reusability. This finding underscores a potential area for future development: the creation of H-SeTIS aims to support the ongoing development of a comprehensive ontology for Cultural Heritage, enhancing data FAIRness and the discipline’s overall impact.
• DHeLO and BiDiAr: new digital resources within the H2IOSC Project
  This paper explores the initial outcomes of the H2IOSC Project, specifically within Work Package 2 (WP2 - Landscaping & Building Communities), which aims to survey the Italian digital landscape in Language Technologies, Humanities, and Heritage Science (HS). A significant outcome of the efforts of the Rome branch of CNR-ISPC is the development of two key resources: the DHeLO web app and the BiDiAr bibliographic collection. DHeLO (Digital Heritage Landscaping Platform) is designed to collect, store, and query metadata of research projects, products, and digital tools in Cultural Heritage (CH) and Heritage Science (HS). It aims to create a comprehensive disciplinary observatory by integrating data from multiple sources into a structured system that allows for complex queries and data indexing. This platform supports the FAIR principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability) and includes metadata standards based on the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI). BiDiAr (Bibliography of Digital Archaeology) functions as a relational database within Zotero, an open-source bibliographic tool. It compiles bibliographic entries relevant to digital archaeology, integrating themes and research outputs from the 'Archeologia e Calcolatori' journal. This database aids in thematic trend analysis and network analysis by linking bibliographic citations, enhancing the understanding of research dynamics and impacts within the E-RIHS community. Analyzing these resources reveals an exponential increase in virtual reality and 3D modeling products, driven by epistemological developments and the disruptive use of photogrammetric modeling. These tools not only enhance data accessibility and usability but also support interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in digital heritage and archaeology.
• Landscaping and integrating Digital Archaeology and Digital Epigraphy resources: new challenges and future opportunities. Introduction to the Special section
  Introduction to Special section The H2IOSC project and its impact on digital antiquity within the E-RIHS infrastructure
• L’archivio di comunità del Monte Baldo come esempio delle potenzialità di uMap-OSM per lo sviluppo di progetti partecipati sui beni culturali
  The paper presents the use of the Free OpenSource Software uMap-OSM as a solution for the online implementation and dissemination of the Community Archive of Monte Baldo, a project consisting in the participatory identification and cataloging of Cultural Heritage from this territory located in the provinces of Trento and Verona. The paper offers a concise comparison of user-friendly alternatives and evaluates strategies for database creation using uMap-OSM. The final section validates the selected methods and customization plans, aimed at fulfilling divulgation, accessibility and sustainability goals, while adhering to archaeological documentation standards. The Community Archive of Monte Baldo also aligns with the objectives of local authorities and stakeholders in land-use planning and human development, contributing to the preparation of a UNESCO candidacy dossier for the Monte Baldo territory.
• Un Virtual Immersive movie per la fruizione del patrimonio archeologico: il viaggio nella “Tomba della Regina” di Sirolo-Numana
  The paper presents a workflow aimed at documenting, disseminating, and making archaeological heritage more accessible. To preserve scientific rigour and data accuracy, also providing an emotional experience to the audience, the entire process was carried out through the collaborative efforts of three professionals: the archaeologist, the digitization expert, and the entertainment industry professional. The case study is a pre-Roman necropolis located in the “I Pini” archaeological area (Marche Region, Italy). The site presents several circular burials, one of which belongs to a female figure known as the “Queen”, which became the central focus of the narrative. The first working step was the digital documentation of a selection of the findings from the “Queen’s” tomb, currently displayed at the Antiquarium Statale of Numana, followed by the virtual reconstruction of the burial. Then, the obtained 3D models were used to generate a Virtual Immersive Movie (VIM) which allows visitors to immerse themselves in the virtual reconstruction and interact with the archaeological findings using a Head-mounted Display. The evaluation of the user experience proved the effectiveness of the VIM. The scores obtained from the questionnaire will also serve as inspiration for further enhancements, aiming to deliver a more interactive and improved educational experience.
• El proyecto SIAPVA: un sistema de información arqueológica para el área de palazzo de Villa Adriana (Tívoli)
  The SIAPVA is a project with a marked digital character in which the acquisition of data obtained through invasive (archaeological excavation) and non-invasive (3D laser scanner, drone and GPS) methodologies is integrated. The records of the different sources of information converge in a GIS in which all the documentation is managed. Within the framework of a new phase of research on the archaeological site, the study undertaken is based on Digital Humanities approach. The real power lies in the fact that reports, invaluable archival photographs and plans exists digitally. It is on this basis that the authors have been able to addressed the analytical questions about this outstanding place, the imperial palace of Villa Adriana.
• BIM e archeologia: i casi studio degli anfiteatri romani di Verona e Pola
  In recent years, the experience gained in the field of historical built heritage has led scholars to propose Building Information Modeling as a new approach to archaeological research, fostering the birth and development of a new method to be ascribed to the vast family of BIM processes: ArchaeoBIM. What are the advantages and limitations of this technique? What specific skills does it require? What is its value in terms of costs and benefits? What difficulties does it present? To what results does it lead? The following contribution aims to answer these questions and to analyse the potential, advantages and limits of this particular field of application of BIM through the presentation of two case studies, namely the Roman amphitheatres of Verona and Pula, for each of which a BIM model has been created based on data obtained through traditional archaeological research methods. To this end, after an excursus on the genesis and development of BIM and its application to contexts belonging to the historical built environment and archaeology, the workflow followed, the tools used, the difficulties encountered and the results obtained will be illustrated for each case study.
• Dalla replica digitale alla modellazione informativa. Un approccio scan-to-BIM alla documentazione del microscavo e restauro della tomba 27 di Colle Vaccaro (AP)
  The widespread integration of digital technologies in the field of archaeology, facilitated by increasingly powerful and economically accessible tools, is producing a profound transformation in the conventional methodologies employed by archaeologists. This contribution specifically delves into the documentation of excavation phases and artifacts, presenting a workflow tested on the tomb 27 of the Colle Vaccaro necropolis (AP) within the educational project managed by the Istituto Centrale del Restauro (ICR). The digital representation of distinct layers and artifacts, developed together with with micro-excavation and restoration operations, serves as a tool for real-time analysis and documentation. Crucially, it acts as a foundational element for constructing an information system geared towards subsequent and more comprehensive historical-archaeological analyses. The outcome of this contribution is the formulation of a semi-automatic process designed to ensure a geometrically accurate and informed three-dimensional representation. This workflow for documenting an excavation and its artifacts is designed to facilitate efficient data utilization both for scholars and professionals.
• Application of integrated 3D survey technologies in an Etruscan necropolis: the case of Sasso Pinzuto (Tuscania, VT)
  The aim of this paper is to present the results of the research undertaken through a series of on-site surveys (2021-2023) at the Sasso Pinzuto site, located approximately 1 km SE of Tuscania (Viterbo, Italy). Situated along the eastern side of the Marta river valley, the necropolis layout is little known but it is extensive, including ca. 100 rock-cut chamber tombs. The 2021-22 archaeological campaigns started with a new topographical survey of the site and investigated two areas conventionally defined the Northern and the Southern Area. In the Northern Area, specifically within the vicinity of Tumulus 1, fragments of mould-decorated architectural plaques from a building discovered. In the Southern Area, a small plateau about 90 m from the Northern Area, four burial graves (n. 126, 127, 128, 130) and two chamber tombs (125 and 129) were excavated. This study sheds light to the great potential of applying digital technologies for a new understanding of the Etruscan tombs. Indeed, by using various non-destructive prospecting methods (aerial photogrammetry, fieldwalking survey, architectural drawings), coupled with precise location using RTK GNSS, and integration of legacy data in GIS, the site underwent a comprehensive reexamination.
• Methods and tools for generating the DTM of an archaeological site: the case-study of the photogrammetric survey of Nora (Sardinia, Italy)
  This paper describes the high-resolution survey of the archaeological site of Nora (Sardinia, Italy) using the aerophotogrammetric technique. The survey was conducted in October 2021 on a 14-hectare peninsula located in the Gulf of Cagliari. Previous attempts to survey the area, aside from the 1 metre/pixel LiDAR survey carried out by the Region of Sardinia, have been hampered by the challenges posed by the size of the area and the costs involved. The Digital Terrain Model was obtained from the 3D model created with the Agisoft Metashape© software by removing the buildings and the vegetation. The segmentation process was carried out using Cloud Compare and the resulting DTM was then analysed using the geomorphological analysis tools provided by QGIS. The seabed DTM was obtained through several survey campaigns between 2013 and 2015, using the same software. The terrestrial DTM was merged with the seabed DTM, resulting in a comprehensive 3D and 2D model of the peninsula and its surroundings. The final DTM was printed with rapid prototyping technologies to explore its potential use as a tactile model for promotion and dissemination in the field.
• Tecniche di modellazione 3D per una documentazione accurata delle incisioni rupestri: confronto tra Structure from Motion e stereofotometria
  3D modelling represents a fundamental survey technique to represent archaeological evidence. It is particularly important to draw and analyse engravings because it is more descriptive and, somehow, objective than traditional drawings, which result interpretative and not replicable, becoming a debatable and often controversial matter. A technique able to verify the overlaying of signs is essential to establish the relative sequence, thus the chronology of engravings. However, there are several techniques and they provide different results. The paper tries to empirically compare SfM and PS methods to understand how they work on surface representation and which are their specificities in a difficult context such as the Pianaura engravings. The aim of the paper is to verify the accuracy of the techniques. Three paths are pursued: the first analyses pure quantitative data, such as counting the number of points or faces built and so on; the second aims to verify quantitatively distortions by geometric measurements analysis; the third is a visual quality test, which focuses on users’ perception of 3D models. It can be concluded that the distinct fields of application and the diverse purposes of the research enhance the different specificities of the two techniques.
• Analytical approaches and digital methods in alluvial archaeology: the ‘Ancient Shipyard’ of Pisa-San Rossore as a case study
  This paper aims to present analytical approaches and digital methods for the analysis of ceramic assemblages resulting from catastrophic alluvial flood flows. The study has been developed based on the principles of ‘alluvial archaeology’, a recently-developed field of archaeology. In this research program, ceramic records have been treated on a par with clasts in the geomorphological analyses of alluvial sediments. To test the different analytical procedures the ‘Ancient Shipyard’ of Pisa-San Rossore has been selected as a case study. This archaeological site represents a river channel, affected by several alluvial flood events. The analysis achieved several objectives, including the definition of the formation processes of the deposition (in synergy with the results of geomorphological data), the chronological framework of alluvial floods, the dynamics of flows, and locating the original deposition of the ceramic assemblage. In this regard, the combination of different approaches has proven particularly useful, ranging from computational analyses for chrono-typological determination of ceramic assemblages to intra-site spatial analyses, which have been useful in defining alluvial flood flows and the subsequent movement of ceramic assemblages.
• Least-Cost Path analysis for the reconstruction of the communication networks between Thasian amphorae workshops and other sites in the 4th-3rd century BC
  This article explores the application of Least-Cost Path Analysis to reconstruct potential transportation routes connecting amphorae production sites on the island of Thasos in northern Aegean. Characterized by wine production as a significant source of wealth during the Classical period, approximately 20 amphorae workshops-identified with surveys- date back to the 4th and 3rd century BC. By utilizing LCP analysis, the study demonstrates the strategic placement of these workshops and reveals their connectivity to the countryside and the port of Thasos. The proximity of the workshops to the main coastal road and maritime routes facilitated the efficient transportation of amphorae to the port. Furthermore, a network of rural pathways played a crucial role in linking the workshops with scattered farmsteads, ensuring a seamless supply chain for ceramic products. This research sheds light on the importance of spatial analysis in retracing ancient communication networks combined with historical and archaeological sources.
• Un database condiviso ad accesso libero per lo studio archeologico dei cimiteri medievali in Italia settentrionale
  This paper presents the database and the open access georeferenced online map of the CAMIS project of the University of Padua, which aims to catalogue and analyse late antique and medieval funerary contexts as a response to the scattered documentation and partial publications on this subject. After describing the structure and software used for the database and the online map, some numbers are presented relating to the more than thousand sites already entered in the system and the kind of results that can be advanced, underlining some of the problems encountered. The paper calls for the optimization of data management to foster open archaeological research, highlighting the need for a unified approach to study complex historical phenomena. The CAMIS database, incorporating standardized vocabularies for systematic and statistical analysis, is vital for unlocking new research avenues and addressing gaps in current knowledge. The project exemplifies the power of open science, promoting collaboration and enriching archaeological research with a rapidly growing, vast dataset.
• CQArchaeo: a Python package for Cosine Quantogram Analysis and Monte Carlo simulations
  Cosine Quantogram Analysis (CQA) is a statistical analysis employed in archaeology for the study of numerical datasets with hypothesized quantal distribution. To verify thesignificance of the results, the analysis is often combined with the execution of Monte Carlo simulations. In this article, we present a freely downloadable Python package (CQArchaeo) that integrates CQA and Monte Carlo simulations in the same environment, making the analysis customizable in the main parameters. We provide a guide that enables the use of this tool even for researchers with limited experience in Python programming and demonstrate the applicability, functioning, and main limitations of the analysis on some archaeological datasets.
• Le TAL pour les appellations d’œuvres figurées de l’antiquité classique: évolution des ressources numériques du projet MonumenTAL
  The NLP tools for the automatic recognition and annotation of titles of figurative artworks from The Classical World, developed by the MonumenTAL project, have evolved through the digital modeling of linguistic patterns. These have helped to broaden the focus from the titles of specific artworks to the naming of generic iconographic types, and to add old and recent expressions specific to art historians and archaeologists. Thanks to this work based on a diachronic approach, a thesaurus of artwork titles (OEUVRE) gathering reference terms, variants and cacographies has been created and is now linked to the online LIMC-France database (corpus of Ancient artworks). The text corpus (Gold standard), from the 18th to the 21st century, and its annotations can now be exploited for statistical analysis or deep learning experimentation.
• 3D/4D visualisation for documenting and editing images of pre-roman Italy: the ICAR database
  It has been over twenty years since the ICAR database of figurative scenes from pre-Roman Italy (Etruscan, Italic, Italiote) was first made available online to researchers, students and the general public (http://icar.huma-num.fr/, 2002-, ISSN 2491-2301). The database is a tool for documentation and research into ancient iconography, bringing together the major corpora of images from pre-Roman Italy and providing the main information (archaeological, historical, stylistic, discovery, conservation, bibliographical) relating to them. Since 2000, ICAR has been developing its activities in association with various iconographic research programmes. Over the last ten years the database has also taken into account the modern documentation of the ancient artefacts and offers a data interoperability portal bringing together all the international collections preserving modern reproductions of Etruscan painting. Within this framework, we developed an exploratory tool (ICAR 4D) to combine high-definition 3D digitizations of two Etruscan painted tombs (the tombs of the Bigas and of Orcus in Tarquinia) with all the drawings and paintings produced over more than a century since the discovery of the two monuments. This tool uses cross-browser and open-source libraries to digitally expose and allow 3-D real-time online examination of both tombs’ models and their rich graphical documentation.
• Disséquer l’ornement, interpréter l’hybridité humano-végétale. Diphuès – Une base de données polyvalente
  The Diphuès database is an open access research, exchange and dialogue tool devoted to the half-human half-vegetal figures in Roman Antiquity. It is the result of two research projects that have been carried out since 2012 under the aegis of the F.R.S.-FNRS (Fonds de la recherche scientifique de Belgique). From 2024, it will be made available in open access to the international scientific community by the ‘Service d’Histoire de l’art et Archéologie de l’Antiquité gréco-romaine’ (SHAArAGR) and the ‘Centre Informatique de Philosophie & Lettres’ (CIPL) of the University of Liège. Diphuès is based on a corpus originally designed as a personal work tool to serve specific research objectives. This tool has undergone several major modifications, in its structure and purpose, so that it can be used to produce new knowledge. Its network application is seen as the final stage in the research communication process and is part of a wider effort to share knowledge and resources.
• Le Digital Muret, une édition numérique enrichie d’un recueil de dessins d’objets archéologiques du XIXe siècle
  A collection of unpublished drawings by Jean-Baptiste Muret (1795-1866), kept at the Bibliothèque nationale de France (Paris), brings together in colour plates the drawings of almost 8,000 ancient objects, drawn according to the knowledge of his time. It is a precious and original testimony to the birth of archaeology as a science, and still has great heuristic potential today. The recent digital publication of this work allows us both to contribute to the history of the discipline and to give today’s researchers access to a wealth of documentation that is still useful for current studies. The presentation of the results of this research project will provide an opportunity to outline a proposed model for the digital publication of enriched historical sources, in accordance with the principles of open science and adapted to the specific needs of research in terms of scientific integrity.
• Images antiques et humanités numériques: une introduction
  Introduction to Images antiques et humanités numériques: section spéciale éditée par le programme ArcheoNum
• Data management and reconstruction of funerary landscape in pre-Roman necropolises between Este and Padova
  The results of two distinct projects on two pre-Roman funerary areas are presented: the eastern necropolis of Padova between via Tiepolo and via S. Massimo (excavations 1990-1991), and the northern necropolis of Este in the area of Casa di Ricovero (excavations 1983-1993). The first project focused on building of a geodatabase to manage and archive documentation data, as well as to consciously plan resources allocation and research steps. The second project, on the other hand, focused on 3D reconstructions of two burial mounds in a BIM environment, with both research and dissemination aims. Therefore, it was possible to experiment with the limits, potential, and effectiveness of this method in an unusual archaeological context, characterised by monuments built mainly with perishable materials and lacking architectural structures.
• Archaeological data management and spatial analysis tools in the study of necropolises: case studies from Bologna and Spina (6th-3rd cent. BC)
  This contribution deals with the use of relational databases (RDB) and GIS for the spatial analysis of Iron Age funerary contexts in the Italian peninsula through two projects by the Chair of Etruscology at the University of Bologna. The two selected case studies of Bologna’s western necropolis and Spina’s Valle Trebba necropolis represent distinct phases of research and discuss the challenges in updating historic systems and creating dialogue between systems adopted at different times. The Bologna case provides the opportunity to discuss the quality of data from old excavations in reconstructing funerary landscapes using GIS. The case of Valle Trebba exemplifies the difficulties in planning and managing information on 1215 tombs and over twelve thousand objects through an articulated relational archiving system. The iconography of Attic pottery allows us to understand the management of qualitative data. As far as spatial analysis in a GIS environment is concerned, we reassessed the solutions adopted for the Valle Trebba project, which are currently unsatisfactory, as they do not meet the principles of accessibility of such tools, nor Open Data Standards.
• Per una ricostruzione dei paesaggi funerari in Etruria settentrionale: i casi di Pisa e Volterra
  The contribution aims to illustrate the potential of digital cartography in reconstructing the funerary landscape of Pisa and Volterra. These study cases represent different scenarios, albeit within the northern-Etruscan context. While in Pisa, the visible remains are almost non-existent, and the documentation is sparse and fragmented, the available information for Volterra is more complete and accurate. The research has resulted in two different databases integrating archaeological and cartographic information within a geographic information system produced by public administration. The two freely accessible GIS platforms offer an overview of the collected data and enable filtering, querying, and analyzing records to meet specific objectives. The article concludes with a methodological note on the importance of information systems in analyzing archaeological data and the requirement to create standard protocols for collecting and disseminating geographic data.
• ‘Ritorno a Vulci’. New tools for the study of the south-eastern necropolises
  The project ‘Ritorno a Vulci’ focuses on specific sectors of the south-eastern necropolis of Vulci, where excavations have been conducted since the 1800s. One of the primary objectives of this project is to create a dedicated WebGIS that will generate and manage new topographical documentation of the area. This will serve as a collaborative digital research platform, making document consultation more accessible and contributing to their preservation. Another significant digital project is ‘Vulci nel Mondo’ (VNM), which is conceived as a Virtual Museum. The Authors illustrate this highly versatile tool as an online space to bring together a permanent collection on Vulci. The standard virtual tour model is built on two key aspects: navigation, providing access to the collections and other information on the museum’s website, and interaction, simulating a physical space with which visitors can engage.
• Esperienze da Monte Abatone a Cerveteri
  An overview is presented of ongoing initiatives within the frame of the Monte Abatone Project, focused on the large urban necropolis of the Etruscan city of Caere (Cerveteri). Excavation campaigns; a multi-layered GIS, suitable for archive data and new acquisitions onfield; an experimental processing and modeling of the multi-scalar Information System – architectural (BIM) and topographic (GIS) – of the Campana Tumulus; challenging restorations of thousands of sherds: all this should contribute to have a clearer picture of the necropolis and of the historical and cultural profile of the city.
• Le necropoli di Pontecagnano: archivi e supporti digitali per la tutela e la ricerca a 25 anni dall’elaborazione del GIS
  The paper is dedicated to the Geographic Information System developed for the filing and the analysis of Pontecagnano necropolises, where over 10400 tombs dated from the Etruscan to the Samnite phase (9 th-3rd century BC) have been excavated so far. The first version of the GIS was developed between 1999 and 2000 and initially tested on an area of the Western necropolis. It consists of an alphanumeric descriptive database, developed using Microsoft Access 2000, linked to a cartographic section implemented with the MapInfo software. The paper concludes with a preliminary presentation of the update of the information system, which is going to migrate to an open-source software.
• The necropolis as a landscape of power: some reflections
  This paper focuses on some methodological approaches specific to digital archaeology in the analysis of a particular type of landscape, namely Etruscan-Italic necropolises. First, it highlights the interpretation of a necropolis as a landscape of ancestors and the importance of material and immaterial practices in the formation of such a space. Then it addresses the theoretical framework of phenomenological landscape analysis, developed in recent decades by C. Tilley, as a privileged way to address both aspects. In order to reconcile the phenomenological approach to landscape with the use of digital spatial technologies, which according to Tilley are insufficient because they are at best ‘representations’ of landscape, A. De Guio’s reading of the Powerscape concept is introduced. De Guio presents various spatial analysis algorithms, as fundamental ‘hammers’ to shape our knowledge of multifaceted landscapes such as powerscapes (an example of which is funerary landscapes). The reconciliation between the phenomenological approach to landscape and GIS-based spatial analyses of perceptual fields (especially vision and hearing) allows us to confidently rely on new perspectives, such as J. Ortoleva’s recent research on auditory perception in Etruscan necropolises or the latest approaches to viewshed analysis.
• Funerary archaeology and digital technologies: history and development of a successful cross-disciplinary approach
  The paper explores the successful merging of expertise in ‘funerary archaeology’ and ‘digital archaeology’ research domains. The Author first conducts a terminological analysis to establish a framework for both subjects based on their unique theoretical and methodological backgrounds and then highlights common methodological issues from the 1960s up to today. The result is a complex scenario in which the main applications include spatial analysis techniques and the GIS-based approach for the study of the relationship between cemeteries, settlements and territory; computer graphics and Virtual Reality techniques for the reconstruction of specific funerary structures and burial typologies; multivariate statistical analyses for the automatic classification of grave goods and their chronological ordering; modelling and simulation techniques to mimic features and behaviours of past ritual practices.
• Premesse e prospettive di un workshop
  Introduction to Atti del workshop Necropoli etrusco-italiche: archeologia digitale e paesaggio funerario
• Archeologia funeraria e tecnologie digitali: la tomba del principe di Corinaldo dalla documentazione alla fruizione
  By retracing the main experiences carried out by digital archaeology on some well-known funerary contexts, the article presents the preliminary results of the ongoing 3D documentation in the necropolis of Corinaldo (Ancona) and on the tomb of a Picenian prince of the 7th century BC. The tomb was discovered thanks to the research carried out by the University of Bologna. The first activities focus on a program of enhancement and fruition of the important context, within an ongoing procedure of preliminary excavations in the vicinity of the site that will lead to a redevelopment of the area.
• Dinamiche di scambio nel Mediterraneo antico: il caso di Cerveteri
  The ISCIMA-CNR has participated in the FIRB 2001 Project with research on “Trade dynamics in the ancient Mediterranean: the role of Etruria”. This title raises a number of diverse issues: continuity and discontinuity in trading circuits in the Mediterranean Basin; structure of production and movement of goods; study of the relationship between urban and rural areas involved in their production and consumption; role of the Etruscan ports in the dynamic of trade. In order to conduct a diachronic analysis on this subject, the Etruscan metropolis of Cerveteri has been proposed as a sample area. Since the 1980s, in fact, Cerveteri has been investigated by the CNR Institute through systematic surveys and excavations, resulting in a better understanding of the urban area and the surrounding territory. In particular, within the FIRB Project, the results of the research activity come from the analysis of settlement models, the production of ceramic typological lists, the application of innovative ICT methods to field archaeology, together with archaeoastronomical and spatial analysis techniques, the use of archaeometric research tools to analyse ceramic and metallic objects. The article also describes in detail an integrated approach to define the typology and study the spatial distribution of specific classes of ceramics (in particular the archaic pottery), which have been found during excavations in the central part of the urban plateau, in an area occupied by an open-air elliptical building.
• Dal mondo della statistica applicata
• Méthode archéologique assistée par ordinateur
  It is discussed if the technological evolution of computer science in the nineties has resolved the methodological problems of the Archaeology, known since the sixties. It is concluded that the two first levels of cognitive methodology (recording and structuring) are resolved but the third and last level (reconstitution) is always the subject of sophisticated but rare experience.
• CAIE: progetto per un "Corpus Automatizzato delle Iscrizioni Etrusche"
  The authors present the “CAIE” project, carried out at the Istituto per l'archeologia etrusco-italica of the Italian CNR. The aim of the project is the computerisation of the Thesaurus Linguae Etruscae, with the use of an Information Retrieval System, and the association between texts and archaeological and epigraphical information, such as place and way of finding, support object, technical characteristics, chronology and bibliographical references. The choice of the program FUL/TEXT, implemented for IBM PC, is related to the facility of organising the data both in fixed fields, useful for recording archaeological and epigraphical information, and in free format, useful for recording texts. A personalisation of the program was also implemented, above all for solving the problems presented by the Etruscan language. Data bank consultation is foreseen and will allow interrogations to be made also by unspecialised users.
• La fotomodellazione per il rilievo archeologico
  The paper addresses the theme of photomodelling techniques supporting archaeological survey and of the role played by the contemporary archaeologist dealing with computing and information technology. In particular, photomodelling, being a simple and economical technique, for years has gained ground in the archaeological survey as an efficient instrument to respond to the needs for documentation, study, and communication, which are inherent to digitization. Likewise, in the enhancement of perceptive aspects and in computation automatisms, which are at the basis of the models’ genesis, some pitfalls can be hidden that may lead to underestimate the centrality of interpretation. The critical analysis proposed aims at underlying the contribution of digital techniques, by analysing their reliability and their possible application to the traditional design. The paper compares some examples of archaeological data survey conducted in the Umbria region, in the last fifty years, from the point of view of experts involved in representation studies, and tries to capture the peculiarities that are still valid in the current transformation of graphic representation tools.
• Operative tools for BIM in archaeology: libraries of archaeological parametric IFC objects
  Building Information Modeling is the most consolidated work method for engineering design of buildings and infrastructural works. It allows to create a comprehensive database starting from a 3D model of a building. Its use in archaeology permits to test and transform a working method, born for engineering design, in an operational support for archaeologists during and after the field phase. Our contribution focuses on the application of BIM to archaeological evidence. It presents the initial stages of a research project, whose aim is the definition of operational solutions for the creation of BIM models. To implement, on a scientific basis, the BIM methodology and make the modelling of archaeological structures easier, a model of semantic library, based on Pompeian archaeological evidence, has been created. The BIM contains archeological objects that can be reproduced and possibly modified for other projects. They represent a support to share on a large scale the representation in BIM. All archaeological library’s objects can be exported in the IFC format. This format can be opened and edited by all BIM software and worked on all OS; the export of archaeological objects in IFC format leads BIM closer to the FOSS world.
• Settlement and viewshed dynamics between the ancient sites of the Erei as a key of historical landscape interpretation
  The inner Sicilian area of the Erei hills, crossed by rivers and important streams directed to the Catania’s lowland, witnessed very ancient human occupation and activities, starting from the Upper Palaeolithic. Here the dynamics of human activities and the organization of the supply basin during early times were distinctive in certain historical periods: some featured a substantial continuity with the earlier phases, while others showed a complete discontinuity with the older human settlement framework and a new organization of the area and activities connected with the environment. These agricultural, proto-urban and urban communities organized their existence on the exploitation of natural resources, distributing themselves according to the local morphology. They built, mostly on top of the hills, constructions used as control viewpoints of the area, and created a complete communication network to connect settlements of the same or different level. Those features in several cases had a long-term continuity that survived to dramatic historical changes and represent today the optimal way for a right perception of current landscape and its millenary history.
• Archeologia preventiva e ricerca nella valle del Nevola (Marche, Italia). La scoperta “programmata” di una necropoli a Corinaldo
  The paper discusses the recent results achieved by the ArcheoNevola project, carried out by the University of Bologna within an agreement with several institutions aimed at the accomplishment of an operation of development-led archaeology in Corinaldo, in the middle Valley of the Nevola torrent (northern Marche, Ancona). The programme of activities reserved large space to the employment of non-invasive techniques, besides to the analysis of the historical documents and cartography and trial archaeological digs. The accurate process of evaluation has led to the important discovery of a Picene necropolis with circular funerary monuments and an extraordinary princely tomb with a survived rich grave-goods, marginally occupied by later Roman burials. Within this finding geophysics played a crucial role, as for the preventative understanding of the archaeological potential of the site as well as for the needs connected to the planning project underway on the area.
• Etruscan hypogea in 3D: a proposal for an immersive and interactive visualization of Volterra’s funerary contexts
  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.
• Scavo e scuola a Tarquinia. Internazionalizzazione e formazione a difesa della fragilità di un sito UNESCO
  Tarquinia is a site of high relevance for the themes of this conference, from fragility to internationalisation, which can be explored on evidence gathered through uninterrupted and systematic presence of researchers from the University of Milan, since 1982. The site has attracted interdisciplinary initiatives and scholars from Universities and research institutes throughout Europe and the world. Today the ancient Etruscan city, buffer zone of the UNESCO site (2004), i.e. the necropolis of painted tombs, is threatened by various geomorphological phenomena and by the risk of abandonment of active research, hindered by current legal-administrative conditions. However, the continuity can counteract this two-faced fragility. This research is based on an established tradition and it is constantly renewed, with obvious advantages for the UNESCO site, which is always under the spotlight. The Tarquinian territory is one of the fields in which the interdisciplinary collaboration immediately yields high returns, especially focusing on a complete and defined survey, through the recent acquirements of topographic research (LiDAR, GIS, geophysical prospections) combined with archaeological investigation. This includes a thorough study of how the ancient city is integrated in the current town plan and in urban planning for the territory: the rules of archaeological, environmental and landscape safeguards the UNESCO Buffer zone vary considerably for specific land plots. However, if on the one hand it is right to think in terms of agricultural development and productivity, this must be done in a way that is respectful of the Etruscan metropolis, whose immense buried archaeological potential is as yet little known.
• ArchaeoBIM ed Extended Matrix. Analisi e potenzialità di due processi per l’elaborazione di modelli informativi
  The article systematically explores two processes of virtual reconstruction of archaeological contexts: ArchaeoBIM and Extended Matrix. The focus is on the theoretical frameworks behind their development, the proposed operational processes, and the products derived from both methodologies. The informative potential of the virtual models resulting from these reconstruction processes will be discussed, as well as the application-related issues. A substantial part of the article will be dedicated to the development of an integrative protocol aimed at incorporating the informational structure of the Extended Matrix within an ArchaeoBIM model. The process has been applied to the case study of House 1 in Regio IV, Insula 2 of the Etruscan city of Marzabotto, which was excavated in recent years (1988-1998) and thoroughly documented. Final considerations are then directed towards future development prospects and the integration of this virtual product within a Geographic Information System.
• La banca dati bibliografica degli anni Novanta. Dati quantitativi e analisi statistiche
  Recent research work, carried out as part of the international project on 'The History of Archaeological Computing', jointly promoted by the Italian National Research Council and the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, has created the premises by which to publish online the database of the Bibliography of Archaeological Computing. The database was regularly implemented during the first ten years of publication of the international scholarly journal 'Archeologia e Calcolatori' (1990-1999), and covers a period ranging from 1989 to 2000. The dataset was revised and made available online in the 'Virtual Museum of Archaeological Computing', featuring more than 2,700 titles. Data structuring and updating led us to re-appreciate the analysis of the results, published for the first time in the tenth issue of the journal, by also linking the period under investigation with the achievements of the previous decades and anticipating the challenges of the years to come. This article sets out both the research work now being carried out to classify bibliographical information and the results obtained from the statistical analysis of the dataset.
• The rediscovery of colors at Kainua-Marzabotto
  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.
• Building materials and virtual models of the Etruscan city of Kainua
  The paper aims to explain the analytical method used to virtually recreate the houses of the Etruscan city of Marzabotto. As stated in the title, the starting point of the process was the analysis conducted on the tangible archaeological evidence of building materials; these latter were fully integrated with data provided by the ancient sources and the latest technology. Next, the problems and the solutions adopted in order to recreate the houses are presented. In the last section the criteria used for the visual restitution of the unexcavated context of the ancient city are explained.
• Il Tevere e il suo antico corso
  In this paper, the results of a scientific collaboration between the Institute of Etrusco-Italic Archaeology, the Institute of Technologies Applied to Cultural Heritage and the Civic Museum of Magliano Sabina are presented. The aim of this research is to study the distribution of archaeological sites in the territory of Magliano Sabina (Tiber Valley) and their relationship with the environmental-historical context. This area is a section of the Tiber Valley, where the river has always represented an important element from an historical point of view. In the present day in this area the river no longer follows its original course, so it was decided to find its old course in order to better understand the distribution of the ancient settlements in this territory. On the basis of research carried out at the Archivio di Stato di Roma it was possible to verify that the river Tiber originally flowed in the lower part of Magliano Sabina, nowadays the area of “Piana di Ramelli”. The study of historical cartography allowed us to verify the change of the river course since 1589, the year of the construction of the “Felice” bridge. The data has been confirmed by the morphological and geological characterisation of the selected study area. A GIS of the area has been used to compare and integrate all data sets with the aim of producing thematic maps to better understand the environmental evolution of the territory of Magliano Sabina.
• High resolution geophysical surveys to characterise Norba archaeological site (Norma, Central Italy)
  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.
• Il laboratorio di informatica per la Villa di Cottanello (RI): lo studio delle terrecotte architettoniche
  Since 2012 the Istituto di Studi sul Mediterraneo Antico - CNR has been conducting an interdisciplinary research programme at the Roman villa of Cottanello (RI). The results of these investigations have been published in a recent work (Pensabene, Sfameni 2017). This paper presents some new studies on the villa, related, in particular, to the development of a website created with the CMS Museo and Web. The implementation of the website gave the opportunity to expand the research on the architectural terracottas, that represent one of the most important and conspicuous groups of ancient material found during the excavations. In particular, the article presents the online database of terracottas, their three-dimensional graphic reconstruction and some archaeometric analysis. The paper provides also an overview on other residential contexts, in which similar decorative terracottas were found.
• Le sperimentazioni sulla ceramica dell'Istituto di Archeologia dell'Università di Bologna
  The authors present the research activity carried out at the Istituto di Archeologia of Bologna University. The projects concern in particular ceramic artefacts, from attic black-figured pottery to coarse ware. The procedures followed for the storage, retrieval and data analysis use DBMS, IRS, CAD and statistical packages. A database system was created in order to examine the diffusion of Athenian pottery during the first half of the VI century and to consider possible “export models”, archaic trade overseas of attic black-figured pottery and the role of fine Athenian vases in their own production context. In the coarse ware research project, statistical procedures and quantitative analyses were carried out in order to create a problem-oriented classification in which the pottery was used as an anthropological indicator. Finally, some computer graphics applications were undertaken with some fragmentary coarse ware vessels, and a comparison made with the traditional graphical representations.
• Reconstructing the funerary landscape: natural environment and topography of the necropolis
  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.
• Scrivere per il multimediale: alcune riflessioni di un non-specialista, a partire da un'esperienza recente
  This paper moves from an analysis of some characteristics of text-writing for multimedia products and moves to a general reflection on the nature of archaeological communication, in its forms as well as in its contents and final goals. Multimedia products represent a new field of development in archaeological communication, due to the possibility of associating among them various 'vectors of information' (text, images, animations, 3d modelling etc.), to obtain the desired informative effect. From another point of view - maybe more interesting - such a new tool of communication imposes a careful reflection on the methodologies, strategies and procedures related to the acquisition of the archaeological data (Which data? How many data? Recorded with which tools and procedures?). Consequently, the reflection on the archaeological publication on multimedia systems is related to the broader debate on an in-depth revision of the theoretical and methodological approaches to the archaeological job in the field.
• Scansioni dinamiche in archeologia dell’architettura: test e valutazioni metriche del sensore LiDAR di Apple
  Cutting-edge mobile phones and tablets marketed by Apple, equipped with a LiDAR sensor, are able to measure the three-dimensional position of objects and reconstruct their surface. At present, specific publications illustrating the potential of this sensor in the field of archaeology are not known. The first part of the article explains its functioning; the second deals with its limitations; the third describes its use in an architectural survey of two buildings; the fourth proves its usefulness in the architectural field, particularly in the study of archaeological standing buildings (archaeology of architecture). In light of the tests performed, it can be stated that the LiDAR offers centimetre-level accuracy and is therefore of great interest in the field of archaeology, also considering its relatively low cost, its ease of manoeuvring and fast acquisition of data, compared to other scanning systems. The LiDAR may become a common tool in the field of archaeology in the future if investments in this technology continue, producing sensors capable of measuring more accurately (the current maximum coverage is 5 m) and software (apps) that can produce flawless textures and more uniform sampling of space. In its current state of development, the sensor is not suitable for precise modelling of small-size objects, while it is useful for the archaeological documentation of masonry, architectural elements and walls. In addition, it is the ideal tool for obtaining floor maps and three-dimensional models of small-sized environments.
• Il contributo dell’archeologia digitale allo studio e all’interpretazione dell’edilizia storica. Il caso di San Marino
  The archaeology of standing buildings and archaeological survey are the essential prerequisite to properly investigate and interpret the evolution of historical buildings. Technological advances in recent years have led to an improvement in the methodologies and tools for three-dimensional survey and data analysis. However, so far, many of these tools and methods are not fully integrated in the archaeological practice, and their potential is only partially exploited. In some cases, technology becomes the goal and not the tool to answer research questions. Often, its implementation is only limited to documentation, while the analytical contribution is ignored. The article illustrates a method already well established in the research activities of the DHiLab laboratory of the CNR ISPC, which makes use of three-dimensional survey and visualization techniques as support tools for the analysis and interpretation of the medieval fortification of San Marino, including the three Towers and the city walls. The aim is to solve interpretative issues and answer complex research questions in order to better document and analyse the urban context and to reconstruct its architectural evolution in the late medieval and post-medieval periods.
• La logica fuzzy e le sue applicazioni alla ricerca archeologica
  This paper deals with the application of fuzzy logic to archaeological research. Fuzzy logic is based on a continuum of truth values ranging from 0 (False) to 1 (True) and thus may help whenever there exists some uncertainty on data assignment to predetermined categories. After examining the features and drawbacks of typological classification and the problem of gender and age assignment in cemetery excavations, the fundamentals of fuzzy logic are summarized. Four examples of archaeological applications are then presented. The first example deals with a necropolis in which tombs present a high degree of uncertainty as far as sex and age of the deceased are concerned. Therefore it is suggested to use a fuzzy database management system, i.e. a DBMS implementing fuzzy logic and function, for data storage and processing. Such a database software was previously developed for this application. In the following three examples, classification problems are considered and it is shown how the use of fuzzy logic may change their archaeological interpretation. The authors claim that a generalized use of fuzzy logic, as is widely applied in other sciences, may improve the quality of data processing and above all produce reliable and transparent results, or at least illustrate the degree of reliability the researcher grants to those data.
• I bronzi di punta del Serrone (BR): dalla ricerca archeologica alla comunicazione multimediale
  On July 19, 1992, in the waters of Punta del Serrone (Brindisi, Italy), over 200 fragments of bronze statues of exceptional manufacture were found. This paper traces the history of the exceptional discovery and fate of the finds. The first part deals with the recovery, conservation and exhibition and the main phases of the analytical study that led to their identification and the reconstruction of the events that caused their abandonment on the seabed. The second part is dedicated to the digital acquisition and processing of the statues through laser scanning and to the virtual restoration and creative modeling of some of them, carried out on the occasion of ‘Nel mare dell’intimità/In the sea of intimacy’, an exhibition set up at the Brindisi airport between July 2019 and January 2021. The third and last part discusses the making of the computer animation video ‘Rottami preziosi. Una ballata del mare profondo/Precious scrap. A ballad from the deep sea’, created for the exhibition, and dedicated to telling the story of the bronzes, retracing the different phases of the creative process and the solutions developed to combine all the available data in a functional narrative.
• The Roman limes in Germania Inferior: a GIS application for the reconstruction of landscape
  The Roman Limes represents the border line of the Roman Empire at its greatest extent in the 2nd century AD. It stretched over 5,000 km from the Atlantic coast of northern Britain, through Europe to the Black Sea, and from there to the Red Sea and across North Africa to the Atlantic coast. The remains of the Limes today consist of vestiges of built walls, ditches, forts, fortresses, watchtowers and civilian settlements. The limes system is focused both on the presence of natural physical barriers, such as the Rhine and Danube rivers in Europe and the Sahara Desert in North Africa, either on the presence of fortified sections such as the Hadrian’s wall or the Germanic-Rhaetian limes. The latter two are the best preserved and studied section. However, the limes sections in which natural barriers were exploited to mark the boundary of the area under Roman control are less well known. Over the past two decades considerable progress has been made in the knowledge of limes areas such as the Rhine sector. In this area the river was exploited as a natural barrier, and control of the area was based on the presence of two larger legionary camps around which, along the southern course of the Rhine, small auxiliary camps gravitated. Only some of these encampments have been investigated and their position confirmed by archaeological excavations. The position of the other encampments is still speculated and awaiting verification. In this contribution, in order to verify the position of these hypothetical forts, through GIS systems a visibility analysis and path distance analysis was carried out based on the location of certain sites and taking into account the ancient road routes and the geomorphology of the soil.
• Modellazione di superfici di età romana nel centro urbano di Treviso per lo studio del paesaggio antico e la tutela archeologica
  Treviso, as many other historical towns in Italy, is a large and multi-stratified site occupied since the Bronze Age to the present time. This study was oriented to model trend surfaces, representative of the ground level of the city in Roman Age, on the basis of stratigraphic data. GIS spatial analyses were performed to select a reliable dataset. DTM was obtained by the interpolation of elevation points related to significant features, with the aim to contribute to the study of the ancient landscape and to support the evaluation of risks connected with public works that may impact local archaeological heritage.
• Come nasce una base GIS per l’archeologia opensource, sviluppata da archeologi per gli archeologi: lo scavo di Poggio Gramignano, Lugnano in Teverina (TR)
  This contribution traces the history of pyArchInit, the first QGIS plugin created directly by archaeologists for the management of archaeological sites. The article describes the structure of the plugin, its features and the main innovations brought to the field of archaeological data management compared to the commonly used applications (CAD and Office package). Furthermore, practical examples of its use and potential will be provided through the description of the methodological procedure, based on pyArchInit, put into the field during the excavation of the archaeological site of Poggio Gramignano - Umbria - Italy. Such excavation is directed by Prof. David Soren of the University of Arizona and has revealed the remains of an important Roman villa reused in the Late Roman period as a cemetery for children.
• A proposito di Virtual Archaeology: disordini, interazioni cognitive e virtualità
  What is Virtual Archaeology (from now on abbreviated as VA) really? And what is virtual? In a period of great technological-digital evolution in all scientific fields, it is even more important to try to decipher, monitor and critically describe the state of the art, with particular attention to those interdisciplinary areas which will represent the avant-garde of future research. The great communicative impact that archaeology offers in itself is greatly enhanced by the possible digital interfaces and by the comprehensibility that these provide for much more than the scientific community. Therefore, considering what has been noted in this overview and what will be discussed below, VA can be defined as digital reconstructive archaeology, computational epistemology applied to the reconstruction of three dimensional archaeological ecosystems, therefore, cognitive ecology. The epistemological aspect is essential in the assessment of computational processes and therefore, in archaeological activity. To the out-going elaboration one must increase the cognitive significance of the in-going data (“augmented” reality). The context is cognitively greater than the sum of its components and we must identify the “environment” of the VA in a structuralist sense. In the assessment of the application of VA therefore, an epistemological measurement is essential; if, in fact, we try to “measure” the cognitive quality of models there is a risk of completely destructuring the information in respect to the context. Moreover it is evident that virtual space, in the archaeological dimension, must be contextualised and hierarchically restructured in order to allow for the identification of the logical units of information in the geometry of the models; theoretically one should “undo” and “redo” the context to completely verify the geometric and functional system. Key words might be 3D, interaction, virtual models, and other variables described in the text.
• Virtual Archaeology and the study of necropolises as a system: methodology and practice in the case study of Numana (AN), Italy
  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.
• Archeologia virtuale del passato contemporaneo. Dal rilievo alla ricostruzione digitale del campo pg 65 di Altamura (BA)
  In the last decades, archaeologists have learnt to overcome the chronological limits, arriving to conceive the application of archaeological methods to contemporary objects and sites. But what happens when we try to apply the rules and methods of virtual archaeology to a context of the contemporary past? While the same tools can be used, some very important differences warn us to be careful: sometimes the contemporary archaeological heritage cannot be reconstructed in the usual way, despite the huge amount of data and sources available. The example of the virtual reconstruction of POW no. 65 in Central Apulia gives some elements to envisage possible applications of computer graphics techniques to very recent cultural heritage assets, moving a step forward towards a new paradigm of digital presentation of archaeological heritage.
• Laser Scanner 3D per lo studio e la catalogazione dell'archeologia medievale: la chiesa di Santa Croce in Bergamo
  The improvement of new active optical sensors has revolutionized the methods for documenting cultural heritage. The conservation and appreciation of our cultural legacy re¬quire an extensive documentation both in terms of shape, color and geometry as well as the more traditional art-historical features. The incessant development of scientific research today provides new possibilities and tools which are essential to know and use in a responsible and scientific way. In the field of archaeology, the automatic 3D survey is now recognized as an added value compared to traditional practices and the active contribution that this technology can provide to the interpretative phase, cataloguing and promotion of archaeological assets, even through the web, is becoming increasingly clear. On the other hand, even considering the speed of the procedure and the accuracy of measurement, there have been calls for reflection on the role that laser scanning can play in the field of archaeology; this role needs to be clarified and consolidated by conducting new studies and experiments, such as the one presented here that concerns the Church of Santa Croce in Bergamo, a small octagonal Romanesque chapel built in the first half of the 11th century.
• From the Itinerarium Antonini and al-Idrisi to the movecost plugin: road network analysis in the Castronovo di Sicilia area
  The area of Castronovo di Sicilia was analysed by integrating different methodologies. In terms of the road network, it was decided to compare information from traditional written sources, such as the Itinerarium Antonini and texts from the Arab geographer al-Idrisi, with the results of the Least-Cost Path Analysis (LCPA) conducted using the QGIS plugin ‘movecost’. The primary objective of this analysis was to evaluate how the centrality of the Castronovo area was determined by environmental factors that made it easily accessible along the main long-distance routes connecting the island. At the same time, the analysis aimed to highlight similarities and differences between the written sources and the LCPA results.
• La valorizzazione dei musei locali attraverso Wikipedia: il progetto MedAniene
  The aim of this contribution is to explain workflows, methodologies and impact of the ‘MedAniene Project’, that was realised through the collaborative use of Wiki platforms and coordinated by the APS ArcheoFOSS. The project involved creating or modifying Wikipedia pages for the museums of the Aniene Valley, uploading images to the Wikimedia Commons repository and structuring relational information in the Wikidata system. The goal of the work was to improve the communication and increase the visibility of those museums by providing the public with open access scientific explanations and implementing data relationships through several heuristic systems which are available to the digital audience. Building such an informative apparatus offers the opportunity to learn about shared digital cultural heritage, increasing awareness in external users and in communities. It is now possible to analyse data on views, accesses and clicks on contents and evaluate the impact of specific activities in terms of audience targeting and engagement. Indeed, this work proposes a methodology for the establishment of a digital, open and collaborative communication space, improving the connection between cultural entities and communities.
• Entertainment buildings in the Roman empire: a quantitative approach
  The project features the creation of a webGIS containing heterogeneous data about entertainment buildings in the whole Roman Empire: stadiums, circuses, theaters, and amphitheaters. Information available in earlier studies have been integrated with more recent historical information, modern maps, and satellite data. This geo-database of the Roman structures gives access to information such as localization, name, country, if there are any archaeological remains and if the monument is still visible. The results of the presented work are useful to 1) analyze the relationship between buildings and surrounding lands, 2) perform advanced hypothesis about the accessibility to the structures or the role of these type of buildings in the urbanistic context, 3) understand relationship between entertainment and society and 4) identify concentrations of structures in certain regions. This research is mostly focused on the study of satellite images, published and historical sources. A substantial level of attention has been dedicated to the reusability and availability of the collected data.
• The DSC authority file: a link between fieldwork and finds
  Starting in 2017, the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio per la città metropolitana di Genova e le province di Imperia, La Spezia e Savona (SABAP-LIG) began activities to inventory archaeological assets through the ‘in batches’ inventory system based on the new MINP standard module. The activity was carried out with funds allocated by the General Directorate and has continued annually until 2023, leading to the compilation of about 13,000 modules. Since the first experiment, the DSC (Archaeological Excavation) authority file, which has been developed among the ICCD authority file standards for a while, but used sparingly. It has been identified as a crucial element of the activity because it can be used as a link between catalogue of records describing finds (MINP, MINV) and records describing archaeological sites. Despite the relative simplicity of the data model compared to state-of-the-art initiatives in archaeology data modelling, still it allows an improvement in finds management and knowledge about archaeological heritage.
• Amplifying archaeological outreach: the impact of Wikipedia and collaborative initiatives on cultural tourism
  This paper examines the impact of Wikipedia and Wikimedia Foundation projects on archaeological heritage dissemination and cultural tourism enhancement. It focuses on two initiatives: a 2017 Public Archaeology event and a 2023 project extending into 2024. The 2017 initiative, in collaboration with the University of Verona and the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio per le Province di Verona, Rovigo e Vicenza, involved creating Wikipedia entries for key archaeological sites in Verona. Visitor data analysis, from these sites, showed an increased number of visits after the entry creation. The ongoing 2023 project, backed by Wikimedia Italia and the Superintendency, aims to refine Wikipedia entries for all supervised sites. Preliminary assessments indicate enhanced visitor engagement correlating with article updates. The study particularly analyzes visitor data for Corte Sgarzerie (Verona) and Criptoportico Romano (Vicenza), assessing both electronic and physical visits. Results indicate a significant statistical increase in site visits, following the availability of Wikipedia articles. Further, a significant correlation was found between electronic access to articles and actual visits to these sites. The findings suggest a substantial impact of Wikipedia on cultural tourism, highlighting the role of open access, free software, and open data in promoting and preserving knowledge.
• Foreword. Open Source, Open Science and communities in archaeology
  Foreword
• Introduction
  Introduction to "ArcheoFOSS 2023. Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Open Software, Hardware, Processes, Data and Formats in Archaeological Research (Turin, 12-13 December 2023)"
• Applying digital tools as an effective support for conservation research and design process: the Rocca Janula castle in Cassino, Lazio
  The paper deals with the very extensive and complex topic of the conservation and adaptation of the medieval defensive castle of Rocca Janula in Cassino for the headquarters of the non-governmental organization Corvi di Giano. The castle is a very important building due to its location and its history. Its location makes it one of the two landmarks of the city’s landscape. Due to its connections with the Montecassino Monastery, it has a great cultural significance for Poland and Italy. The research described in this paper is an attempt to re-integrate the fortress into social life. The project is an example of the application of digital recording methods such as photogrammetry, HBIM technology and 3D printing. The integration of these methods allowed creating a database by which valorization practices were implemented and conservation guidelines were formulated.
• Integrating Point Pattern Analysis and Logistic Regression approaches for exploring the settlement pattern of the Versilia and Garfagnana mountains in Roman times
  Mountain archaeology has a long research tradition and in recent years the number of studies on this topic has increased considerably, shedding new light on the dynamics of mountain’s communities. Versilia and Garfagnana districts (Lucca, North-Western Tuscany) largely fall between the Apuan Alps and the Apennine ridge. Although these territories have never been systematically investigated, the collection of all available archaeological legacy data indicates a settlement pattern of undoubted interest for the Roman times. This paper aims at exploring the settlement pattern of these mountain territories, integrating Point Pattern Analysis and Logistic Regression to achieve a predictive map of archaeological presences and to analyse their interrelations with the environment. Analyses prove the spatial dependence of finds with geomorphological and pedological variables, but also with the distance to major watercourses and solar irradiation. Based on the considered variables, the predictive map confirms that the foothill and gentler slopes facing E-SE areas have suitable characteristics for permanent settlement. Moving towards the more inland and higher altitude territories, the non-event areas increase proportionally, especially along the ridges, and the steeper, north-facing areas. Thus, the results make it possible to integrate the archaeological framework, clarifying human-environment dynamics, and directing new studies.
• La Grotta paleolitica di Roccia San Sebastiano (Mondragone, CE). Una metodologia per l’analisi dei dati in spazi simbolici
  The Prehistory of the Mondragone area, in the province of Caserta, emerged in its importance thanks to the results of systematic surveys carried out since 1994 by the University of Naples “Federico II” and the Museum Biagio Greco together with the Archeological Superintendence of Naples and Caserta. Since 2001, the Museum has accomplished regular excavation campaigns of the very important Upper and Middle Palaeolithic deposit in the large cave opening in the site of Roccia di San Sebastiano, which represents the only evidence of Palaeolithic frequentation systematically and stratigraphically studied in the territory included between the Northern Campania coast and the Southern Latium coast. On the basis of such evidences, the authors illustrate a project aimed to produce a detailed territorial study to understand the dynamics of the frequentation and settlement of the area during Palaeolithic (Musterian, Uluzzian, Aurignazian and Gravettian) and the cultural behaviours of last Neanderthals and first Homo sapiens groups. The latest excavation campaigns allowed to unearth Uluzzian layers in two sectors of the cave and to investigate the Mousterian levels, from which a deciduous molar of a Neanderthal child comes. Moreover they permitted to consolidate the study of symbolic activities in the cave. Digital and tridimensional documentation techniques have been adopted for the description of the excavation surfaces and to understand the symbolic activities consisting in both parietal and mobiliary art evidences. The storage and elaboration of data is realized in a 3D application in order to elaborate detailed intra-site analysis in a predictive pattern of activities. This model allows the management of digital data in a single spatial system of representation, in which the digital copies of places, excavations areas and objects coincide with the relational matrices between the archaeological data and the possible events recorded in the physical layers.
• Capienza delle forme vascolari, da un metodo open source all’uso di modelli regressivi: il caso dell’insediamento protostorico del Monte Cimino
  The volume of ceramic vessels provides several information about their use. However, due to the fragmentation of pottery coming from settlement sites, data concerning the volume are rarely published. The first goal of this paper is presenting a new method to calculate the volume starting from the archaeological drawings. The dataset could be extended with a predictive regression analysis. The sample analyzed involves cups and bowls found on the top of Monte Cimino (Viterbo-Italy), a settlement and cult site dated to the Final Bronze Age (ca. 1150-950/925 BC).
• A quantitative approach to Ur III Mesopotamian figurative languages: reflections, results, and new proposals
  The statistical technique known as Textual Correspondence Analysis has been used here to study the late third millennium Mesopotamian figurative languages which were used to produce the so-called presentation scenes in Ur III glyptic. For this investigation the authors prepared a data set that collected the codings of a corpus of Ur III presentation scenes known from cylinder seals or ancient seal impressions on administrative documents. In this paper we first offer a summary and the discussion of the aims, strategies and first results of this investigation, then the iconography of presentation scenes is interpreted through the classification of the scenes on the basis of the analysis of the forms and of their external features. The paper concludes with a general summing-up of the results and their meaning.
• The cylinder seal as a challenge for quantitative investigation, electronic cataloguing and digital visualization
  In ancient Western Asiatic studies glyptic has been historically the preferred subject for quantitative experiments and investigations. In most cases this led to stimulating and complex challenges which deserve to be critically discussed and analysed in order to find a proper use in the field of recently developed technologies and models. Cylinder seals in particular compel the scholars to face the close connection between the development of an optimal representation of the artefacts in primary publications and the building of strategies for their quantitative investigation. A synthesis of past experiences and present issues is presented here.
• Image study of Mesopotamian cylinder seals through texts: the Procrustes transformation applied to Correspondence Analysis results
  The use of Textual Correspondence Analysis to investigate a corpus of iconographic compositions carved on Mesopotamian cylinder seals proved to be very useful to understand the peculiarities of the specimens from the points of view of geographic origin, typology and inner chronology. The presence of a relatively high number of rare forms in the data set – besides the hapax – led to think, however, that the extraction of the factors – so the outcomes of the analyses – could have been influenced heavily by them. For this reason, looking for an optimal composition and for the most effective encoding of the data set, a reduction of its rarest forms was performed to find the threshold which could allow to reconcile the need for keeping the useful encoded information with the best possible reduction of elements producing high inertia. Adopting the methodology known as Procrustes, the data table was thus progressively reduced, and each time investigated: the results so obtained were then used to reach a global assessment about how much each reduced data set could correspond to the optimized one.
• Modelling the past. Logics, semantics and applications of neural computing in archaeology
  The study of complex archaeological systems through the new Artificial Intelligence and Natural and Neural Computing is a research project which evaluates the historical meaning of the relationships between records of the past as an essentially human construction. It repeats a strong position of Analytical Archaeology, but updates it on the basis of the progress which neurosciences and physics have made in simulating the principles which regulate memory, orientation, classification and mapping of reality. Modelling and simulating the contexts of the past in integrated, parallel, distributed processing through machine learning methods, must make use of a precise encoding of the documents. It takes on an important role in empirical research only when the results produced become the hyper-surface of a network membrane to continue, update, refine or open the analysis itself. After some 30 years of such theoretical, analytical and experimental research, logics, semantics and applications of neural computing maintain their distinct value as a new theoretical approach for the study of dynamic and systemic cultural complexity. They provide a new analytical paradigm for computational modelling in archaeology and an advanced computational method for pattern recognition in archaeometry.
• Carta Archeologica d'Italia: tradizione e innovazione
  Between 1989 and 1992, studies and experiments on automatic systems for the acquisition, calculation and management of archaeological data relating to the Carta Archeologica d’Italia (Forma Italiae) were carried out. The different phases of application confirmed the methodological assumptions originally outlined in the first issue of this journal: from the use of a GPS system to locate the archaeological survey station, to the exploitation of particular functions of commercial geodetic software, and to the strengthening of the value of an approach whose “natural” end consists in creating a Geographic Information System for archaeology.
• Mapping the fourth dimension: A ten year retrospective
  The paper introduces the concept of webmapping in the archaeological and historical sciences. The interest in offering an online mapping service is developed in terms of collaborative working, technical support, e-learning, mapping functions, and hardware and software architecture. The integration of the webmapping functions in the more general case of a Geoportal is also considered. Examples of operational Geoportals and projects in progress are also briefly described, most of them being detailed by their authors in the present volume.
• Natural interaction in VR environments for cultural heritage: the virtual reconstruction of the Regolini-Galassi tomb in Cerveteri (with an Appendix by M. Sannibale and D. Pletinckx)
  Etruscanning is a European project (Culture 2007) whose aim is to re-create and restore the original context of Etruscan graves. The main objectives are: digital acquisition, digital restoration, 3D representation and implementation of innovative VR environments related to Etruscan tombs and collections in European and Italian Museums. We focused on the Regolini-Galassi tomb in the Sorbo necropolis in Cerveteri, one of the most remarkable Etruscan graves. It was discovered still intact in 1836 and is famous not only for its rich contents but also for the objects showing the Orientalising influence. The finds from this tomb are kept in the Gregorian Etruscan Museum in the Vatican Museums and the empty grave at the site is not always open to public. By making 3D reconstructions of the tomb and the objects we can re-create the archaeological context of this Etruscan tomb. As the process of virtual reconstruction of the Regolini-Galassi tomb tries to visualize it at the moment it was closed, we needed to recompose the original placement of the objects and their ancient appearance. This was not easy as we had to reconsider some contradictory historical plans and iconographies (Grifi, Canina, etc.) and to answer some dif??cult questions. The Regolini-Galassi tomb was implemented in a VR environment and a permanent instal¬lation was presented in the Vatican Museums in April 2013. A key aspect is the development of natural interaction interfaces: visitors use body movements to explore the 3D space and to access contents without the need for any traditional interface. This solution not only makes the experience more engaging but also allows people of every level of skill to enjoy and learn. This embodiment constitutes a new frontier in the communication and learning processes and we believe that it represents a crucial element in museums.
• Viewshed e Cost Surface Analyses per uno studio dei sistemi insediativi antichi: il caso della Daunia tra X e VI sec. a.C
  This paper aims to illustrate how the use of GIS tools and the application of spatial analysis techniques can help to enhance our understanding of the geographical, spatial and temporal dimensions of ancient landscapes. The theoretical and methodological point of reference of the research comes from the experience gained in a European context in the field of Settlement Archaeology, especially on a regional scale. Pre-Roman Daunia is a specific case study falling within a larger project that encompasses the whole of southern Italy, developed by the Laboratory of Archaeological Computing at the University of Lecce. Viewshed Analyses and Cost Surface Analyses were used to investigate the possible relationships between the physical and human landscape systems and to verify the presence or absence of a possible hierarchy among the sites belonging to these systems. Some interesting considerations emerged from the analysis of the Iron Age settlement system. In the earliest phases (10th-9th centuries BC), characterised by the absence of dominant towns, the settlements were organized into “small systems” made up of a number of sites, laid out in accordance with systems of physical landscape that seem to reflect precise choices; in the later phases (8th-first half of the 7th century BC), at the same time as the abandonment of the “small system” model of sites, the first signs of a hierarchy among sites emerge, and this begins to take more visible forms in the Archaic age. The work conducted on this case study has shown how the results of spatial analyses can provide the starting point for the formulation of new research hypotheses and surveying strategies in a territory where the surveys conducted up until now have tended to focus on the field of material culture, which is better documented thanks to the large collections of finds from funerary contexts, which have received more attention.
• Introduzione
  Introdution to the Workshop.