This paper outlines a new approach for digitally recording cultural heritage sites from laser scan data or photogrammetric data. This approach involves 3D modelling stage and the integration of the 3D model into a 3D GIS for further management and analysis. The modelling stage is carried out using a new concept; Historic Building Information Modelling (HBIM). HBIM uses Building Information Modelling (BIM) software with parametric and procedural modelling techniques to automate the modelling stage. The HBIM process involves a reverse engineering solution whereby parametric objects representing architectural elements are mapped onto laser scan or photogrammetric survey data. A library of parametric architectural objects has been designed from historic manuscripts and architectural pattern books. These parametric objects were built using an embedded scripting language within the BIM software called Geometric Descriptive Language (GDL). Using this embedded scripting language, elements of procedural modelling have also been replicated to automatically combine library objects based on architectural rules and proportions. If required the position of elements can be manually refined while overlaying the automatically generated model with the original survey data. After the 3D model has been generated the next stage involves integrating the 3D model into a 3D GIS for further analysis. The international framework for 3D city modelling, CityGML has been adopted for this purpose. CityGML provides an interoperable framework for modelling 3D geometries, semantics, topology and appearance properties. CityGML enables further historical information to be added to the model and allows for efficient management and analysis of all data relating to a heritage site. The aim of this research is to bridge the gap between parametric CAD modelling and 3D GIS while using benefits from both systems to help document and analyse cultural heritage sites.
This paper for the keynotes of the MVPBIM 2022 conference gives an overview of the current standardization efforts in the GIS/BIM context. The motivation for this paper is to strengthen the general awareness of BIM/GIS standardization and to promote the technical report ISO/TR 23262:2021 (ISO/TR) to academia and professional engineers. The ISO/TR was developed by the ISO/TC59/SC13-ISO/TC211 Joint Working Group 14 GIS-BIM interoperability (JWG14) and is presented and discussed in detail. The report identifies barriers and opportunities for BIM/GIS interoperability and suggests further specific standardization efforts. All results of the ISO/TR relate to standardization, not to mathematical foundations nor software products. The ISO/TR shows how diverse the standardization efforts for data structures, services, content and processes are, when it comes to the interoperability of digital twins of the built environment. In conclusion, future trends in GIS-BIM standardization will be anticipated and the need for standardization is shortly presented on two practical examples.
This study describes the technical-systemic and conceptual-informative interoperability tests for the integration of a Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM) model in a 3D Geographic Information System (GIS) environment aimed to provide complete and useful documentation for multiscale analyses on cultural heritage particularly exposed to risks. The case study of the San Lorenzo Church in Norcia (Italy) has been chosen given the urgent need to update the existing documentation for its protection and conservation issues, due to the extensive damage suffered after the series of earthquakes that occurred in central Italy starting from summer 2016. Different tests to evaluate two levels of conceptual interoperability (technical and semantic) when importing the HBIM model into a GIS environment were performed, whether with commercial software or with open source ones (ArcGIS Pro and QGIS, respectively). A data integration platform (Feature Manipulation Engine, FME) has been used for converting the IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) data format into the GML (Geography Markup Language) format, in order to obtain a unique and unified model and vocabulary for the 3D GIS project, structured with different levels of detail, according to CityGML standard. Finally, as HBIM-GIS integration is considered, the loss of geometric and informative data has been taken into account and evaluated.
Standardization in spatial data and Cultural Heritage management is one of the main issues in this field of study and the efforts in this direction are twofold, data models and technological development. Regarding the first aspect some preliminary steps towards definition of common vocabularies and conceptual schemas for semantic classification will be analysed and discussed in order to define the open issues and the development strategies. On the side of the modelling languages and data manipulation tools the recent standard definitions and the research efforts are starting to provide a set of application tools for the semantic and spatial data modelling and information retrieving and manipulation. An application of these notions and tools will be performed on an Architectural Heritage case-study and the preliminary results will be exposed.
Climate change and urban transformations raise new challenges for decision-makers. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and The European Green Deal aim for a sustainable economy by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. An essential task for reaching this result is to minimize transport emissions and their negative impacts on the environment and the human health. Rail is the future of sustainable transport system, and it can be part of the solution in achieving the decarbonisation target. In addition, even more people are using the train and the improvement of the service offered is an essential aspect to fulfil a greater demand for rail transport. More than five million people daily take the train in Italy, and this number is growing over time. It is demonstrated that more investment in rail infrastructure means a greater number of users, and this is even more true when considering the regional rail transport network. This ongoing research aims to test the potential of a Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) integrated system employed to manage this type of existing infrastructure. A methodology was developed and partly tested on a case study. The purpose is the construction of a system that can be used across different phases of the process: linking the data resulting from BIM and GIS makes possible the development of a federated virtual model used as a single source of truth for project development and asset management.
CityGML is a standard data model for the representation, storage and exchange of 3D city models issued by the OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium). CityGML represents a very attractive solution that combines 3D information and semantic information in a single data model. The efficient visualization of the geometric information contained in the CityGML data model is still an open challenge. A survey of the state of the art shows that current approaches have to be improved. In this paper we introduce a new approach for efficient web visualization of CityGML without plugins based on the use of X3D and web services. The approach has been evaluated with an implementation applied to built heritage at urban scale based on an extended CityGML model.
CityGML is an open data model and XML-based format for the representation and exchange of virtual 3D city models. It is based on the Geography Markup Language version 3.1.1 (GML3). Both CityGML and GML3 are international standards issued by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). CityGML not only represents the shape and graphical appearance of city models but specifically addresses the object semantics and the representation of the thematic properties, taxonomies and aggregations. The paper gives an overview about CityGML, its modelling aspects and design decisions, recent applications, and its relation to other 3D standards like IFC, X3D, and KML.
There is a growing interest in the integration of BIM and GIS. However, most of the research is focused on importing BIM data in GIS applications and vice versa. Real integration of BIM and GIS is using the strong parts of the GIS technology in BIM, and of course the strong parts from BIM technology in GIS. In this paper a mix of strong parts from both worlds is integrated in a single project. The paper describes the development of a CityGML extension called GeoBIM to get semantic IFC data into a GIS context. The conversion of IFC to CityGML (including the GeoBIM extension) is implemented in the open source Building Information Modelserver.
The integration of geodata and building models is one of the current challenges in the AECOO (architecture, engineering, construction, owner, operation) domain. Data from Building Information Models (BIM) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) can’t be simply mapped 1:1 to each other because of their different domains. One possible approach is to convert all data in a domain-independent format and link them together in a semantic database. To demonstrate, how this data integration can be done in a federated database architecture, we utilize concepts of the semantic web, ontologies and the Resource Description Framework (RDF). It turns out, however, that traditional object-relational approaches provide more efficient access methods on geometrical representations than triplestores. Therefore we developed a hybrid approach with files, geodatabases and triplestores. This work-in-progress-paper (extend abstract) demonstrates our intermediate research results by practical examples and identifies opportunities and limitations of the hybrid approach.
CityGML (City Geography Markup Language) is the most investigated standard in the integration of building information modeling (BIM) and the geographic information system (GIS), and it is essential for digital twin and smart city applications. The new CityGML 3.0 has been released for a while, but it is still not clear whether its new features bring new challenges or opportunities to this research topic. Therefore, the aim of this study is to understand the state of the art of CityGML in BIM/GIS integration and to investigate the potential influence of CityGML3.0 on BIM/GIS integration. To achieve this aim, this study used a systematic literature review approach. In total, 136 papers from Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus were collected, reviewed, and analyzed. The main findings of this review are as follows: (1) There are several challenging problems in the IFC-to-CityGML conversion, including LoD (Level of Detail) mapping, solid-to-surface conversion, and semantic mapping. (2) The ‘space’ concept and the new LoD concept in CityGML 3.0 can bring new opportunities to LoD mapping and solid-to-surface conversion. (3) The Versioning module and the Dynamizer module can add dynamic semantics to the CityGML. (4) Graph techniques and scan-to-BIM offer new perspectives for facilitating the use of CityGML in BIM/GIS integration. These findings can further facilitate theoretical studies on BIM/GIS integration.
Modern cities require innovative urban design and development approaches that are efficiently tailored for neighborhood needs. To achieve this, decision makers must deal with information from both the micro (building asset) and the macro (neighborhood) levels, consequently deal with two very different information scopes and standards. This paper addresses this issue and introduces a new conceptual approach for developing a hybrid information infrastructure by integrating building design data, in the form of ifcXML, and 3D neighborhood models, in the form of CityGML. This paper uses examples from the operations and maintenance domain to explain the need for data integration to support decision makers at the neighborhood level by providing access to a wide range of detailed data, starting from the neighborhood scale and zooming in to a room in a building. The BIM-CityGML Data Integration (BCDI) approach that is introduced in this research satisfies both geometric and non-geometric (semantic) information queries in real time. This feature distinguishes BCDI significantly from related works that mainly focus on data conversion from one source to another. Furthermore, this work provides deep insights into the data structure of ifcXML and CityGML and discusses data mapping issues between these two common data standards.
The Architectural Orders have always occupied a key role in architectural history, starting from the rediscovery of the Vitruvian text in Renaissance, when all of the most famous architects gave their own interpretation about the Orders composition and proportion. According to the importance of the theme for the Cultural Heritage but also the educational value inherent in the redrawing through this roles, the aim of the research is testing and defining a generative representation of the five orders parametrized in function of the most important authors, modifiable changing different parameters. The definition of a single digital model is interesting for the direct comparison between authors interpretation, to support their accurate representations, but also it is useful to aid in the interpretation of the actual artifacts shape, allowing us to hypothesize the author's style and, in case of restoration, to operate in a consistent way.
Our research analyses the potentialities and critical aspects resulting from the integration of BIM systems in the processes of survey, communication and management of the Built Cultural Heritage (BCH). It deals with the conceptual extension of “virtual model” triggered by BIM approach and its possibilities of stratifying knowledge. The potential of BCH-oriented BIM systems (the so-called Historical-BIM or H-BIM) is undeniable. However, there remain operational and theoretical issues related to the unresolved aporia beteen te rigiity o moelling tools an te ig leibility needed when BCH elements are involved. Supported by some test applications carried out on case studies belonging to Sapiena main camps, or researc aime at eining a comprehensive approach for the implementation of BIM in the consolidated processes of survey, mainly referring to massive capturing technologies. In the transition from the numeric model (point cloud) to the geometric one (synthetic and structured at semantic level too) this paper discusses the introduction of a new parameter, the Level of Reliability (LOR). This new factor intends to measure and explain the consistency of digital objects resulting from critical analysis and re-elaboration activities. Current vagueness of standards together with the need for transparency in H-BIM modelling processes has led to the LOR as a possible solution to preserve the geometric correspondence and the ontological reliability of the model vis-à-vis the artefact it intends to represent. It describes, in fact, the level of global coherence of te process eining eac element o te moel an te moel as a whole. The coding of a set of common and shared parameters maes it possible, inally, to aciee a syntetic nmeric ealation of the LOR, a sort of “score” for the model. In this framework, the Level of Reliability may perhaps represent a relevant methodological step forward to “customize” BIM syted approaches that imply the gradual and deep knowledge of artefacts as a precondition for their conservation and enhancement.stems in order to make them more compatible with BCH issues. In other words, to encourage, support and implement the consolida
In recent years, Historic Building Information Modelling (HBIM) methodology has strengthened the documentation and interpretation of archaeological contexts and is regarded as a breakthrough in relation to established methodologies and analyses. Change is also taking place regarding web and cloud-based solutions, and this work acknowledges the importance of cloud-based and web HBIM solutions applied to Cultural Heritage assets and archaeology. More than ever, online platforms are becoming useful services to ease data exchange and validation between collaborators and stakeholders, establishing multidisciplinary approaches. Despite the presence of different cloud-based platforms, Heritage asset documentation can hardly be managed by environments or software developed for architecture and construction design. For this reason, this project is strongly founded on four pillars: online documentation, collaboration, communication and accessibility. Cognisant of these needs, the paper is aimed at the development of a custom HBIM cloud platform for archaeology, on the basis of the BIMData open-source online environment. This platform, called ARK-BIM, can be considered a modular solution leaning on HTML, JavaScript, VueJS, XEOKIT and open-source languages.
The significance of data acquisition in archaeological practice has consistently held great importance. Over the past few decades, the growing prevalence of digitization in acquiring data has significantly transformed the landscape of archaeological fieldwork, influencing both methodology and interpretation. The integration of digital photogrammetry and laser scanning technologies in archaeology has transformed data acquisition, enabling efficient and precise documentation. However, this digital shift raises concerns about information overload, the potential loss of on-site insights, and the need for suitable data management methods. Over the past 15 years, digital tools like photogrammetry, laser scanning, and unmanned aerial vehicles have advanced cultural heritage documentation. These methods offer detailed 3D models of archaeological sites, artifacts, and monuments, with evolving accessibility and user friendliness. This paper delves into methods for documenting cultural heritage, examining the implications of various approaches on the archaeologist’s workflow and on the field as a whole.
La ricerca riflette sulla possibilità di modellazione BIM parametrica dell’ordine architettonico a partire dall’analisi geometrico proporzionale dell’architettura storica. Lo studio dei trattati rinascimentali, ma soprattutto delle tavole raffiguranti le rappresentazioni dell’ordine architettonico, costituiscono spunti per la scelta e l’impostazione dei parametri per la modellazione. Punto di partenza, come per tutte le attività che riguardano la conoscenza di manufatti storico architettonici, sono le acquisizioni massive di dati, in questo caso da TLS, di supporto alla restituzione parametrica dell’ordine architettonico attraverso la modellazione per famiglie nidificate. Affinità tra il concetto di modulo e quello di parametro in termini scientifici emergono con chiarezza e costituiscono il vincolo indissolubile per la conoscenza e il disegno dell’architettura storico costruita.
En la actualidad la Arqueología Virtual se está constituyendo como disciplina pro- pia, como una parte de la arqueología que reclama identidad dado su potencial e importancia. Para ello, resulta fundamental establecer mecanismos de estandari- zación metodológica que permitan a los investigadores y profesionales aplicar el método científico-social y permitir, de este modo, el avance de esta disciplina. La escala de evidencia histórico-arqueológica para las reconstrucciones virtuales se desvela como una de estas herramientas, con gran potencialidad en el ámbito de la investigación en arqueología virtual pero, también, en el ámbito de la difusión del patrimonio.
A scientific hypothetical reconstruction requires a scientific methodology concerning to reconstruction process and its documentation. An appropriate theoretical and analytical study of virtual reconstruction practice of architectural/archaeological heritage artefacts no longer existing and partially documented, as well as a methodological approach to display the data-processing behind the 3D modelling practice are strictly necessary in order to cover the gap between the interpretation and the original data. In order to validate the 3D modelling reconstruction process and to facilitate the exchange and reuse of information and collaboration between experts in various disciplines we maybe have to look at new standards due to reusability and accessibility of knowledge of 3D digital models: for a better interpretation of digital heritage artefacts we need a comprehensive interpretive method. Because many hypothetical reconstructions are the result of highly complex design decision we decide to focus attention to the cognitive-process. The process of reconstruction is essentially composed by decisions based on various set of input data that are interpreted and integrated. This subjectivity, if not correctly reported, compromises the validity of a whole virtual reconstruction. According to “The London Charter” we need to prescribe a specific method, and to define a guideline for the use of computer-based visualization in relation to intellectual integrity, reliability, documentation, sustainability and access of heritage artefacts. The results concern the definition of a new approach to Paradata Documentation - for creating a conceptual scheme able to clarify the relationship between research sources, implicit knowledge, explicit reasoning - a visualisation-based outcomes – able to show the level of uncertainty related to the reconstructive process of every single element of artifact - and the purpose to establish a “model validation” process, able to define a common and agreed upon standards.
For more than thirty years, 3D digital modelling has been used more and more widely as a research tool in various disciplinary fields. Despite this, the 3D models produced by different research, investigation, and speculation activities are still only used as a basis and as sources for the production of images and scientific contributions (papers in journals, contributions in conference proceedings, etc.) in dissemination and cultural activities, but without having yet assumed full autonomy as a ‘scientific fact’, as a product of research, or as a means of scientific debate and progress. This paper outlines the context in the field of architecture and archeology in which the use of 3D models has become increasingly widespread, reaching a level of full maturity, and how the field of hypothetical reconstruction can be characterized as an autonomous/scientific discipline through the definition and adoption of a scientific, transparent, verifiable, reusable, and refutable method. In this context, the definition of the 3D model as a product of scientific speculation and research is proposed.
The case study described in this paper, that is, the Roman small villa rustica of San Giovanni in the Gulf of Portoferraio (Elba Island, Tuscany), represents a local declination of the type of buildings commonly defined as ‘Cato’s villa’. This research has stimulated a reflection on the type of agriculture described by Cato and the experiences that formed the practical basis for writing this text. In the project at Elba Island we are trying to aggregate historical, archaeological, archaeometric and bioarchaeological researches. Following this approach, one seeks to reconstruct the historical period of the villa's landscape that follows the traditional Cato’s model and precedes for at least half a century the villa perfecta of Varrone.
Over the years, the methodologies used for graphic representation in archaeology have evolved. The substantial change in representation was achieved with the use of computer software. Currently, 3D sketch scanning and photogrammetry are predominating tools used in this field. A new methodology, i.e., the use of the historical-archaeological evidence level scale, has entered this discipline to show the veracity of archaeological studies, as well as that of the vestiges found. The present study is focused on the virtual reconstruction of the ‘Baker’s House’ in the archaeological site of Torreparedones (Córdoba, Spain). The main aim of this study was to show and identify the veracity of the obtained reconstruction, through the use of the historical-archaeological evidence scale and the elaboration of a typological rank. The methodology used shows the evidence level employed by experts in the creation of virtual representations. The dissemination of the proposed historical-archaeological evidence scale entails the graphical identification of the veracity of reconstructions in this type of representations, always complying with the scientific quality criteria established by the Seville Letter.
A shared commitment to standardising the process of hypothetically reconstructing lost buildings from the past has characterised academic research in recent years and can manifest at various stages of the reconstructive process and with different perspectives. This research specifically aims to establish a user-independent and traceable procedure that can be applied at the end of the reconstructive process to quantify the average level of uncertainty of 3D digital architectural models. The procedure consists of applying a set of mathematical formulas based on numerical values retrievable from a given scale of uncertainty and developed to simplify reuse and improve transparency in reconstructive 3D models. This effort to assess uncertainty in the most user-independent way possible will contribute to producing 3D models that are more comparable to each other and more transparent for academic researchers, professionals, and laypersons who wish to reuse them. Being able to calculate a univocal numerical value that gives information on the global average uncertainty of a certain reconstructive model is an additional synthetic way, together with the more visual false-colour scale of uncertainty, to help disseminate the work in a clear and transmissible way. However, since the hypothetical reconstructive process is a process based on personal interpretation, which inevitably requires a certain level of subjectivity, it is crucial to define a methodology to assess and communicate this subjectivity in a user-independent and reproducible way.
This paper presents a new object of study—the so-called camerini, private rooms for study and reflection in the great stately palaces of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, which contained riches and artistic heritage of inestimable value and were characterized by very dim lighting. Analysis of the camerini, true precursors of the modern museum, is not only study of a specific subject but also extremely relevant because it allows us to re-analyze the entire evolution of the museum type and its characteristics, discovering its origins, following its evolution, and critically reviewing its current features. Starting from the case study of the Quarto Camerino of the Villa d’Este in Tivoli, a superset of the specific features of this type of space and possible problems in its 3D reconstruction, this article presents a method and a workflow aimed at reconstruction and visualization, with high visual quality of these spaces and their features. Digital surveying technologies were integrated with advanced methods that allowed for the reproduction of the full optical properties of spatial surfaces and with tools for semantic modeling and visualization to generate a digital artifact that is consistent with the available information and its interpretations and that can be analyzed both perceptually and analytically.
L’eccezionale stato di conservazione delle città romane poste alle pendici del Vesuvio trova delle condizioni peculiari per il legno ad Ercolano dove i meccanismi di trasporto e deposizionali associati all’eruzione del 79 d.C. hanno permesso di preservare diversi elementi, sebbene frequentemente carbonizzati, delle carpenterie lignee. La regola dell’arte, tesoro di conoscenze e abilità pratiche accumulate da secoli, riportata puntualmente nei precetti indicati da Vitruvio, trova attuazione nelle costruzioni lignee di Ercolano. Infatti, da una analisi autoptica dei resti rinvenuti è possibile, in alcuni casi da interpretare con estrema cautela, rilevare accorgimenti tecnici e tecnologici che garantiscono la durata in opera, mitigano gli effetti negativi del ritiro e al contempo portano a scelte consapevoli del genere e della specie legnosa e della qualità capaci di assicurare adeguate prestazioni strutturali e, in generale, di funzionalità. Una analisi, quella presentata nel saggio, che tenta di fornire, attraverso lo studio delle rilevanti testimonianze presenti nel sito archeologico, un contributo alla conoscenza dello stato di avanzamento del sapere intorno alla costruzione lignea nei centri vesuviani durante il I secolo d.C.
"Noi abbiamo un grande fantasma che ci perseguita da molti decenni: sull'Adriatico, nel centro dell'area adriatica. Questo fantasma sono i Piceni." Così si esprimeva, ancora nel 1975, Massimo Pallottino, lo studioso che più di ogni altro ha contribuito a rinnovare gli studi sulle creature dell'Italia preromana. Da allora, su questo popolo sono state effettuate molte illuminanti ricerche i cui risultati vengono raccolti nel presente volume.
Il contributo che qui si presenta riassume, in chiave preliminare, alcune nuove attestazioni storico archeologiche nel territorio di Recanati in località Fontenoce. Nella primavera del 2016, infatti, nell’ambito di alcuni lavori di assistenza archeologica pertinenti alla realizzazione di una nuova rotatoria, sono state evidenziate e messe in luce numerose anomalie archeologiche. Fra di esse gli elementi attribuibili ad epoca picena rivestono, indiscutibilmente, un ruolo di primaria importanza. È stato infatti identificato ed indagato stratigraficamente un circolo funerario a protezione di una tomba in fossa terragna. L’importanza del rinvenimento, confermata ulteriormente anche da una lettura delle fotografie aeree, testimonia la presenza di altre anomalie circolari, analoghe anche per dimensioni, interpretabili come circoli funerari e pertinenti alla medesima comunità picena. Il rinvenimento è di indiscusso valore sotto molteplici aspetti: quello topografico, per la presenza di un tumulo a circolo in una zona dove non si attestavano fenomeni siffatti di monumentalizzazione; quello legato alla cultura materiale, per la tipologia del corredo funerario che richiama da vicino le sepolture di Matelica, Pitino di San Severino e Fabriano; quello demografico, per la presenza nel territorio probabilmente di una comunità gentilizia guidata da una aristocrazia guerriera. Tali elementi raccolti aprono nuovi ed importanti orizzonti per la comprensione delle pratiche funerarie delle comunità picene nello scorcio della fase orientalizzante e l’inizio dell’età arcaica.
At Corinaldo, near the Adriatic coast in northern Marche, the discovery and excavation of a high-status tomb dating to the seventh century BC has illuminated wide-ranging aspects of Piceni Culture in this part of central Italy, while also highlighting the growing symbiosis between academic research and development-led archaeology in heritage conservation and planning processes throughout Italy.
The Mapping Adriatic Landscape Project focuses on the systematic employment of non-invasive investigative techniques across the valleys of the Rivers Cesano, Nevola and Misa, in northern Marche, Italy. The Project aims to understand the dynamics of settlement and processes of urbanisation in the area.
The paper discusses the most recent results achieved by the University of Bologna in the northern Marche region, across the valleys of the Rivers Cesano, Nevola and Misa, within a young project of landscape archaeology mainly focused on the systematic employment of non-invasive techniques of investigation and mapping for evaluating buried archaeological assets. Started in 2009, the Mapping the Adriatic Landscape Project has led to the discovery of several sites, enriching the current state of knowledge concerning Iron Age's settlements and, in particular, the presence of Piceni in this sector of the region, which has so far been characterized by significant information gaps. The new activities fit into the background of the long tradition of study in Bologna of the northern Marche, aimed at achieving a better understanding of the dynamics of settlement and of the process of urbanization. In this light the present study is of a particular relevance, allowing us to enhance the framework of occupation during the Iron Age, which in the area considered, still poorly archaeologically documented, remains a complex and fascinating period, characterized by a “cultural melting pot”, with the coexistence and blending of Piceni, Celts and Roman people, but still poorly archaeologically documented.
The paper presents and discusses new and recently acquired evidence that enriches the picture of funerary practices within the Piceni culture of the northern Marche region and in particular in the valleys of the Cesano, Nevola and Misa rivers, often regarded as notoriously different from the rest of the region in the lower quantity and ‘quality’ of existing evidence regarding the pre-Roman Italic population. The analysis integrates the new information provided by remote sensing in the Cesano-Nevola-Misa area into the more general framework of the findings from north of the Esino, making it possible to recognize recurrent trends and topographical aspects within the area under study, albeit with some distinctive local variations. The discussion and integration of this new information reveals a pre-Roman landscape that is far from rarefied, the forms and settlement preferences within the area of funerary activity being closely related to the characteristics of the landscape itself and in particular to those elements which facilitate both settlement and communication.
