VIRTUAL RECONSTRUCTION APPLIED TO THE RECOVERY AND HERITAGE DISCLOSURE OF THE OLD VILLAGE OF BELCHITE

Virtual reconstruction allows recovering missing heritage whilst becoming a useful tool for documenting and disseminating, when physical reconstruction is non-viable. This article explains the application of new technologies of virtual reconstruction (modelling and photogrammetry) to the recovery of the historic-artistic heritage of the Old Village of Belchite, specifically applied to the case of the San Augustin’s Convent. This village was a battle scene in the Spanish Civil War in 1937 which has been abandoned since 1964. These days, it presents a state of ruin that increases exponentially over the time.

DIGITAL IMAGE ANALYSIS OF THE VISIBLE REGION THROUGH SIMULATION OF ROCK ART PAINTINGS

Non-destructive rock art recording techniques are getting special attention in the last years, opening new research lines in order to improve the level of documentation and understanding of our rich legacy. This paper applies the principal component analysis (PCA) technique in images that include wavelengths between 400-700 nm (visible range). Our approach is focused on determining the difference provided by the image processing of the visible region through four spectral images versus an image that encompasses the entire visible spectrum. The images were taken by means of optical filters that take specific wavelengths and exclude parts of the spectrum. Simulation of rock art is prepared in laboratory. For this purpose, three different pigments were made simulating the material composition of rock art paintings. The advantages of studying the visible spectrum in separate images are analysed. In addition, PCA is applied to each of the images to reduce redundant data. Finally, PCA is applied to the image that contains the entire visible spectrum and is compared with previous results. Through the results of the four visible spectral images one can begin to draw conclusions about constituent painting materials without using decorrelation techniques.

3D DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES TO RECORD EXCAVATION DATA: THE CASE OF THE CATACOMBS OF ST. LUCY (SIRACUSA, SICILY)

Between 2013 and 2015, Arcadia University in partnership with the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology and the University of Catania undertook new excavation campaigns in the Catacombs of St. Lucy at Siracusa. The research focuses on some very problematic parts of Region C of the complex, including Oratory C, the so-called Pagan Shrine and Crypt VI. These areas document most effectively the long life of this Christian hypogeum, which incorporated previous structures and artefacts related to the Greek period and continued to be used until the Middle Ages. During the excavation an array of 3D digital techniques (3D scanning, 3d Modelling, Image-based 3D modelling) was used for the daily recording of the archaeological units, but also to create high-resolution virtual replicas of certain districts of the catacombs. Furthermore, the same techniques were applied to support the study of certain classes of materials, such as frescoes and marble architectural elements that could otherwise only be studied in the dark environment of the catacombs, making the visual analysis of such complex artifacts difficult and sometimes misleading, not to mention that the frequent use of strong sources of light for study can also endanger them. The virtual archaeology research undertaken at the Catacombs of St. Lucy represents the first systematic application of 3D digital technologies to the study of such a special archaeological context in Sicily.

DOCUMENTACIÓN Y ANÁLISIS DE PIEZAS ARQUEOLÓGICAS DEL MUSEO DE BURRIANA MEDIANTE EL USO DE RX DIGITAL

This paper is the result of the research conducted on more than 200 archaeological artefacts from the Museum of Burriana as a result of 6 years of scientific collaboration between the Museum and the Instituto Universitario para la Restauración del Patrimonio of the Universitat Politècnica de València. Digital X-rays Technology has been used on these artefacts. This technique has allowed achieving valuable information in different aspects of the artefacts: from its content (in the case of well-preserved specimens) to technical manufacturing, or analysis of evidence of previous restoration interventions. The application of Digital X-ray Technology has shown a number of important benefits; not only at the economic level and data manipulation, but also allowing as data collectors that can be further processed and thereby obtain outcome. These results can be used into different 2D or 3D formats.

A RECORDING AND DOCUMENTATION SYSTEM OF BUILDING STOCK: THE CASE OF PENTALOFOS SETTLEMENT IN KOZANI (GREECE)

Facing the need for effective and efficient integration of spatial and descriptive information related to the documentation of the cultural heritage, the primary aim of this project is the production of a dynamic geodatabase in order to collect, record and organize cartographic and architectural data as well as morphological and typological features of Pentalofos settlement into a GIS application. For this purpose, the project is meant, among other things, to complete a thorough research on the evolution of the settlement and its context, create the necessary geographic background for the documentation of the area of interest and to record building's technical features among others (year of construction, property status, structure, morphology, typology, description of current condition, pathology etc) by implementing traditional and up-to-date as well architectural documentation methods.

EXPLOTACIONES MINERAS EN PATRIMONIO INDUSTRIAL: UN CASO DE USO DE DOCUMENTACIÓN Y SIMULACIÓN

Mining operations are an essential part of Industrial Heritage. They provide an important reference in order to understand changing past realities, relationships between groups and reconfiguration in the communication between regions whose consequences still remain reference. These realities and relationships have led to the current socio- economic and political framework, which is projected into the future. The documentation of physical vestiges and machinery, now obsolete, is a metaphor that serves to illustrate and understand the past from our present perspective. Threedimensional models from the fusion of different techniques and physical structures contextualization allow to simulatethe mechanisms to promote sustainable tourism as paradigms of a modernity that only serves the immediate appearances. Our approach for documentation and simulation of mechanisms for the extraction and the treatment of mineral is provided as graphical support to understand a reality that goes beyond the “ThematicPark” approach. Moreover, the visualization provides a metaphor for the destruction of natural, physical and human resources of entire areas doomed to depopulation and disappearance. This also opens the door to broader developments that can use multimedia resources to support an all-embracing narrative experience.

CASTLE4D: AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM BASED ON 3D POINT CLOUDS

During the past decade, the implementation of 3D visualization and Geographic Information System (GIS) in archaeological research has increased and is now well established. However, the combination of these two factors remains rather complicated when faced with archaeological data. Some of the characteristics of this discipline impose the development of applications that will be able to cope with all of the specificities of archaeological data. Our research aims to create an Archaeological Information System (AIS) that will gather all of the characteristics of an archaeological work. In order to develop such an AIS, our first step was to identify its purposes and consequently, the features that should be available to the users. As it is destined to help with archaeological research, it is therefore of the outmost importance that the particularities of such a study are also taken into account. Moreover, the AIS is intended to incorporate point clouds that serve as a base for the three-dimensional model. These 3D point clouds result from the use of photogrammetry and/or lasergrammetry and, at a later stage, will be inserted into a GIS similar structure. The archaeological data will then be linked to the relevant section of the 3D model. However, these various stages and during the development of the AIS itself, we will encounter a series of issues that require to be addressed in order to produce a working system. This paper aims to identify and define the AIS characteristics as well as the issues and obstacles that we are going to face so that this system becomes a functional tool for archaeological research.

MODELIZACIÓN Y SIMULACION DE LAS POSIBLES POSICIONES DE LAS ATALAYAS DE LA FORTALEZA DE LA MOTA EN ALCALA LA REAL, MEDIANTE TECNICAS DE ANALISIS VISUAL

The cultural heritage plays a very important role in the Smart management of an area, and geospatial technologies are a perfect tool for the heritage knowledge, management and analysis. Photogrammetry, UAV systems and geographic information systems, can help in cataloguing the cultural heritage of a city. The main turistic value for Alcalá la Real, is the Monumental Group of the Fortress of La Mota and their related monuments.As the principal objetive of the Project, an analysis and the calculation of the optimal location of the watchtower network is made. To achieve this, on the one hand photogrammetry technics are used to get the geometric information of the studied area. On the other hand, photogrammetry through UAV systems is used to obtain the 3D model of one of the watchtowers, which is better preserved than others. Finally, programming tools are applied over GIS for the analysis and calculation of the optimal location of this watchtower network.

DEVELOPMENT OF AN EFFICIENT APPROACH OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE IN THE INTERTIDAL ZONE OF THE BELGIAN NORTH SEA

The knowledge of the submerged cultural heritage in the North Sea is rather limited. The Belgian North Sea is being used for a lot of different purposes, such as fishing, aggregate extraction, wind farms, dredging, etc. Due to these increasing economic activities, the underwater archive is in danger. In the context of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage of 2001, gathering more information about the submerged cultural heritage in the intertidal zones of the North Sea is one of the main objectives of the Belgian scientific project ‘SeArch’. It will give a clearer picture of the broader cultural and archaeological heritage in the region and it can be used as a basis for a sustainable management by government agencies. The Department of Geography (Ghent University, Belgium) contributes to the SeArch project in two ways. First, an innovative survey methodology has been developed which allows an accurate and cost-efficient evaluation of the archaeological potential in the intertidal zones of the Belgian beaches. Secondly, the Department of Geography is developing an interactive webGIS platform, which makes it possible to share, integrate and visualize the gathered archaeological and environmental data and information in a user-friendly way. Hereby, the total potential of this project is fully exploited in a time-efficient manner. To create an interactive webGIS platform, a good structured spatial database is needed. It enables manipulation of a wide variety of georeferenced information in both raster and vector formats. This paper provides more information about the configuration and application of the spatial database. Moreover, it focusses on the development of a fully functional Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) using the most reliable, powerful and state-of-the-art technological components. Besides, a new way of collecting geomatic data in a fast and accurate manner will be discussed. Some processing results will show the possibilities for detecting and visualizing underground structures and archaeological objects.

INTEGRATED METHODOLOGIES FOR A NEW RECONSTRUCTIVE PROPOSAL OF THE AMPHITHEATRE OF CATANIA

The roman amphitheatre of Catania stands in a very complex and interesting area where settlement dynamics and transformations have profoundly marked its urban landscape. Over the centuries, the urban and architectural histories together with the formation of the archaeological deposits have led to the complete obliteration of the monument and restricted knowledge of its plan and architectural development. Therefore, it constitutes an interesting context in which to experiment methods and techniques for architectural representation and the three-dimensional reconstruction of the monument.