A Gis for the Management of Historical and Archaeological Data

Διεθνούς Συνεδρίου "Geoarchaeology of the landscapes of classical antiquity", 1998

In the modem study of Roman cadastres and settlements, it is important to systematically import and store the locations and measurements in a database that is able to reproduce not only the data, but also their geographical distribution. Moreover, it is important to link them with other data, such as chronology, date of excavation, reference, aerial photo numbers, etc. In this paper, we describe an easy and flexible GISbased database model for the storage of all the data that could help scientists to work on Roman cadastres and settlements. As a pilot study, this method has been applied in the area of Patras, with a remarkable success. During fieldwork, it supported the use of GPS and the instant import of the field data to the GIS of a portable computer. In the laboratory, these data were systematically analysed and the database was updated with other secondary information on each site. In addition, other scientists using a similar GIS-based database will find it easy to communicate and exchange data.

2009

The paper discusses the definition of a framework of principles for the management of regions of archaeo-cultural value, which are destined to sustain modern development. Kouklia-Palaepaphos in SW Cyprus, where a three-year pilot project is taking place, is an extensive archaeological region, rich in sensitive anthropogenic data, which lacks a management plan that would render the preservation and enhancement of its archaeological resources, and its economic development, mutually compatible operations. The project combines, (a) geophysical surveys (extensive coverage) and excavations (small-scale in high risk plots); (b) production of a 3D digital land relief of the archaeological zone, with current property and land-use status; (c) development of a multidimensional digital platform using GIS, which will combine cartographic information with archaeological data, organised on a relational database. The final product is an electronic macro-scale management and planning tool for the re...

In the modem study of Roman cadastres and settlements, it is important to systematically import and store the locations and measurements in a database that is able to reproduce not only the data, but also their geographical distribution. Moreover, it is important to link them with other data, such as chronology, date of excavation, reference, aerial photo numbers, etc. In this paper, we describe an easy and flexible GISbased database model for the storage of all the data that could help scientists to work on Roman cadastres and settlements. As a pilot study, this method has been applied in the area of Patras, with a remarkable success. During fieldwork, it supported the use of GPS and the instant import of the field data to the GIS of a portable computer. In the laboratory, these data were systematically analysed and the database was updated with other secondary information on each site. In addition, other scientists using a similar GIS-based database will find it easy to communicate and exchange data.

The paper illustrates the research work on the Protopalatial site of Monastiraki in Crete undertaken by the Suor Orsola Benincasa University (Naples), in collaboration with the Archaeological Institute of Cretological Studies (Heraklion). The Minoan centre of Monastiraki (1900-1700 is situated on a low hill controlling the natural access road to the south through the Amari Valley which joins northern Crete to the south coast of the island. One of the aims of the project was to create an integrated territorial system structured on two levels: a regional level, which includes the archaeological and landscape surveys in the Amari valley, and another site-specific level applied to the extensive Protopalatial complex of Monastiraki. The GIS model was developed to handle all the various types of data such as the cartographic material, the topographical and architectural surveys, the excavation notebooks and the photographic archives from over 30 years of excavations at the site. The GIS system constitutes the starting point for further research on Monastiraki, currently focused on the eastern part of the site, based both on an extensive investigation of the wall structures and on the new archaeological soundings carried out in the last few years. This has led to clarification of the architectural changes in this part of the complex and the various phases of occupation.

Journal of Earth Science and Engineering, 2015

This paper presents the research method applied to the "Archaeological Map of Italy-Forma Italiae" project, comprising to date the Ager Venusinus project (completed) and the Ager Lucerinus project (ongoing). The idea of an Archaeological Map of Italy dates back to 1889 when by Royal degree the "Bureau for an Archeological Map of Italy" was created. Many decades later, with the advent of information technology and satellite observing systems (GPS) a "new era" of archaeological mapping began and the "Forma Italiae", thanks to these technological developments, began to develop the first Territorial Information System of archaeological matter in Italy. Between 1989 and 1992, studies and experiments were carried out on automatic systems for the acquisition, calculation and management of archaeological data relating to the Carta Archeologica d'Italia (Forma Italiae). Our project sought to put together many experiences, including some from the past, as part of a ministerial initiative resulting in the establishment of a committee; furthermore, it sought to extend the discussion that for many years concerned primarily academic institutions to the sectors dealing with protection and archeological prevention. Though it has been designed for prevention and p otection, it simultaneously serves as the basic instrument for understanding and enhancement of the cultural resources of the territory. In discussions about preventive archaeology and about the so-called "archaeological risk", it is very useful to create a databank of the known archaeological heritage. For this purpose, a computerized system for data management was used, composed of a GIS platform associated with an alphanumeric archive and designed soon to become a web GIS.

Archeologia e Calcolatori, 2024

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 1.215 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.

Modern knowledge and development plans of environmental and archaeological sites are based on synergic studies and on the interpretation of archaeological evidences and their connections with landscape and territory. Carrying out project of ancient city map started some years ago as a cooperation of many groups working inside the Archaeological Italian Mission of Hierapolis. After some evolving phases (based on a continuous system of the map updating concerning archaeological and architectural evidences), during the last two years new spatial information, acquired from high resolution satellite images, topographical, archaeological and geophysical surveys, and enhanced methods of managing heterogeneous kind of data, have been accomplished. Now, a specific structure of topographical database collects archaeological, architectural and terrain data in a typical cartographic framework, and a large number of 1:1000 scale sheets, containing connected levels of information, compose the "Hierapolis of Phrygia Atlas". GIS functionalities allow to manage and represent different nature data, about verifiable evidences on terrain, conjectured architectural structures or other kind of hypothesis based on a rebuilt morphology or standing out of archaeological elements. Relational database enables to archive temporal data, referred both to data origin than to the life or successive occupation of the objects that geometric features represent. Different data format and different temporal values, ordered by monument chronology, enable to represent different phases of human settlement and city life in specific thematic maps.

Archeologia e Calcolatori, 2012

The main use of GIS in archaeology is connected to regional research or management of excavation data sets. The use of GIS for urban archaeological research is far less extensive. The urban GIS about the medieval town of Pisa contains all archaeological data from occasional findings to modern stratigraphic excavations, geographical data, historical cartography data and urban data, each described by the geometrical shape (point, line, polygon) that best represents each feature. The distinguishing environmental context to which the town is connected is characterized by a complex hydrographic system; GIS analysis enabled us to study the relationships between the urban transformations and the surrounding environment. The article explains how geostatistical analysis allowed us to create a model of the ancient landscape and how the use of map algebra was useful in understanding the medieval environment. The difficulty in finding raw archaeological data, that is, all the excavation and fieldwork recording (planning of context, context recording sheet, photographs, findings quantification sheet), suggested the necessity to create an open digital archive and to provide possible standardization of digital formats, metadata records and archaeological data recording, so as to allow a comparison between the data.

Archives & Museum …, 2003

Recently, the challenge of making geographic data available for analysis tasks also on the Internet has motivated the development of Web Geographic Information Systems (Web GIS). This term is referred to all the software products and services that allow geographic information to be accessed in different ways, by adopting Web technology. In this paper we describe a Web GIS developed for handling and promoting information about archaeological sites. In particular, the experimented system is one of the goals of a wider research project, resulting from a long term collaboration between the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Salerno. The aim of such a research activity is the development of an information system enabling heterogeneous users to exploit GIS capabilities and Web accessible data. The interaction between the two departments arose from the need of archaeologists who required a working tool that would allow them to manage the collected data in an integrated way that is not affected by any particular a priori interpretation. The prototype has been experimented to build a vectorial representation of Fratte Hill archaeological site (in the area of Salerno) within its physical context that considers all the stratigraphic information and the whole sequence of archaeological deposits.