Digital Aléria: Multiresolution Technologies Arming International Collaboration to Restore the Past and Restart

Abstract

This paper reports about the last progressing results of our work, raised around the archaeological site of the ancient roman urbs of Aléria in Corsica (F), updated to January 2014. Our plan provides to resume the old excavation usable data, to realize a new survey of the site actual status and to collect all into a new 3D geodatabase, including any kind of historical, documental analog data, all reorganized into dedicated Cloud Platforms and Services for different uses, as a multipath solution to improve scientists' work and to promote tourism, both local and international. The project initially focused on the forum, as the only accessible area, in these days enlarges its plans involving the nearby amphitheater and ramparts, just reorganized after the removal of old roofing. It somehow embraces even the nearby Carcopino Museum and the collected Etruscan and Roman finds as traces of the unruly diggings previously realized, to which we'll attempt to restitute logic and documented belonging. Since the Aléria Carcopino Museum shows important archaeological evidences sharing the same origin with some finds exposed in the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia in Rome, a new initiative was set up in these days by surveying the two museums' buildings, to create 3D georeferenced models as containers for sharing digital multiscale data made by innovative computational photography techniques there applied. This operation is now in place in the Villa Giulia Museum as a prototype to be after web-linked to the same survey model to be realized in Aléria. Leading the whole project is the collaboration agreement between the “Collectivité Territoriale de Corse, secteur Archéologie”, and the Department of “Storia, Disegno e Restauro dell'Architettura” SAPIENZA, Italy, formally signed in year 2013. The process employs many multiresolution surveying technologies: 3D Laser scanning, Topography, GPS and Dense Stereo Matching applied on site, on buildings and objects for manifold purposes; moreover Computational Photography techniques applied on Museum's halls, cabinets and exposed objects, to create digital and interactive exhibitions linking both nations. A GIS and WEBGIS workflow followed, to start collecting new and restored databases to build up a complete 3D geo-database with 3D Web scene to be shared in the GIS online Cloud Platform.