RECORDING, PRESERVATION AND INTERPRETATION OF A MEDIEVAL

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE INTEGRATING DIFFERENT 3D TECHNOLOGIES

Daniele Ferdani – Researcher CNR ITABC; Giovanna Bianchi – Professor UNISI

THE SITE

Not far from Massa-Marittima (Tuscany, Italy), stands the medieval castle of Montieri, built in

1133. The castle had links with the Bishop of Volterra, who, since the end of the 12th century, set

up a mint inside it, to produce Volterra’s coinage. During the last few years, the University of Siena

was involved in studying the archaeology and architecture of the castle and the last survey

campaigns was focused on the area so-called “La Canonica”, the San Niccolò ecclesiastical complex.

THE “CANONICA”

The Canonica is situated a few kilometers from Montieri, near silver mines. The excavation came

up to light the existence of a church characterized by an unusual plan with six apses (the only

example of its kind in Italy) located inside an enclosure that contained a central, open space which

two long buildings probably associated to productive activities.

CHURCHBUILDINGS

SILVER MINES

Period

Archeological investigation has madeit possible to establish that thechurch was built in the first 40 yearsof 11th century, before the rest ofthe buildings that make up thecomplex.

It was found that its construction was

THE “CANONICA”

It was found that its construction waslinked to a burial, an inhumation in astone coffin

Function:

In the Middle Ages, Montieri was acastle town governed by the Bishopof Volterra. The town used to operateits own mine-workings, andprocessed the ore that was minedhere.

GOAL

Building Archaeology aims at:

• Surveying archaeological evidences

• Analysing building techniques and materials

• Analysing vertical stratigraphy (USM)

• Reconstructing history of existing building

• Reconstructing Historical aspect of the buildings and their

evolutions through the centuries and their relation withevolutions through the centuries and their relation with

the territory

• Supporting restoration activities

• Dissemination

During the survey of the site, to get a 3D data-set suitable for

this kind of analyses, we had to provide a thorough recording

activities as base for precise archaeological documentation,

building restoration and to better understand the

development of the site.

SEQUENCE OF WORK: 4 STEPS WORKFLOW

3D RECORDING POSTPROCESSING ANALYSES &

DOCUMENTATION3D RECONSTRUCTION

3D RECORDING

1. Method. Image-based modelling (IBM) as acquisition method was chosen. This recenttechnology allows 3D models to be obtained in very short time and with very low budget acomplete and detailed model.

2. Approach

• Establishment of a local topographical network with laser total station (as a referencecoordinates system for scaling and orienting the model during the post-processing).

• Photographic acquisition

� 2 campaigns (2012 and 2013)� 2 campaigns (2012 and 2013)

� More than 1000 photos

� 2 LOD : the whole site and Details

POSTPROCESSING (1th year - the church)

1. Camera calibration and camera positioncomputing in order to build the point cloudmodel.

2. Camera positions optimization, scaling andorientation of the model using markers

3. Dense Cloud Computing

4. Mesh Model Computing

3D computing workflow in Photoscan Agisoftware to build the mesh models.

4. Mesh Model Computing

POSTPROCESSING (2nd year - the long building)

3D computing workflow in PhotoscanAgisoftware to build the mesh models.

POSTPROCESSING

As second step 3D mesh was exported and optimized in Meshalb, a software for mesh editing

Then the optimized model was imported again in Photoscan to build the texture

POSTPROCESSING

Finally the models was imported in Blender to edit texture and adjust the part where thecolour information were missing

POSTPROCESSING

The 2 blocks were aligned in the same reference system

POSTPROCESSING

The models were cut in 22 part with 22 textures: High details

ANALYSES AND DOCUMENTATION

Archaeological documentation:

Section (A), ortho-images (B), developed-images (C),

Drawings from orthoimages (D)

ANALYSES AND DOCUMENTATION

Documentation for restoration purposes:

• Mapping of deteriorated area

• Thematic maps

ANALYSES AND DOCUMENTATION

Documentation for restoration purposes:

• The 3D scan reconstruction show the site how it was 2-3 years ago as soon as it came up to light.Now the situation is changed and the architectures have been subject to damages and smallcollapses

ANALYSES AND DOCUMENTATION

Possibility to share 3D models

among professional using online

platform like

sketchfab

ANALYSES AND DOCUMENTATION

Virtual immersive exploration of the site

• Embodiment (like been there)

• Perception of the real scale of the architectures

• Possibility to show the site to experts who havenever been there

The sequence of work, applied to obtain reliable

reconstructive models, set out from

archaeological analyses to obtain 3D modeling

processes, as described in the schema

3D RECONSTRUCTION SOURCES

• 3D reality-based model

• Archaeological findings

• Historical Information

• Previous studies

DESIGNING

RECONSTRUCTIVE

HIPOTESIS

MODIFICATION

NEEDED

3D MODELING VALIDATION

RECONSTRUCTION

APPROVED HIPOTESIS

As often stressed by archeologists a sample

study of building techniques and types alone

is insufficient for an understanding of the

cultural context which they derive from;

instead, it has to be connected to historical

phenomena and parallels.

3D RECONSTRUCTION

No parallels have been found in Italy,except for buildings dating to LateAntiquity. The only very close parallels

consist in a group of Dalmatian churches in

and around Zadar and Split, variably dated

between the 8th and 11th centuries.

3D RECONSTRUCTION

Consistency of Style:

information can be found comparing the

subject with the architectural parallels

belonging to the same period

3D RECONSTRUCTION

Objective information:

consistency to the remains and

archaeological findings

Actual model and reconstructive model overlapped

to improve perception of the building and to better

understand the connection between the parts.

3D model used not only for visualization but also

for research. Improvement of the interpretative

hypotheses.

3D RECONSTRUCTION

Hypothesis: no marks – the reconstruction is not based

on data but on conjectures and coeval architectural

solution in order to complete the model.

Consistency for Deduction

Information to complete the object can be found in

the object itself (marks, holes, special findings)

3D RECONSTRUCTION

Fragment of a “monofora”

Stone slate floor and roofing

Daniele Ferdani Daniele Ferdani daniele.ferdani@itabc.cnr.itdaniele.ferdani@itabc.cnr.it