Vera Zanoni, Salvatore Ficarra

Tarquinia scomparsa: progetto di virtualizzazione 3D e analisi storico archeologica dell'ipogeo 1824 in località Calvario (Necropoli dei Monterozzi)

Introduction

Tarquinia scomparsa: progetto di virtualizzazione 3d e analisi storico archeologica dell'ipogeo 1824 in località calvario (necropoli dei monterozzi). Ricostruzione 3D e analisi storico-archeologica dell'ipogeo 1824 di Tarquinia. Virtualizzazione di una tomba ellenistico-romana scomparsa, per rivelare contesti funerari dimenticati.

Abstract

The archaeological record is often founded on the dynamic relationship between visible and invisible. A third possible dynamic, due the ravishes of time, is the «no longer visible». These three forces operated in the Calvario cemetery, a Hellenistic and Roman funerary context within the Monterozzi necropolis of Tarquinia (Viterbo, Italy). Archaeological investigations of Calvario began in the 1950s, thanks to the «Ing. Carlo Maurilio Lerici Foundation». Excavations have revealed different occupational phases, from the Final Bronze Age settlement to the Hellenistic-Roman cemetery, which is composed by semi-subterranean structures. In the absence of paintings and distinctive features, «standardised» graves were excavated and numbered. However, architectural and archaeological data were never published and the tombs are now neither visible nor accessible. Fortunately, digital technology makes it possible to overcome the gap between the «no longer visible» and the documentary evidence, in order to reveal forgotten contexts. Tomb 1824 a monumental hypogeum with a central pillar, which was used from IV century BCE to II century CE, probably as a family tomb is an example. Through the process of archivistic analysis of cartographic sources, vectorial processing, structural and architectural analysis, using archive photos from the Lerici Foundation, it was possible to recreate a three-dimensional environment, that allowedfor the rediscovery of the vanished context. An essential tool was the communicative methods of this process which integrated modern museological methods with social tools like Sketchfab portal and Google Earth. These tools can provide the viewer with the possibility of discovering and observing disappeared contexts and testimonies.

Review

This paper, "Tarquinia scomparsa: progetto di virtualizzazione 3D e analisi storico archeologica dell'ipogeo 1824 in località Calvario (Necropoli dei Monterozzi)", addresses a crucial challenge in archaeology: the recovery and interpretation of "no longer visible" heritage. Focusing on the Calvario cemetery within Tarquinia's Monterozzi necropolis, the authors propose an innovative methodology to reconstruct lost or inaccessible archaeological contexts, exemplified by Tomb 1824. The abstract effectively highlights the paper's central contribution: demonstrating how digital technology can bridge the gap between fragmented documentary evidence and physically vanished structures, thereby bringing forgotten but significant sites back into scholarly and public consciousness. This approach is particularly valuable for contexts like Calvario, where original architectural and archaeological data were never fully published and the sites themselves are now inaccessible. The methodology described is particularly commendable for its comprehensive and multi-faceted approach. The authors integrate traditional archivistic analysis of cartographic sources and historical photographs from the Lerici Foundation with advanced vectorial processing, structural, and architectural analysis to create a detailed three-dimensional virtual environment. This robust combination not only facilitates the accurate recreation of the monumental hypogeum of Tomb 1824 but also underscores a broader potential for re-evaluating and re-contextualizing neglected archaeological records. Furthermore, the paper's commitment to dissemination through modern museological methods and popular social tools like Sketchfab and Google Earth is highly significant, ensuring that the rediscovered context is accessible to a wide audience, from specialists to the general public. While the abstract clearly articulates the technical achievements of the 3D virtualization, the title also promises a "storico archeologica analisi" (historical-archaeological analysis). A key strength of the full paper will undoubtedly be the detailed exploration of how this virtualization process has specifically enhanced our understanding of Tomb 1824's function, its architectural nuances, and its long occupational history from the 4th century BCE to the 2nd century CE. Explicitly detailing the new historical and archaeological insights gained directly from the interactive 3D model, beyond the mere act of recreation, would further solidify the paper's scholarly impact. Overall, this work stands as an excellent example of digital archaeology's potential to preserve, interpret, and communicate endangered archaeological heritage.

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