Sara GONIZZI BARSANTI / Davide GHERDEVICH
(University of Trieste, Italy)
Outline: This project has as its ultimate goal the reconstruction of the dynamics of settlement, the ancient roads and the territory of a portion of the Region Friuli Venezia Giulia in the Lombard period starting from the collection of the archival documentation integrated with the analysis of historical maps and modern technology available. All the data collected were put into a GIS, to make some spatial analysis. The last part of the project focused on the 3D reconstruction of the territory with specific software.
Abstract: The project aims to rebuild the landscape, the ancient road system and the anthropic development in the northern part of the ancient Lombard Duchy of Fruli, which had as a capital the ancient city of Forum Iulii. During the project, the classical methods of archaeological research (bibliographic and archival research, a study of historical maps) have been joined to more technological methods (GIS, aerial photography and oblique aerial photography, UAVs, 3D reconstruction). The project was divided into several phases: the first focused on the bibliographic research, the examination and analysis of the ancient sources and historic cartography, the study of aerial photography and the use of remote sensing data with hyper spectral sensor MIVIS. For the duration of the project several flights with ultra – light airplane were made to make oblique aerial photos, thanks to the cooperation of the Aeroclub of Ajdovš?ina in Slovenia.
This part of the project is mainly aimed at the identification of traces of anomalies on the ground that were analyzed later by reconnaissance on the field. We also used the UAVS, unmanned aerial vehicles, as a supplement to the study of aerial photographs.
The next phase of the project consisted in putting all this data in a GIS. These data were combined with a DEM on which it was possible to perform various spatial analysis to reconstruct the ancients roads system and suggest the development of settlements in relation to cemeteries, the only known proof of the presence of the Lombards in Friuli.
The final part has focused on the 3D reconstruction with specific software of ancient landscape in two test sites, for which we have more information from historic cartography and excavations, as well as pollen analysis that allowed us to have more precise information concerning the vegetation cover in the area.
Keywords: Archaeology,GIS,Aerial photography,UAV