Enrico DE BENEDICTIS
(Università del Salento, Italy)
Keywords: recovery old data, GIS, web tool
Abstract:
Some archaeological contexts must confront with interpretation of archaeological data produced in the past. These old data sometimes carry very important information, worked from activities in the main zones of an archaeological site. A good example can be found in the archaeology of the Dodecanese. Indeed, here the most important archaeological site excavations and archeological activities were carried during the first half of the twentieth century under Italian direction and the data were elaborated following models which were in fashion in that period. The reconsideration of these works is the main challenge for the archaeology of the Dodecanese, especially for the contexts in Kos and Rhodes where the Italian archaeologists like Inglieri, Biliotti and Maiuri were extremely active. An additional important topic is the creation of specific topographical cartography and specific archaeological charts, so far available only for the isle of Rhodes and known as “carta archeologica di Rodi”. These maps created by the Italian IGM, especially the first typology which bears Italian toponyms, were used as base for chart series created by German and American army, as well as starting point for all the archaeological surveys in the archipelago, among which the work of Lazenby and Hope-Simpson should be mentioned. This paper describes a possible solution to these issues. Using the web tool “TIfide” it is possible to link old raw data and cartography with new data and new cartography in a digital space. This action could allow a “regeneration” of the old data that could represent an important development for the Dodecanese archaeology. Specific researches in some archives (like the IGM library and the Florence museum of archaeology) will complete the “old data pool” together with old publications.