Marcello BALZANI / Alessandra TURSI
(DIAPReM Centre, TekneHub, University of Ferrara, Italy)Abstract: Along the Picentini mountains slopes the Mt. Raione houses the entrance of San Michele Archangel cave. The place was used since the Neolithic period but the first historical data are linked to the IX siècle when it became a natural shelter for the bishop Pietro and, later, venue of pilgrimage. Due to the presence into the cave and its branches of bizantinian frescos, a church and some Martiryas (little chapels) with small courtyard the sanctuary is an unique example of important religious cave in Italy.
Recently, an archaeological campaign found out interesting ceramics objects such as the medieval ceramic Forum Ware made by roman traditions. Extraordinary ancient music instruments, the Tibiae, were also found into the cave: they were made carving shinbones and then used as flutes by local inhabitants in ritual ceremonies
After a joint effort of the Soprintendenza per i Beni Architettonici e per il Paesaggio, il Patrimonio Storico, Artistico e Demoetnoantropologico per le Province di Salerno e Avellino and the Centre DIAPReM (Development of Integrated Automatic Procedures for Restoration of Monuments) of the Department of Architecture of the University of Ferrara, laser scanning integrated technologies were used in order to obtain a first survey aiming to show the huge quality of the site trough a complete documentation action.
The research project was finalized to give a strong base for the restoration and valorization of the San Michele Site and the surrounding landscape; in the meanwhile it was a good opportunity to verify an integrated survey process in a low accessibility area in order to evaluate:
1. the feasibility level of a such extreme condition technological survey;
2. the instrumental acquisition degree of definition in relations to the morphometric level of detail;
3. how the survey could help to the configuration of a comparative model aiming to show the degradation process and the loss or modification of the extraordinary architectural and artistic heritage;
4. how the morphometric database could be enquired in order to define further scenarios of conservation and valorization of the site.
Keywords: laser scanner 3D-survey-conservation-restoration