Heritage3D

Different experiences were done in the framework of 3D surveying and modeling of some Etruscan heritage sites in the centre of Italy: the two necropolis of Tarquinia and Cerveteri (UNESCO World Heritage site since 2004) and the necropolis in Chiusi. They all feature hypogeous tombs dating back to the VII-IV century BC. Some tombs are single-roomed, other present a more articulated architectonical structure, with different chambers mostly full of frescoed walls and ceilings. The work followed some fundamental steps in order to satisfy the project requirements. 3D data were acquired during three distinct campaigns in 2009, 2010 and 2011, using different techniques that range from terrestrial laser scanning to high-resolution panoramic and multi-spectral imaging. All acquired data were successively used and integrated with other existing sources (e.g. satellite imagery, DTM, tabular data, etc.) to produce heterogeneous, multi-scale digital contents conceived for digital heritage preservation, archaeological and architectural analyses, virtual museums, multimedia exhibition and web-applications. Reality-based 3D models, monoscopic and anaglyph visualizations, interactive virtual tours, geo-browser information platform and documentary materials have been created. They guarantee an accurate and digital documentation as well as access to otherwise hardly reachable underground tombs and locations, which may be often closed to the public for preservation reasons. The produced 3D models were also used for analyses and investigations on the tomb geometries, to validate archaeological hypotheses or to make new ones.