The documentation and enhancement of Cultural Heritage require under-standing and conveying the meaning of historical signs in a specific context. Today, this process leverages the most advanced digital representation systems, focusing on computer vision and information and communication technology. These systems open new horizons for the narrative of archaeology (Gabellone, Capitale culturale e capitale umano. L’innovazione al servizio della Cultura, LuBeC, Lucca, 2016).
Documentation Procedures for Rescue Archaeology Through Information Systems and 3D Databases
This paper presents a methodological framework for the documentation, management, and interpretation of rescue archaeology data through integrated information systems and three-dimensional databases. The research addresses the critical challenge of preserving archaeological memory in contexts where excavation processes inherently lead to the destruction of physical evidence.
The proposed approach combines integrated survey techniques—including terrestrial laser scanning, photogrammetry, and UAV acquisition—with the development of a structured digital archive linking stratigraphic data, textual records, and 3D models. As illustrated in the workflow diagrams (Fig. 3–5, pp. 767–769), multi-temporal point clouds and photogrammetric models are aligned and processed to reconstruct excavation phases, enabling the visualization of stratigraphic evolution over time. A key contribution is the implementation of a three-dimensional GIS environment in which each stratigraphic unit is semantically defined and associated with database records through a one-to-one relationship, allowing query-based interaction and thematic visualization (Fig. 10, p. 775).
The system supports in situ data acquisition through digital forms and mobile devices, improving the efficiency and accuracy of documentation under time-constrained conditions. Results demonstrate that integrating 3D models with relational databases enhances data accessibility, interpretability, and long-term preservation, while enabling multi-scalar analysis from stratigraphic detail to urban context. The study concludes that three-dimensional information systems can act as dynamic repositories of archaeological knowledge, bridging survey data, archival records, and interpretative processes.
Object Detection Techniques Applied to UAV Photogrammetric Survey
This project proposes an automated approach to the census of technological and architectural el-ements from massive photography datasets. This use case is built on photogrammetric close-range acquisitions performed via UAV over the roofs of the centre of Bethlehem, in order to map the water tanks for civilian use that create loads on historical buildings in a seismic area. The urban census was conducted within “3D Bethlehem. Management and control of urban growth for the development of Heritage and Improvement of life in the city of Bethlehem”, a project promoted by AICS. The pre-sented work leverages the project dataset to train Deep Learning models on a Cloud Infrastructure handling model lifecycle from training to deployment. Tests were conducted on historical buildings that show, among objects of interest, multiple spurious elements such as debris and junk. Such density creates complex scenarios for models that are trained to automate recurrent operations to assist large scale monitoring and management of the areas for different teams and municipalities.