A 3D spatial data infrastructure for Mapping the Via Appia

Abstract

The use of 3D technologies in archaeology and architectural history has grown enormously. Nowadays, 3D technologies are used to record, present, analyse and reconstruct archaeological sites. Since the used tools mostly originate from other domains, the developments are characterised as technology-driven rather than methodology-driven. The recent trend of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and the technological improvements of digital infrastructures are changing this.This article presents the development of a 3D Spatial Data Infrastructure (3D SDI) that allows archaeology and historical architecture researchers to analyse complex sites. For the development of the 3D SDI, IT literacy levels of the users, reusability of the tooling and the advantages of using FOSS are taken into account. The 3D SDI was developed for Mapping the Via Appia. An interdisciplinary team of archaeology experts and engineers have developed tailor-made 3D solutions to enhance the analysis and exploration of the Via Appia.