A Three-Dimensional Approach to the Documentation and Analysis of Heritage Sites: A Case Study from the Cypriot Cultural Heritage Landscape

Abstract

Cypriot archaeology presents a challenging reality regarding documentation of cultural heritage: due to its exceptional archaeological richness, the island was subject to archaeological investigations as early as the eighteenth century. Archaeological sites present a complex stratigraphy, with many over layers of human occupation spanning over hundreds of years; historic buildings have a long history of construction and modification. This reality requires accurate methods of documentation and carefully planned management programmes for the preservation, restoration and presentation to the public. Since 2009, a team of researchers from the Cyprus Institute and the Department of Antiquities are experimenting digital and imaging technologies for the documentation and interpretation of archaeological and architectural remains aiming at defining the best practices for the documentation and management of cultural heritage in Cyprus. The paper presents first results of this research, integrating structure-from-motion with laser scanning for field registration and open source solution for analysis and interpretation