Digital Representation of the Terrain Associated with an Archaeological Site: Case Study of the ‘Baker’s House’ in Torreparedones

Abstract

AbstractNowadays, it is essential to provide 3D digital reconstructions with the highest possible reliability and veracity. Archaeological sites within the framework of the building to be rebuilt are important. The data provided by Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be extracted from different sources, and are a crucial tool to carry out the topographical survey in the context of Virtual Archaeology. Therefore, engineering and archaeology work hand in hand to form multidisciplinary teams with the aim of addressing the design of heritage cultural elements.The aim of this study was to represent the terrain associated with the “the Baker’s House”, at the archaeological site of Torreparedones (Cordoba, Spain). The interest in this representation increased after the virtual reconstruction of the domus, which was performed to geographically place the house in its exact location. Two methodologies were used through different software and data to obtain the topographical survey. The first methodology was the one applied in QGIS 2.3.15 with data from the CNIG, and the second methodology was the one applied in Blender 2.90.0 using the Google Satellite database. Both methodologies were compared, analysing the time invested in the two processes, as well as the orography of the terrain, which was captured with a 360 panoramic picture taken on the site.KeywordsGISRecreationVirtual archaeologyDomusOrographyBlenderQGIS