Abstract
The present study aims to demonstrate the usefulness of GIS to support archive searches and historical studies (e.g. related to industrial archaeology), in the case of an ancient channel for mill powering near Cesena (Emilia-Romagna, Italy), whose history is weaved together with the history of the Compagnia dei Molini di Cesena mill company, the most ancient limited company in Italy. Several historical maps (about 40 sheets in total) inherent the studied area and 80 archive documents (drawings, photos, specifications, administrative acts, newspaper articles), over a period of more than 600 years, were collected. Once digitized, historical maps were analysed, georeferenced and mosaicked where necessary. Subsequently, in all the maps the channel with its four mills and the Savio river were vectorized. All the additional archive documents were digitized, catalogued and stored. Using the QGIS open source platform, a Historical GIS was created, encompassing the current cartographic base and all historical maps, with their vectorized elements; each archive document was linked to the proper historical map, so that the document can be immediately retrieved and visualized. <br><br> In such a HGIS, the maps form the base for a spatial and temporal navigation, facilitated by a specific interface; the external documents linked to them complete the description of the represented elements. This simple and interactive tool offers a new approach to archive searches, as it allows reconstruction in space and time of the evolution of the ancient channel and the history of this important mill company.
Highlights
1.1 Digital regeneration of ancient cartography and archival sourcesHistorical cartography is a fundamental part of Cultural Heritage, which needs to be recovered, preserved and accessed
An interesting case is given by the ancient channel for mill powering near Cesena (Emilia-Romagna, Italy), that can be considered an example of industrial archaeology
The created Historical GIS” (HGIS) proves to be a very useful tool for historians and archivists, because it can furnish a new approach to archive searches
Summary
Historical cartography is a fundamental part of Cultural Heritage, which needs to be recovered, preserved and accessed. Digital regeneration of ancient cartography is an interesting way to save documents from extinction and to allow new chances of viewing and using its historic and geographic information, by modalities that cannot apply to analogue supports. Geomatics science can provide many tools and techniques, among which: georeferencing, analysis of the metric fidelity of the ancient maps, comparison with other cartographic databases, change analysis and analytical procedures in a GIS (Geographic Information System) environment, virtual metric reconstructions, etc. Cartographic heritage appears more accessible to and usable by many kinds of users: experts (researchers, archivists, historians, technicians), and citizens, tourists, map-lovers, etc. The textual documents stored in archival databases, on the other hand, can be more accessed if they are digitized and georeferenced in implicit or explicit way. The geographic metadata associated to textual documents can support more efficient searches in the archives
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