Documentation Of Cultural Heritage Research Articles

Digital Tools for Data Acquisition and Heritage Management in Archaeology and Their Impact on Archaeological Practices

The significance of data acquisition in archaeological practice has consistently held great importance. Over the past few decades, the growing prevalence of digitization in acquiring data has significantly transformed the landscape of archaeological fieldwork, influencing both methodology and interpretation. The integration of digital photogrammetry and laser scanning technologies in archaeology has transformed data acquisition, enabling efficient and precise documentation. However, this digital shift raises concerns about information overload, the potential loss of on-site insights, and the need for suitable data management methods. Over the past 15 years, digital tools like photogrammetry, laser scanning, and unmanned aerial vehicles have advanced cultural heritage documentation. These methods offer detailed 3D models of archaeological sites, artifacts, and monuments, with evolving accessibility and user friendliness. This paper delves into methods for documenting cultural heritage, examining the implications of various approaches on the archaeologist’s workflow and on the field as a whole.

Study on Influence Factor Analysis and Optimal Methodology for Color Reproduction of Digital Photography of Painted Cultural Heritage

The color management system (CMS) for digital photographs of painted cultural heritage requires consideration of the camera as an input device, lighting as a shooting condition, and color charts and spectrophotometers as absolute color standards. Therefore, this study conducted basic experiments to derive the effects of these factors on digital color reproduction and the application methodology. The results showed that the two types of spectrophotometers for CMS and the spectrophotometer used for direct measurement of painted cultural heritage showed almost similar color reproduction, and the digital camera did not have a significant effect on color reproduction regardless of the operating principle, image sensor type, and resolution. Although the color reproduction under the three lighting conditions was execellent overall, the instantaneous and continuous light used in the experiment showed a lower color difference than the LED light. When these optimal conditions were applied to the Dancheong (traditional multicolored paintwork) specimen, the color difference of <i>Δ</i>11.57 before color reproduction decreased dramatically to <i>Δ</i>1.02 after color reproduction. This means that the digital color reproduction process brought the Dancheong specimen has become closer to the true color. Digital photography is an essential recording method in the process of conserving and utilizing cultural heritage. In the absence of manuals or guidelines for digital photography-based color reproduction, basic experimental research has great potential as a methodology for the documentation of painted cultural heritage. In addition, if color reproduction technology is applied to three-dimensional scanning, where the importance of color recording is relatively overlooked, it is believed that the digital recording process can be advanced and actively used for the conservation of painted cultural heritage.

Systematic analysis of the digital technologies used in the documentation of historical buildings

Cultural heritage buildings have values that provide a connection from past to present. The first stage of ensuring that these values are preserved and transferred to future generations is the documentation and diagnosis studies. The digital acquisition of the documentation data of historical buildings by digitizing, the creation of 2D drawings and 3D models with numerical data, provides an accurate analysis of the current situation of cultural heritage buildings and allows the evaluation of damage status of the building in the process after the documentation works. Although current studies in the literature mostly focus on the use of a certain method, device or software, it has been determined that there is no study that examines digital documentation methods in detail and systematically addresses the current technologies, programs and tools used in this process. Based on this gap in the literature, in this study, firstly, the documentation of cultural heritage and its importance are mentioned, the components of documentation are explained, and the methods, tools, applications and software programs that could be used in the documentation, recording and data processing of cultural heritage structures were systematically brought together. By comparing the data obtained as a result of this research study, in which the qualitative research method was used, with the documentation methods, it points out that digital documentation of cultural heritage structures allows for a more precise assessment by increasing the accuracy of data collection and analysis studies. The study also highlights the importance of the use of digital technologies, which makes it easier to store, share and manage the data at hand.

A new and ‘riveting’ method: Micro-CT scanning for the documentation, conservation, and reconstruction of the Gjellestad ship

The cultural heritage sector has increasingly explored the use of micro-CT (µCT) across numerous projects seeking to better understand past cultures and the materials they have left behind. As such, the role of micro-CT (µCT) is still being developed and projects continue to show novel ways that the technology can be adapted to. The Gjellestad ship, located in Halden (Østfold in Viken), Norway, is dated to the Viking Age and was found in a poor state of preservation. Both organic and metallic materials were deteriorated to the degree that standard excavation methods would have resulted in further damage to, or even the destruction of, these elements. A new approach was needed, and this presented an opportunity to explore the use for µCT as a documentative tool for field archaeology and conservation. As the remaining rivets were too fragile to handle directly, they were removed together with the surrounding matrix as soil blocks. To retain important stratigraphic and position information, a georeferencing system was developed that would be visible to µCT and included within each soil block. This enabled the spatial (re)positioning of the soil blocks by use of 3D GIS and in alongside with other spatial documentation gathered at the time of excavation. The quantity of soil blocks will give us a large dataset to work with and, although we continue to document the soil blocks with µCT, we now can discuss our preliminary results pertaining to the positive impact that µCT has for the documentation, conservation, and reconstruction of cultural heritage.

Preserving Colour Fidelity in Photogrammetry—An Empirically Grounded Study and Workflow for Cultural Heritage Preservation

In this paper, a study is performed in order to achieve a process that successfully respects the colour integrity of photogrammetry models of cultural heritage pieces. As a crucial characteristic of cultural heritage documentation, the colour of the pieces—as a valuable source of information—needs to be properly handled and preserved, since digital tools may induce variations in its values, or lose them to a degree. Different conditions for image acquisition schemes, RGB value calculation, calibration and photogrammetry have been combined and the results measured, so the adequate procedure is found. Control over all colour transformations is enforced, with blending operations during the texture generation process being the only unpredictable step in the pipeline. It is demonstrated that an excellent degree of colour information preservation can be achieved when applying said control on the factors of acquisition and colour digitalization, inclusive deciding their parameters. This paper aims to serve as guidelines of a correct handling of colour information and workflow so cultural heritage documentation can be performed with the highest degree of colour fidelity, covering the gap of non-existing standard procedure or conditions to perform an optimum digital cultural heritage colour modelling.

Aïoli: A reality-based 3D annotation cloud platform for the collaborative documentation of cultural heritage artefacts

Archaeologists, architects, engineers, materials specialists, teachers, curators and restorers of cultural property, contribute to the daily knowledge and conservation of heritage artefacts. For many years, the development of digital technologies has produced important results in the collection, visualisation and indexing of digital resources. Whilst these advances have made it possible to introduce new tools that are making documentation practices evolve within the cultural heritage community, the management of multi-dimensional and multi-format data introduces new problems and challenges, in particular the development of relevant analysis and interpretation methods, the sharing and correlation of heterogeneous data among several actors and contexts, and the centralised archiving of documentation results for long-term preservation purposes. Despite their different approaches and tools for observation, description and analysis, the actors of cultural heritage documentation all have a common interest and central focus: the heritage object, the physical one, whether it is a site, a building, a sculpture, a painting, a work of art, or an archaeological fragment. This is the starting point for the development of “Aïoli”, a reality-based 3D annotation platform, which allows a multidisciplinary community to build semantically-enriched 3D descriptions of heritage artefacts from simple images and spatialised annotations coupled with additional resources. Resulting from more than 10 years of methodological and technological contributions concerning different steps of the workflow starting from reality-based 3D reconstruction to the analysis of cultural heritage data, this platform introduces an innovative framework for the comprehensive, large-scale collaborative documentation of cultural heritage by integrating state-of-the-art technological components within a cloud infrastructure accessible via web interfaces from PCs, tablets and smartphones online and onsite. This paper aims to provide a synthesis of the work done to build it, to describe its main features, and to discuss the limitations and opportunities it raises for cultural heritage studies.

Interactive Thematic Map as a Means of Documenting and Visualizing Information about Cultural Heritage Objects

Technological progress in recent decades has made it possible to develop the process of documentation and visualization of cultural heritage objects. Despite numerous studies dealing with the documentation of cultural heritage objects, no standardized research methodology has yet been developed in this field. The interest of many specialists from different fields carrying out different work related to the documentation of cultural heritage objects has resulted in a large amount of data, which causes problems in its processing and visualization. As a rule, researchers focus on one method of data collection and, consequently, on one type of data visualization. The documentation of cultural heritage is very important. Therefore, the authors of this article have aimed to develop a methodological data collection process for the documentation and visualization of information about cultural heritage objects. This is particularly important in light of the development of new methods of measuring and inventorying cultural heritage objects, such as laser scanning or low-level aerial photogrammetry. The authors recognize the need to systematize the methodology of collecting and processing data on cultural heritage objects. In addition, it is critical to develop a methodology for visualizing the acquired data using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology. One of the most important assumptions of the article is to have universally understandable information about the object. The type of documentation and visualization of information developed in the article will be an interactive thematic map (using Leaflet.js and Three.js). Such a map will allow to collect and visualize all kinds of data, from attribute data to 3D models.

CHALLENGING ARCHITECTURES: AN INTEGRATED AND MULTIPURPOSE SURVEY FOR THE COMPLETE MAPPING OF THE EMIR PALACE IN KOGON (UZBEKISTAN)

Abstract. The documentation of Cultural Heritage, and in particular architecture, is nowadays conducted with a combination of several geomatic techniques. Most of them relies on the exploitation of 3D point cloud, which is the state of art data to produce almost every output. The starting point of each recovery intervention is the survey, which enable a multidisciplinary approach for the knowledge of a building and, consequently, to preserve it for future generation. When it comes with complex architectures, however, the surveying approach is more compelling and challenging at the same time. The definition of the final accuracy requires a tidy design process that should be done a priori, and a set of strict rules need to be respected. With the advent of new automatic procedures, the number of data collected increases, but this doesn’t mean that well established method, like topography, can be neglected. This work is the demonstration of how old and new method must coexist. The present work describes the work carried out to the complete 3D reconstruction of a complex building, namely the Emir’s Palace place in Kogon, Uzbekistan. Given its dimension and decorative apparatus, maintaining a high standard of definition without losing metrological accuracy was the main challenge. The work was carried out with a combination of both Terrestrial Laser Scanner and Aerial Photogrammetry for the 3D reconstruction, and on a very accurate topographic network for the combination of produced point clouds. The result of this first phase of the work was a polygonal network with a millimetric accuracy. Besides, another important contribution of the paper lies on the exploitation of the panoramic images coming from the TLS within a photogrammetric software. Indeed, by exploiting the depth map, it was possible to produce very detailed orthophotos for the production of 1:10 scale drawings. The work, performed in a joint venture between Academia and SMEs, is an excellent example (useful to be shared within the research community dealing with 3D representation and optimization) of innovative methodologies developed to produce reliable drawings and 3D representation for different purposes, being the starting point for each kind of project.

A PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION WORKFLOW FOR DIGITIZATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE: THE 14 CENTURY CHURCH OF SV. NIKOLA IN KALOTINA, BULGARIA

Abstract. The church of Sv. Nikola, dated to the mid-14th century, is an important medieval cultural heritage monument with vivid fresco iconography located in the village of Kalotina, Bulgaria. The church consists of a small narthex and a larger naos with an apsidal wall. Much of the decorative details are beginning to degrade which makes the need for documentation of the current state important for preservation. Due to its remote location, public access is limited for both visitors and researchers. During the recent campaign, a workflow was designed with the purpose of obtaining complete documentation of the church. The workflow aimed to be low-cost and relatively quick. Complete photographic documentation was conducted including close-range photogrammetry of the interior and exterior of the church, Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) of a selection of the graffiti within the frescoes, and 360-degree HDR panoramas. Additionally, a field survey of the surrounding area was performed by archaeologists and a geodetic survey which was used for the georeferencing of the photogrammetric 3D models. This detailed workflow developed for this project serves as a case study of a methodology for complete documentation of immovable cultural heritage.

CULTURAL HERITAGE AND RISK: LET'S GIVE INTELLIGENCE TO OUR TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract. In the last decades, the evolution in the sector of technologies applied to cultural heritage has taken on extraordinary accelerations in terms of accuracy and reliability of the measurement and restitution, as well as in the management of acquired data. In particular, the complex of these measurement and documentation actions are of fundamental importance if interfaced with other types of heterogeneous data acquired in different ways. Nevertheless, in face of such a complex framework of know- how, increasingly advanced technologies, dedicated programs and funding, meetings and debates, the establishment of specific Institutional Bodies to manage decision-making plans and their implementation, we continue to witness the frantic chasing of emergencies after the occurrence of catastrophic events. The spectrum of risks is more and more manifesting itself in its breadth: to the evidence of the effects due to Climate Change, those deriving from hydrogeological instability, from the lack of care of the territory and coasts, the devastation of an anthropic nature due to the senseless consumption of soil, and the unsustainable pressure of an uncultured, omnivorous tourism, are added with increasing frequency. This contribution deals in a general way with the theme of technologies for the knowledge of Cultural Heritage. It intends to critically question about the dangers inherent in the "indiscriminate, unconscious and uncritical" use of technologies for the knowledge of Cultural Heritage oriented towards its preservation. The aim is to prompt a discussion within the scientific community dealing with the documentation and conservation of cultural heritage in order to promote an indispensable culture of prevention and planned conservation, in which the intelligent relationship between Man and technology must be rediscovered.

DIVE INTO HERITAGE: A DIGITAL DOCUMENTATION PLATFORM OF WORLD HERITAGE PROPERTIES IN THE ARAB STATES REGION

Abstract. The world celebrated the 50 years of the World Heritage Convention. With more than 1000 cultural and natural sites, the 1972 World Heritage Convention is the most widely recognized. It has provided a framework for identifying, documenting, protecting, and managing the world's cultural and natural heritage with Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). The theme to mark this anniversary is: “The Next 50: World Heritage as a Source of Resilience, Humanity and Innovation”. These are the topics that have inspired the World Heritage Centre to develop, together with the Member States in the Arab Region, an online platform that leverages digital technologies to safeguard and promote the UNESCO World Heritage sites and its related intangible heritage, and transmit them to future generations. This paper discusses the current state of digital documentation of cultural heritage and the related projects/initiatives in the Arab States region. It presents the UNESCO Dive into Heritage initiative and its first outcomes. It concludes with lessons learned and future steps for the next phases of the project. First outcomes have revealed the big challenge of 3D data integration and the need to accompany the implementation stages of the project with capacity building.

PRESERVING THE HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN EDUCATION: DIGITAL DOCUMENTATION OF ROSENWALD SCHOOLS – A CASE STUDY ON THE TANKERSLEY SCHOOL IN HOPE HULL, ALABAMA, USA

Abstract. Established across the American South between 1917 and 1932, Rosenwald Schools were crucial for providing education to African American children during segregation. Now, many of these structures are abandoned and deteriorating, in urgent need of digital documentation and preservation. This paper introduces an innovative approach for using Matterport technology to capture immersive virtual tours and enhance Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM) with high-resolution imagery. The Tankersley Rosenwald School in Hope Hull, Alabama serves as the case study. Additionally, this paper features traditional Reality Capture techniques, such as Terrestrial Laser Scanning and aerial photogrammetry, in combination with Matterport technology to create a detailed HBIM model of the historic school. This model enables architectural and structural analysis, informing suitable stabilization, conservation, and restoration strategies. It also acts as a powerful visualization tool, allowing stakeholders to safely examine the school's architectural, structural, and historical aspects. The virtual tour produced through Matterport provides valuable data for developing an accurate HBIM model in Revit, leading to more effective conservation approaches. The integration of these technologies showcases the potential for digital preservation of built heritage and emphasizes the importance of innovative methods in cultural heritage documentation. By digitally preserving these historically significant schools, this research supports the conservation and restoration of a vital aspect of African American educational history and raises awareness of their cultural importance.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF POINT CLOUDS ACQUIRED FROM A TLS SURVEY AND A 3D VIRTUAL TOUR FOR HBIM DEVELOPMENT

Abstract. This paper presents a comparative analysis of point clouds acquired from a terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) survey and a 3D virtual tour using Matterport technology for heritage building information modeling (HBIM) development. The study uses the Cloister of the Royal College of Corpus Christi Seminary, an important cultural heritage site in Valencia, Spain, as a case study. The point clouds from the TLS survey and Matterport scans were compared both quantitively in CloudCompare software and visually to assess their accuracy and quality. The Matterport point cloud data was found to be slightly lower in quality and accuracy compared to the TLS data, but still sufficient for developing some low-tolerance geometry in the HBIM model. The study shows that Matterport point cloud data has potential to supplement TLS scans, particularly in areas missed during the TLS survey due to range limitations. Matterport technology is accessible, affordable, and easy to use, making it a feasible option for heritage sites with limited resources. Moreover, Matterport technology captures high-quality visual data, including color and texture, providing a detailed representation of the heritage site. Thus, Matterport technology can be a valuable contribution to cultural heritage documentation and preservation, particularly for sites requiring a quick and efficient surveying process. The findings of this research offer insights into the relative advantages and limitations of these two reality capture techniques for cultural heritage documentation and preservation, and could potentially inform decision-making processes for future heritage preservation projects.

INTEGRATED DOCUMENTATION OF TANGIBLE AND INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE IN URBAN HISTORICAL SITES

Abstract. Conservation and documentation, which encompasses multidimensional and complex processes and objects with a scope ranging from works of art to monuments, from monuments to settlements and even cities, and from physical assets (tangible heritage) to intangible heritage, and with a content that has evolved in the 20th century, is directly related to systematic studies and approaches in the documentation and understanding of cultural heritage. However, most of the documentation studies focus on the physical context of cultural heritage. Although studies to understand the social and cultural context have begun to increase considerably, research and practices to integrate the data obtained with the physical context and to create a knowledge management by integrating with the physical context are not yet at a sufficient level. For this reason, this study focuses on defining the necessary tools that will form the basis for decision-making processes by using integrated methods in the documentation phase, based on the fact that the meaning, memories and narratives obtained through spatial experience and senses arising from human communication with their immediate environment directly support the conservation of space by enabling societies to build their existence, identity and future. The study presents a process consisting of field research and fieldwork in which tangible data collected from cultural heritage sites and intangible data arising from the relationship of users with the place are collected. In the field study, purpose-oriented data were collected through in-depth interviews with users, transferred to Geographic Information Systems and presented with the parameters determined. As a result, the findings obtained have enabled the integrated documentation and presentation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage values and the production of information to be used in conservation decision-making processes.

EXPLORING DIGITAL DOCUMENTATION FOR SHOPHOUSES IN SINGAPORE

Abstract. Conservation of cultural heritage involves beyond repairing and maintaining the structures. Prelude to any conservation should be a comprehensive documentation, recording, historical study and condition assessment. Then only should the repair and restoration be considered. Damages and deterioration of cultural heritage are unpredictable in disasters. Wear and tear may some time lead to sudden catastrophic failures. As such documentation and recording of cultural heritage should be ongoing exercises. The information is also useful for in-depth understanding and research purposes.Documentation methods have developed over time with the progress in information technology and computing. Analog documentation methods have given way to digital documentation which is faster and more comprehensive. In this study, four digital documentation methods have been evaluated to explore their capabilities for documentation of a heritage shophouse; a range of unique architecture constructed from 1800s to 1900s found commonly in cities around Southeast Asia. The data was produced into 3D models and comparisons between the different methods were made. The strengths and weaknesses of each method as well as the quality of the outputs were evaluated. The digital 3D model will be useful for subsequent conservation process. This information can also be developed into repository of architectural features and also for use in HBIM system or parametric architectural components database system. There are, however, obstacles and challenges to development and implementation of such as system.

DIGITAL DOCUMENTATION STRATEGIES FOR THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE BASILICA OF SANTA MARIA IN TRASTEVERE

Abstract. Within the Cultural Heritage documentation field, this contribution illustrates the adopted methods for the first digital documentation of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere in Rome.The research activity carried out included the survey of this historic building as well as direct and indirect research connected with its transformations. The tested workflow illustrates the relevance of the activities carried out in terms of knowledge implementation, conservation, monitoring, and dissemination of tangible and intangible aspects of this layered religious architecture.

A METHOD FOR ESTIMATING THE ACCURACY OF THE TIE POINTS CLOUD: THE CASE STUDY OF PALAZZO DE FALCO

Abstract. In the context of cultural heritage documentation and conservation, an accurate 3D model is essential to properly describe an artifact of historical relevance and provide the expert user with verified metric data. In this paper we propose a workflow aimed at estimating errors in the image orientation steps, which is useful for improving the accuracy of the sparse cloud (composed of Tie Points). Some parameters provided as input to the processing software, often overlooked by the user in favour of the default ones, are analysed. Specifically, tests are carried out using the commercial software package Agisoft Metashape and involve the analysis of three parameters: (i) the accuracy of measuring the Ground Control Points (GCPs) provided by the user; (ii) the accuracy of the Tie Points (TPs) computed by the software; and (iii) the accuracy of collimating the GCPs on the image. The accuracy of the GCPs is estimated by implementing the formulas of error propagation in MATLAB, considering the three concurring sources of error: the coordinate measurement with the Total Station (TS), the coordinate transformation from the local system to the UTM/ETRF00 System, and the GNSS measurement for estimating the transformation parameters. The transformation parameters are calculated using the Bursa Wolf method. The collimation accuracy of GCPs on the image is estimated by the reprojection error of each single GCPs on the image plane. The accuracy of the GCPs will be estimated by the standard error per unit weight (SEUW), accurate GCPs being expected to have a SEUW value close to unity. SEUW is also the overall indicator for estimating the accuracy of the TPS cloud because it is influenced, in different ways, by all three parameters analysed. Test Area is a historic building located in the town of Fisciano, a few kilometres from the city of Salerno, known as Palazzo De Falco. The results highlight how these parameters, if not properly considered, can significantly affect the final 3D model.

Incorporating High Dynamic Range into Multispectral Imaging for Cultural Heritage Documentation

Incorporating High Dynamic Range into Multispectral Imaging for Cultural Heritage Documentation

Documentation of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Nubians- Bigeh Island in Aswan as a Case Study

Documentation of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Nubians- Bigeh Island in Aswan as a Case Study

DIGITIZATION APPROACHES FOR URBAN CULTURAL HERITAGE: LAST GENERATION MMS WITHIN VENICE OUTDOOR SCENARIOS

Abstract. This paper explores the use of Mobile Mapping Systems (MMSs) for urban Cultural Heritage (CH) documentation, which has become an increasingly important tool in surveying for rapid and accurate mapping of both internal and external environments. The study evaluates the performance of the STONEX® X120GO SLAM Laser Scanner, a recent commercial MMS, in documenting CH in various outdoor applications, including urban environments and inaccessible places. The methodology was applied to three test fields in the historic centre of Venice, which include Piazza San Marco, Santa Marta area, and the Venetian canal called Rio de le Toresele. The STONEX® X120GO SLAM Laser Scanner is composed of a 360° rotating head LiDAR scanner, three 5MP cameras, and an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) for geospatial 3D point cloud creation. The MMS was evaluated in terms of time, accuracy, and point cloud resolution against other active sensors such as Terrestrial Laser Scanners (TLSs) and spherical photogrammetry. The results suggest that the tested MMS has reached optimal levels of development, enabling high-speed data collection and providing good accuracy for significant urban CH sites. Overall, the paper highlights the importance and potential of MMSs for CH documentation and emphasizes the need for ongoing development to optimize the management process.