Data fusion for drawing and analysis of an ancient roman boat in Herculaneum

Abstract

Advanced and low-cost 3D technologies (Laser Scanner and Digital Photogrammetry) are nowadays widely used in several fields such as Cultural Heritage and Archaeology. In this paper a collaborative project between the Archaeological Park of Herculaneum, the CISA (Interdepartmental Services Centre for Archaeology) and the DAAM (Department of Asia, Africa and Mediterranean Studies) of the University “L’Orientale” of Naples is presented. Aim of the project was to find a solution to study the Roman boat discovered in the ancient city of Herculaneum and destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D., without altering its state of preservation. Different digital survey techniques were employed to compare different types of sensors. The goal was to obtain an accurate definition of the construction characteristics of the boat thanks to the data fusion.