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.