Virtual Reconstruction of no longer Existing Archaeological Structures in Highly Urbanized Areas

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology for the virtual reconstruction of no longer existing archaeological structures, focusing on cases where the remains are concealed within contemporary urban environments. This approach is exemplified through the digital 3D reconstruction of the ancient Roman circus of Milan, a monumental building largely demolished at the end of the Roman Empire, with most of its remaining vestiges hidden beneath the modern urban fabric of Milan. Central to this approach is the comprehensive collection of historical research data, archival sources, and field inspections. This data is integrated with state-of-the-art surveying technologies, such as terrestrial and mobile laser scanning for underground data collection, photogrammetry for stratigraphic data extraction, and accurate georeferencing using differential GNSS. Thanks to accurate georeferencing, these data sets are then merged with preexisting cartographic and historical data in GIS. The subsequent digital reconstruction process draws upon this georeferenced corpus of sources and comparisons with similar circuses. Refined through interdisciplinary collaboration, this process yields precise and, in some cases, innovative archaeological hypotheses.