Piero Gilento | Université Paris 1 - Panthéon-Sorbonne (original) (raw)
Journal Articles by Piero Gilento
Umm al-Surab, located near modern-day Mafraq in northern Jordan, was the focus of a building arch... more Umm al-Surab, located near modern-day Mafraq in northern Jordan, was the focus of a building archaeology project carried out by the University of Siena, Italy, between 2009 and 2012. This article discusses the primary results obtained from that project—in particular, the research on the church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus and another complex in the southeastern corner of the archaeological area. The methodologies adopted are explored, as well as the results anticipated from the development of this type of research: the creation of an atlas of construction techniques for the southern Hauran and the development of a non-destructive, and therefore “sustainable,” investigation methodology.
This paper provides the initial results of a stratigraphic analysis performed on the standing rem... more This paper provides the initial results of a stratigraphic analysis performed on the standing remains of an architectural complex in Umm al-Surab (Northern Jordan). The building was investigated with two objectives: clarifying the relationships between individual building elements and identifying the construction activities that have affected it over the time. In spite of demolitions and renovations, we have identified a sequence of seven construction phases, grouped in three main periods, via the analysis of the material structure. This type of investigation, i.e. Building Archaeology, has provided at the moment a relative chronological sequence along with a characterization of the main building techniques, useful tools for an initial typological and chronological comparison. These results, albeit partial, fit within a broader history of studies and serve to increase our knowledge of the technological and architectural environment of the Near East, and in particular of the Ḥawrān region.
Archeologia dell'Architettura, XVIII 2013, 2014
The southern Hawrān, currently divided between Southern Syria and Northern Jordan, is a highly ho... more The southern Hawrān, currently divided between Southern Syria and Northern Jordan, is a highly homogeneous geographic region and, at the same time, a very culturally rich area, characterized in ancient times by numerous interactions between sedentary and nomadic populations. The only widely available material in the area is basalt. This material, along with the near-total absence of wood for construction, generated an absolutely unique local situation in terms of the building techniques. The relevant literature indicates that it is particularly difficult to obtain chronological information from the study of construction techniques for various reasons: the re-utilization of materials, continuity of techniques, the physical properties of basalt and lack of reliable chronological contexts. Temporal indications may be provided by decorative and sculptural elements which, however, are not always found in the area’s villages, or are limited to particular architectural contexts. In this case the construction techniques are a reservoir of data that must only be properly interpreted. In this regard, the stratigraphic reading of the standing buildings, together with an adequate and flexible digital recording tool of the material structure, it is the discipline that may open new cognitive and interpretive ways to increase our knowledge of local Near Eastern architecture and the cultural, social and political milieu that generated it, providing a contribution to the history of artistic and construction techniques and their wider diffusion and interconnection throughout the Mediterranean region.
Arqueología de la Arquitectura, 11, 2014
Il contributo di seguito presentato illustra i risultati delle indagini archeologiche effettuate ... more Il contributo di seguito presentato illustra i risultati delle indagini archeologiche effettuate sugli elevati della chiesa dei Santi Sergio e Bacco nel villaggio di Umm as-Surab, Giordania settentrionale. L'edificio, ancora relativamente ben conservato, è considerato dalla letteratura specialistica come una tra le chiese più interessanti del sud Hawrān per alcune caratteristiche tecnico-strutturali, tra cui l'alta torre costruita sulla prothesis. L' analisi dei resti materiali ci ha permesso di individuare una sequenza edilizia suddivisa in cinque periodi e di approfondire le dinamiche di cantiere. Ci siamo inoltre concentrati sull'individuazione delle principali tecniche costruttive (murature, aperture, archi e pilastri), che faranno parte di un più ampio Atlante Cronotipologico della regione dello Hawrān. Con questi nuovi dati abbiamo ulteriormente riflettuto sulle tipologie edilizie della torre e della chiesa, cercando di contribuire al dibattito corrente.
The paper illustrates the results of the archaeological investigations carried out on the still-standing structures of the church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus in the Umm as-Surab village, in northern Jordan. The building, still relatively well preserved, is considered by the scientific literature as one of the most interesting in the southern Hawrān because of some technical and structural features, among them the high tower built on the prothesis. The analysis of the material remains made possible to identify a building sequence divided into five periods and to investigate the dynamics of the constructive process. We also focused our attention on the identification of the main building techniques (walls, doors, arches and pilasters), which will be part of a broader Chrono-typological Atlas of the Hawrān region. With these new data, we have further reflected on the building typologies of the tower and the church, so trying to contribute to the current debate.
Andrea Arrighetti, Piero Gilento In S. GIANOLIO (ed.), Archeologia Virtuale. La metodologia prima del software, pp. 49-67, Rome, Espera, 2012
La “descrizione” della struttura materiale richiede un alto grado di oggettività in funzione degl... more La “descrizione” della struttura materiale richiede un alto grado di oggettività in funzione degli interessi scientifici di alcune discipline (documentazione archeologica, conservazione e restauro, tutela dei Beni Culturali). Il dato geometrico e la documentazione fotografica delle superfici risultano gli strumenti migliori per una registrazione efficace, chiara ed oggettiva di un manufatto architettonico e di altre manifestazioni antropiche. In particolare la completezza e la diacronia della documentazione fotografica si è sempre dimostrata essenziale nella registrazione della struttura materiale di edifici storici. L’avanzamento tecnologico ha messo inoltre a disposizione della comunità scientifica dei prodotti da cui si ottengono modelli che, non solo hanno la grande proprietà di rappresentare fotograficamente, con una definizione elevata, le superfici, ma sono anche corretti geometricamente nelle tre dimensioni. In questo modo la documentazione della struttura materiale risulta molto più completa e risponde alle esigenze di una documentazione rapida, ma al contempo ricca di tutte le informazioni necessarie per un’analisi approfondita dell’oggetto.
Archeologia e Calcolatori XXIII, 2012, 2012
The aim of this paper is to present the experience of a photogrammetric survey started in May 20... more The aim of this paper is to present the experience of a photogrammetric survey started
in May 2009 to record the current state of some religious buildings involved in the earthquake
of April 6th which affected L’Aquila and its municipalities. This experience gave us the opportunity
to evaluate and verify a solution for a metric survey of buildings, which is based on
photography applied in a post-earthquake scenario. An archaeological recording can become
part of a wider process of knowledge and reconstruction, in which there is interaction between
several agents (engineers, architects, archaeologists, etc.); in this way the approach to the survey
problems was discussed taking into account specific needs. The paper illustrates the process
of analysis and synthesis that led to the representation of architectural and archaeological
data, and especially attempts to define, through specific case studies, the targeted use of the
photogrammetric solution.
Limina / Limites, Archeologie, storie, isole e frontiere nel Mediterraneo (365-1556). La Transgiordania nei secoli XII-XIII e le ‘frontiere’ del Mediterraneo medievale, pp. 111-124, Oxford, 2012. BAR S2386, , 2012
Traianus annexed the Nabataen Kingdom to the Roman Empire in 106 AD. This territory became part o... more Traianus annexed the Nabataen Kingdom to the Roman Empire in 106 AD. This territory became part of the new Provincia Arabia. The construction of the via nova traiana by Claudius Severus, between AD 111 and AD 114, sealed the conquest of the territory, traditionally held to have fallen along with together with the fortalices, lookout towers and quadriburgia. The road and these structures represented the so-called limes arabicus.
It is well known, that Romans reused pre-existing structures both from the Iron Age and the Nabataen Age.
The network of sites remained in use after the fall of the Roman Empire. There is evidence of frequentation of the quadriburgia during the Byzantine period, with alternating periods of abandonment and new construction during the successive three centuries. The situation on the limes changed again after AD 750, when the Abbasides came to power and moved the capital from Damascus to Baghdad. The complex of buildings of the limes arabicus, in what is now Jordan, is a unique site where different building techniques developed over a relatively short time span and are still well-preserved: ideal conditions for testing out methods of Building Archaeology. New classification and registration technologies, fast and available on-line thanks to an advanced technology database, allow us to process a considerable amount of data (stratigraphical readings on ortophotoplan and 3D models with photographic renderings of surfaces, characterization of building techniques, chronotypology) and to georeference the site through GoogleMaps and Google Earth.
Archeologia dell'Architettura, XV 2010, 2011
Archeologia dell’ Architettura, XIII 2008, 2010
La pubblicazione delle Linee Guida per la valutazione del rischio sismico del patrimonio cultural... more La pubblicazione delle Linee Guida per la valutazione del rischio sismico del patrimonio culturale da parte del MiBAC, e gli eventi sismici nell’ aquilano dell’aprile del 2009, sono state le due occasioni per una profonda e sostanziale riflessione sugli scopi e gli strumenti dell’Archeologia dell’Architettura e sul protocollo operativo di registrazione della struttura materiale. Le Linee Guida, per la prima volta in modo generalizzato, prevedono un’anamnesi di ogni edificio storico che debba essere migliorato nella sua vulnerabilità. L’individuazione dei Corpi di Fabbrica, la suddivisione in Fasi Costruttive, il riconoscimento dei principali interventi ci ricostruzione e, dall’ altro lato, una attenzione anche quantitativa alle caratteristiche delle Tecniche Costruttive (intese come l’insieme delle parti strutturali che costituiscono l’edificio: elementi portanti verti≤ali, orizzontamenti, collegamenti verticali, elementi portanti orizzontali), sono perfettamente compatibili con gli strumenti di analisi propri dell’Archeologia dell’Architettura. Non a caso nelle Linee Guida si fa espresso riferimento ai criteri di rilievo propri dell’analisi stratigrafica e si richiede l’Analisi storica degli eventi e degli interventi subiti, cioè uno dei due risultati minimi di qualunque progetto conoscitivo effettuato con gli strumenti (analisi stratigrafica, cronotipologie, etc.) propri dell’Archeologia dell’Architettura.
Book Chapters by Piero Gilento
Mappa Data Book 1, 2015
The paper illustrates the methodology adopted, the working phases and the first results of the ar... more The paper illustrates the methodology adopted, the working phases and the first results of the archaeological excavation carried out in the area of porta Barete in L'Aquila, during the reconstruction activities of the city, struck by the earthquake of 2009. The interested area, located in the north-western zone of the city, has always played a prominent urban role as one of the main and monumental access to the city, how it is showed in the historical maps and in the structures still partially preserved.
Conference Papers by Piero Gilento
in Proceedings of First Conference of the Construction History Society, Queen's College Cambridge, pp. 157-167, Exeter, 2014., 2014
"Traditional interpretation of architectural complexes in Jordan in general, and particularly of ... more "Traditional interpretation of architectural complexes in Jordan in general, and particularly of buildings from the crucial period of transition from the Roman-Byzantine world to the proto-Islamic period, still lacks information and data that could provide clarification with regard to the spheres of construction, settlement and art. Historical and socio-political events in the region have left us with an architectural, historical-artistic and archaeological heritage that still remains to be properly deciphered. The application of Building Archaeology methodology, i.e. stratigraphic readings of standing structures accompanied by a
comprehensive effort to create chrono-typologies (laboratory analyses of mortars and plasters, brick measure-chronology, other archaeometric research), could, in the specific case of Jordan, provide important results regarding structures that are clearly unique in terms of their stratigraphic complexity, state of conservation and degree of interpretability. The aim of this contribution is to show the results of the first building surveys in the Umm as-Surab village (Mafraq Governorate-Northern Jordan) with the creation of a chrono-typology of building techniques (walls, apertures, roofing systems and construction materials).
Characterizing a wall structure and defining different building techniques in order to determine the construction history of buildings means overturning the accepted methodological approach to understanding architecture. The project’s originality lies in its consideration of the material structure, i.e. the current state of a building, as the main source from which to draw the information required to understand it. Through an archaeological reading of the material structure, the building is “stratigraphically” taken apart, and the various parts assume specific positions within a relative chronological ambit."
I sistemi di rilevazione dei volumi e delle superfici architettoniche hanno conosciuto un rapidis... more I sistemi di rilevazione dei volumi e delle superfici architettoniche hanno conosciuto un rapidissimo sviluppo con l'applicazione delle tecnologie laser scanner, basate sulla posizione tridimensionale delle nuvole di punti acquisite in diversi modi, ma sempre automaticamente ed in maniera estremamente veloce.
Proceedings of 3DARCH-2011. International Archives of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences. Vol. 38-5/W16, ISSN Number 1682-1777, 2011, 2011
The "description" of a material structure requires a high degree of objectivity to serve the scie... more The "description" of a material structure requires a high degree of objectivity to serve the scientific interests of certain disciplines (archeological documentation, conservation and restoration, safeguarding of cultural assets and heritage). Geometric data and photographic documentation of surfaces are thus the best instruments for efficacious, clear and objective recording of architectural objects and other anthropic manifestations. In particular, the completeness and diachrony of photographic documentation has always proven essential in recording the material structure of historical buildings. The aim of our contribution is to show the results of several projects carried out with the aid of survey methodologies that utilize digital photographic images to generate RGB (ZScan) point clouds of architectural monuments (urban standing buildings, monuments in archaeological areas, etc.) and art objects. These technologies allow us to capture data using digital photogrammetric techniques; although not based on laser scanners, they can nonetheless create dense 3D point clouds, simply by using images that have been obtained via digital camera. The results are comparable to those achieved with laser scanner technology, although the procedures are simpler, faster and cheaper. We intend to try to adapt these technologies to the requirements and needs of scientific research and the conservation of cultural heritage. Furthermore, we will present protocols and procedures for data recording, processing and transfer in the cultural heritage field, especially with regard to historical buildings. Cooperation among experts from different disciplines (archaeology, engineering and photogrammetry) will allow us to develop technologies and proposals for a widely adoptable workflow in the application of such technologies, in order to build an integrated system that can be used throughout the scientific community. Toward this end, open formats and integration will be taken into account as far as data processing and transfer are concerned.
Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference on Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, CAA2010 (eds. F. Contreras, M. Farjas and F.J. Melero), BAR International Series 2494, 2013, pp. 23-29, 2013
Procedures for recording the material structure of historical buildings has evolved rapidly in re... more Procedures for recording the material structure of historical buildings has evolved rapidly in recent years, according to the exponential increase in the power of computer and digital technologies. In particular, current technologies for digital photography allow capturing highly detailed information, so that a large part of the work that previously had to be carried out on the field, can be now managed in the laboratory. Several skills are required for recording features of buildings, concerning archaeology, engineering, conservation and restoration. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a consistent “Integrated System” that allows scholars and users to deal with all the different building features. In this contribution, an integrated system is proposed for cataloguing and managing historical buildings, in line with the Italian rules in force about seismic risk.
Conference and Workshop Presentations by Piero Gilento
With the ongoing reconstruction of the historical center of L 'Aquila and its territory after the... more With the ongoing reconstruction of the historical center of L 'Aquila and its territory after the 2009 earthquake, the need for a more direct and open comparison has emerged among disciplines like urban planning, architectural conservation, and archaeology. If, on one hand, archaeology must recognize, evaluate, and preserve the so-called archivi del sottosuolo (underground archives) and in doing so reduce the risk of their destruction, it is then on the other hand essential, to deal with the community’s need to regain in suitable time the places where its members lived and socialized. Taking into account the experience of the urban archaeological projects recently carried out in L’Aquila, this study explores how, in this delicate process of material and social reconstruction, archaeology can concretely insert itself into a context of territorial planning and operational choices through the proposal of a carta del potenziale archeologico, which could also provide an opportunity for the direct involvement and participation of the local community.
Umm al-Surab, located near modern-day Mafraq in northern Jordan, was the focus of a building arch... more Umm al-Surab, located near modern-day Mafraq in northern Jordan, was the focus of a building archaeology project carried out by the University of Siena, Italy, between 2009 and 2012. This article discusses the primary results obtained from that project—in particular, the research on the church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus and another complex in the southeastern corner of the archaeological area. The methodologies adopted are explored, as well as the results anticipated from the development of this type of research: the creation of an atlas of construction techniques for the southern Hauran and the development of a non-destructive, and therefore “sustainable,” investigation methodology.
This paper provides the initial results of a stratigraphic analysis performed on the standing rem... more This paper provides the initial results of a stratigraphic analysis performed on the standing remains of an architectural complex in Umm al-Surab (Northern Jordan). The building was investigated with two objectives: clarifying the relationships between individual building elements and identifying the construction activities that have affected it over the time. In spite of demolitions and renovations, we have identified a sequence of seven construction phases, grouped in three main periods, via the analysis of the material structure. This type of investigation, i.e. Building Archaeology, has provided at the moment a relative chronological sequence along with a characterization of the main building techniques, useful tools for an initial typological and chronological comparison. These results, albeit partial, fit within a broader history of studies and serve to increase our knowledge of the technological and architectural environment of the Near East, and in particular of the Ḥawrān region.
Archeologia dell'Architettura, XVIII 2013, 2014
The southern Hawrān, currently divided between Southern Syria and Northern Jordan, is a highly ho... more The southern Hawrān, currently divided between Southern Syria and Northern Jordan, is a highly homogeneous geographic region and, at the same time, a very culturally rich area, characterized in ancient times by numerous interactions between sedentary and nomadic populations. The only widely available material in the area is basalt. This material, along with the near-total absence of wood for construction, generated an absolutely unique local situation in terms of the building techniques. The relevant literature indicates that it is particularly difficult to obtain chronological information from the study of construction techniques for various reasons: the re-utilization of materials, continuity of techniques, the physical properties of basalt and lack of reliable chronological contexts. Temporal indications may be provided by decorative and sculptural elements which, however, are not always found in the area’s villages, or are limited to particular architectural contexts. In this case the construction techniques are a reservoir of data that must only be properly interpreted. In this regard, the stratigraphic reading of the standing buildings, together with an adequate and flexible digital recording tool of the material structure, it is the discipline that may open new cognitive and interpretive ways to increase our knowledge of local Near Eastern architecture and the cultural, social and political milieu that generated it, providing a contribution to the history of artistic and construction techniques and their wider diffusion and interconnection throughout the Mediterranean region.
Arqueología de la Arquitectura, 11, 2014
Il contributo di seguito presentato illustra i risultati delle indagini archeologiche effettuate ... more Il contributo di seguito presentato illustra i risultati delle indagini archeologiche effettuate sugli elevati della chiesa dei Santi Sergio e Bacco nel villaggio di Umm as-Surab, Giordania settentrionale. L'edificio, ancora relativamente ben conservato, è considerato dalla letteratura specialistica come una tra le chiese più interessanti del sud Hawrān per alcune caratteristiche tecnico-strutturali, tra cui l'alta torre costruita sulla prothesis. L' analisi dei resti materiali ci ha permesso di individuare una sequenza edilizia suddivisa in cinque periodi e di approfondire le dinamiche di cantiere. Ci siamo inoltre concentrati sull'individuazione delle principali tecniche costruttive (murature, aperture, archi e pilastri), che faranno parte di un più ampio Atlante Cronotipologico della regione dello Hawrān. Con questi nuovi dati abbiamo ulteriormente riflettuto sulle tipologie edilizie della torre e della chiesa, cercando di contribuire al dibattito corrente.
The paper illustrates the results of the archaeological investigations carried out on the still-standing structures of the church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus in the Umm as-Surab village, in northern Jordan. The building, still relatively well preserved, is considered by the scientific literature as one of the most interesting in the southern Hawrān because of some technical and structural features, among them the high tower built on the prothesis. The analysis of the material remains made possible to identify a building sequence divided into five periods and to investigate the dynamics of the constructive process. We also focused our attention on the identification of the main building techniques (walls, doors, arches and pilasters), which will be part of a broader Chrono-typological Atlas of the Hawrān region. With these new data, we have further reflected on the building typologies of the tower and the church, so trying to contribute to the current debate.
Andrea Arrighetti, Piero Gilento In S. GIANOLIO (ed.), Archeologia Virtuale. La metodologia prima del software, pp. 49-67, Rome, Espera, 2012
La “descrizione” della struttura materiale richiede un alto grado di oggettività in funzione degl... more La “descrizione” della struttura materiale richiede un alto grado di oggettività in funzione degli interessi scientifici di alcune discipline (documentazione archeologica, conservazione e restauro, tutela dei Beni Culturali). Il dato geometrico e la documentazione fotografica delle superfici risultano gli strumenti migliori per una registrazione efficace, chiara ed oggettiva di un manufatto architettonico e di altre manifestazioni antropiche. In particolare la completezza e la diacronia della documentazione fotografica si è sempre dimostrata essenziale nella registrazione della struttura materiale di edifici storici. L’avanzamento tecnologico ha messo inoltre a disposizione della comunità scientifica dei prodotti da cui si ottengono modelli che, non solo hanno la grande proprietà di rappresentare fotograficamente, con una definizione elevata, le superfici, ma sono anche corretti geometricamente nelle tre dimensioni. In questo modo la documentazione della struttura materiale risulta molto più completa e risponde alle esigenze di una documentazione rapida, ma al contempo ricca di tutte le informazioni necessarie per un’analisi approfondita dell’oggetto.
Archeologia e Calcolatori XXIII, 2012, 2012
The aim of this paper is to present the experience of a photogrammetric survey started in May 20... more The aim of this paper is to present the experience of a photogrammetric survey started
in May 2009 to record the current state of some religious buildings involved in the earthquake
of April 6th which affected L’Aquila and its municipalities. This experience gave us the opportunity
to evaluate and verify a solution for a metric survey of buildings, which is based on
photography applied in a post-earthquake scenario. An archaeological recording can become
part of a wider process of knowledge and reconstruction, in which there is interaction between
several agents (engineers, architects, archaeologists, etc.); in this way the approach to the survey
problems was discussed taking into account specific needs. The paper illustrates the process
of analysis and synthesis that led to the representation of architectural and archaeological
data, and especially attempts to define, through specific case studies, the targeted use of the
photogrammetric solution.
Limina / Limites, Archeologie, storie, isole e frontiere nel Mediterraneo (365-1556). La Transgiordania nei secoli XII-XIII e le ‘frontiere’ del Mediterraneo medievale, pp. 111-124, Oxford, 2012. BAR S2386, , 2012
Traianus annexed the Nabataen Kingdom to the Roman Empire in 106 AD. This territory became part o... more Traianus annexed the Nabataen Kingdom to the Roman Empire in 106 AD. This territory became part of the new Provincia Arabia. The construction of the via nova traiana by Claudius Severus, between AD 111 and AD 114, sealed the conquest of the territory, traditionally held to have fallen along with together with the fortalices, lookout towers and quadriburgia. The road and these structures represented the so-called limes arabicus.
It is well known, that Romans reused pre-existing structures both from the Iron Age and the Nabataen Age.
The network of sites remained in use after the fall of the Roman Empire. There is evidence of frequentation of the quadriburgia during the Byzantine period, with alternating periods of abandonment and new construction during the successive three centuries. The situation on the limes changed again after AD 750, when the Abbasides came to power and moved the capital from Damascus to Baghdad. The complex of buildings of the limes arabicus, in what is now Jordan, is a unique site where different building techniques developed over a relatively short time span and are still well-preserved: ideal conditions for testing out methods of Building Archaeology. New classification and registration technologies, fast and available on-line thanks to an advanced technology database, allow us to process a considerable amount of data (stratigraphical readings on ortophotoplan and 3D models with photographic renderings of surfaces, characterization of building techniques, chronotypology) and to georeference the site through GoogleMaps and Google Earth.
Archeologia dell'Architettura, XV 2010, 2011
Archeologia dell’ Architettura, XIII 2008, 2010
La pubblicazione delle Linee Guida per la valutazione del rischio sismico del patrimonio cultural... more La pubblicazione delle Linee Guida per la valutazione del rischio sismico del patrimonio culturale da parte del MiBAC, e gli eventi sismici nell’ aquilano dell’aprile del 2009, sono state le due occasioni per una profonda e sostanziale riflessione sugli scopi e gli strumenti dell’Archeologia dell’Architettura e sul protocollo operativo di registrazione della struttura materiale. Le Linee Guida, per la prima volta in modo generalizzato, prevedono un’anamnesi di ogni edificio storico che debba essere migliorato nella sua vulnerabilità. L’individuazione dei Corpi di Fabbrica, la suddivisione in Fasi Costruttive, il riconoscimento dei principali interventi ci ricostruzione e, dall’ altro lato, una attenzione anche quantitativa alle caratteristiche delle Tecniche Costruttive (intese come l’insieme delle parti strutturali che costituiscono l’edificio: elementi portanti verti≤ali, orizzontamenti, collegamenti verticali, elementi portanti orizzontali), sono perfettamente compatibili con gli strumenti di analisi propri dell’Archeologia dell’Architettura. Non a caso nelle Linee Guida si fa espresso riferimento ai criteri di rilievo propri dell’analisi stratigrafica e si richiede l’Analisi storica degli eventi e degli interventi subiti, cioè uno dei due risultati minimi di qualunque progetto conoscitivo effettuato con gli strumenti (analisi stratigrafica, cronotipologie, etc.) propri dell’Archeologia dell’Architettura.
Mappa Data Book 1, 2015
The paper illustrates the methodology adopted, the working phases and the first results of the ar... more The paper illustrates the methodology adopted, the working phases and the first results of the archaeological excavation carried out in the area of porta Barete in L'Aquila, during the reconstruction activities of the city, struck by the earthquake of 2009. The interested area, located in the north-western zone of the city, has always played a prominent urban role as one of the main and monumental access to the city, how it is showed in the historical maps and in the structures still partially preserved.
in Proceedings of First Conference of the Construction History Society, Queen's College Cambridge, pp. 157-167, Exeter, 2014., 2014
"Traditional interpretation of architectural complexes in Jordan in general, and particularly of ... more "Traditional interpretation of architectural complexes in Jordan in general, and particularly of buildings from the crucial period of transition from the Roman-Byzantine world to the proto-Islamic period, still lacks information and data that could provide clarification with regard to the spheres of construction, settlement and art. Historical and socio-political events in the region have left us with an architectural, historical-artistic and archaeological heritage that still remains to be properly deciphered. The application of Building Archaeology methodology, i.e. stratigraphic readings of standing structures accompanied by a
comprehensive effort to create chrono-typologies (laboratory analyses of mortars and plasters, brick measure-chronology, other archaeometric research), could, in the specific case of Jordan, provide important results regarding structures that are clearly unique in terms of their stratigraphic complexity, state of conservation and degree of interpretability. The aim of this contribution is to show the results of the first building surveys in the Umm as-Surab village (Mafraq Governorate-Northern Jordan) with the creation of a chrono-typology of building techniques (walls, apertures, roofing systems and construction materials).
Characterizing a wall structure and defining different building techniques in order to determine the construction history of buildings means overturning the accepted methodological approach to understanding architecture. The project’s originality lies in its consideration of the material structure, i.e. the current state of a building, as the main source from which to draw the information required to understand it. Through an archaeological reading of the material structure, the building is “stratigraphically” taken apart, and the various parts assume specific positions within a relative chronological ambit."
I sistemi di rilevazione dei volumi e delle superfici architettoniche hanno conosciuto un rapidis... more I sistemi di rilevazione dei volumi e delle superfici architettoniche hanno conosciuto un rapidissimo sviluppo con l'applicazione delle tecnologie laser scanner, basate sulla posizione tridimensionale delle nuvole di punti acquisite in diversi modi, ma sempre automaticamente ed in maniera estremamente veloce.
Proceedings of 3DARCH-2011. International Archives of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences. Vol. 38-5/W16, ISSN Number 1682-1777, 2011, 2011
The "description" of a material structure requires a high degree of objectivity to serve the scie... more The "description" of a material structure requires a high degree of objectivity to serve the scientific interests of certain disciplines (archeological documentation, conservation and restoration, safeguarding of cultural assets and heritage). Geometric data and photographic documentation of surfaces are thus the best instruments for efficacious, clear and objective recording of architectural objects and other anthropic manifestations. In particular, the completeness and diachrony of photographic documentation has always proven essential in recording the material structure of historical buildings. The aim of our contribution is to show the results of several projects carried out with the aid of survey methodologies that utilize digital photographic images to generate RGB (ZScan) point clouds of architectural monuments (urban standing buildings, monuments in archaeological areas, etc.) and art objects. These technologies allow us to capture data using digital photogrammetric techniques; although not based on laser scanners, they can nonetheless create dense 3D point clouds, simply by using images that have been obtained via digital camera. The results are comparable to those achieved with laser scanner technology, although the procedures are simpler, faster and cheaper. We intend to try to adapt these technologies to the requirements and needs of scientific research and the conservation of cultural heritage. Furthermore, we will present protocols and procedures for data recording, processing and transfer in the cultural heritage field, especially with regard to historical buildings. Cooperation among experts from different disciplines (archaeology, engineering and photogrammetry) will allow us to develop technologies and proposals for a widely adoptable workflow in the application of such technologies, in order to build an integrated system that can be used throughout the scientific community. Toward this end, open formats and integration will be taken into account as far as data processing and transfer are concerned.
Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference on Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, CAA2010 (eds. F. Contreras, M. Farjas and F.J. Melero), BAR International Series 2494, 2013, pp. 23-29, 2013
Procedures for recording the material structure of historical buildings has evolved rapidly in re... more Procedures for recording the material structure of historical buildings has evolved rapidly in recent years, according to the exponential increase in the power of computer and digital technologies. In particular, current technologies for digital photography allow capturing highly detailed information, so that a large part of the work that previously had to be carried out on the field, can be now managed in the laboratory. Several skills are required for recording features of buildings, concerning archaeology, engineering, conservation and restoration. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a consistent “Integrated System” that allows scholars and users to deal with all the different building features. In this contribution, an integrated system is proposed for cataloguing and managing historical buildings, in line with the Italian rules in force about seismic risk.
With the ongoing reconstruction of the historical center of L 'Aquila and its territory after the... more With the ongoing reconstruction of the historical center of L 'Aquila and its territory after the 2009 earthquake, the need for a more direct and open comparison has emerged among disciplines like urban planning, architectural conservation, and archaeology. If, on one hand, archaeology must recognize, evaluate, and preserve the so-called archivi del sottosuolo (underground archives) and in doing so reduce the risk of their destruction, it is then on the other hand essential, to deal with the community’s need to regain in suitable time the places where its members lived and socialized. Taking into account the experience of the urban archaeological projects recently carried out in L’Aquila, this study explores how, in this delicate process of material and social reconstruction, archaeology can concretely insert itself into a context of territorial planning and operational choices through the proposal of a carta del potenziale archeologico, which could also provide an opportunity for the direct involvement and participation of the local community.
![Research paper thumbnail of [co-authored with Piero Gilento and Roberto Parenti] "Ancient Buildings and Masonry Techniques in the Southern Hauran, Jordan", in Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies 4/4, 2016, pp. 299-320.](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/64329280/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Umm al-Surab, located near modern-day Mafraq in northern Jordan, was the focus of a building arch... more Umm al-Surab, located near modern-day Mafraq in northern Jordan, was the focus of a building archaeology project carried out by the University of Siena, Italy, between 2009 and 2012. This article discusses the primary results obtained from that project—in particular, the research on the church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus and another complex in the southeastern corner of the archaeological area. The methodologies adopted are explored, as well as the results anticipated from the development of this type of research: the creation of an atlas of construction techniques for the southern Hauran and the development of a nondestructive, and therefore “sustainable,” investigation methodology.