Papers by Cristiano Alfonso
The coastal landscape of Southern Apulia from Monopoli to Taranto is characterised by gently slop... more The coastal landscape of Southern Apulia from Monopoli to Taranto is characterised by gently slopingrocky coasts marked by deep rias and bays alternate with low cliffs. In these sheltered areas, due to thepresence of fresh water springs, human settlements have been almost continuous since the Bronze agewith a sea level lower than present. The presence of past small villages, landing places, structuredharbours or cities are today represented along the coastline by extensive outcropping of archaeologicalsites both submerged or emerged; these are exposed to wave washing and generally buried by Holoceneaeolian or colluvial sediments, or by soil. The position of quarries, hut bases, tombs, sewer channels,cisterns, piers, fish tanks and shipwrecks of Bronze, Classical and Middle age have been surveyed throughtopographic measurements to evaluate their precise elevations respect present mean sea level andcorrected for the tidal range. The study of the archaeological sites of Torre San Vito (Ba), Egnatia (Br),Torre Guaceto (Br), San Cataldo (Le), Otranto (Le), Porto Cesareo (Le), Torre Ovo (Ta) and Torre Saturo(Ta) allowed us to obtain a new dataset useful to compare our data and the predicted relative sea-levelcurve for the last 5ka for this region
ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2015
The fragility of organic artefacts in presence of water and their volumetric variation caused by ... more The fragility of organic artefacts in presence of water and their volumetric variation caused by the marine life on or surrounding them dictate that their physical dimensions be measured soon after their extraction from the seabed. In an ideal context, it would be appropriate to preserve and restore all the archaeological elements, rapidly and with the latest methods. Unfortunately however, the large number of artefacts makes the cost of such an operation prohibitive for a public institution. For this reason, digital technologies for documentation, restoration, display and conservation are being considered by many institutions working with limited budgets. In this paper, we illustrate the experience of the University of Salento in 3D imaging technology for waterlogged wooden artefacts from shipwrecks. The interest originates from the need to develop a protocol for documentation and digital restoration of archaeological finds discovered along the coast of Torre S. Sabina (BR) Italy. ...
Quaternary International, 2017
We investigated archaeological sites located along the coasts of central Apulia (Italy) to estima... more We investigated archaeological sites located along the coasts of central Apulia (Italy) to estimate therelative sea level changes which have occurred in this region since the Bronze Age, and test the mostrecent model of predicted sea level for this region. Surveys focused on six sites located on both theAdriatic and Ionian coasts of Apulia at the feet of the carbonatic Murge plateau, a tectonically stable zoneas of the last 125 ka. The sites present the remains of ancient settlements, ranging from the Bronze Age(circa II millennium BC), to the Messapian and Magna Grecia Age (c. 2.5 ka BP), the Roman (c. 2 ka BP)and Middle Ages (c. 1 ka BP). The archaeological sea level markers investigated in these sites providednew insight into the history of the relative sea level changes which have occurred in this region duringthe last c. 3.3 ka BP. Data from 17 archaeological settlements from the above-mentioned sites, placedabove or below the present sea level, were analyzed. The intervening relative sea level changes suc-cessive to their construction were estimated via the submergence of the functional elevations of signicant architectural features related to the mean sea level at the time during which the settlementswere functioning. The r.s.l. changes were estimated using detailed topographic surveys, tide analysesand/or hydrodynamic equations. Although not all archaeological markers allowed univocal in-terpretations, r.s.l. rise at about 2.25 ± 0.20 m as of the Bronze Age, and at least 0.90 ± 0.20 m in the last2.0/1.5 ka was estimated. A comparison between the elevation of the marker and two different predictedsea level models seems to confirm a tectonic stability of the investigated region in the last c. 3.3 ka BP.
Histria Antiqua, Aug 1, 2012
The fragility of organic artifacts in presence of water and their volumetric variation caused by ... more The fragility of organic artifacts in presence of water and their volumetric variation caused by the marine life on or surrounding them lead to the need to measure their physical dimensions right after their extraction from the seabed. In an ideal context, it would be appropriate to preserve and restore all the archaeological elements rapidly and with the latest methods. Unfortunately the large number of artifacts makes the cost of the operation prohibitive for a public institution. For this reason, many public laboratories are resorting to digital technologies for documentation, restoration, display and conservation. In this poster, we illustrate the experience of the University of Salento in this area of archaeology using 3D imaging technology. The interest originates from the need to develop a protocol for documentation and digital restoration of archaeological finds discovered along the coast of Torre S. Sabina (BR) Italy. Digital modelling using 3D imaging technology (e.g. 3D l...
3: Improving the quality of life, protection of the environment and enhancement of social and cul... more 3: Improving the quality of life, protection of the environment and enhancement of social and cultural cohesion, Obiettivo Specifico 3.1.: Promotion of cultural and natural heritage.
The interdisciplinary ‘Aquaria for the Promotion of Environment and History’ (A.Pr.E.H.) is an in... more The interdisciplinary ‘Aquaria for the Promotion of Environment and History’ (A.Pr.E.H.) is an in progress project financed within the framework of the European Territorial Cooperation Programme (E.T.C.P.) “Greece-Italy” 2007-2013. The project - whose Italian partners are the University of Salento (Leader partner), the Province of Lecce, the Municipality of Nardò, while the Greek partners are the University of Patras and the Municipality of Kefalonia – will be concluded within February 2014 and aims to study and to promote the historical and natural submarine heritages which characterize two Ionian areas of the Mediterranean: Salento peninsula (SE-Italy) and Kefalonia Island (W-Greece). To accomplish the project, two small public Aquaria have been designed, respectively at the localities of Santa Maria al Bagno (Nardò) and Argostoli (Kefalonia). The mission of both Aquaria will be the promotion, education, and information point not only for the knowledge of the local marine fauna an...
2013 Digital Heritage International Congress (DigitalHeritage), 2013
In marine archaeology, many artifacts made of metallic or organic material are found in different... more In marine archaeology, many artifacts made of metallic or organic material are found in different state ofconservation depending of the environment in which they arediscovered. Once brought to the surface for study or displaypurposes, the artifacts need to be treated properly otherwise theydeteriorate in a short lapse of time. The fragility of organicartifacts and the volumetric variation caused by the marine lifeon or surrounding them and water lead to the need formeasuring the physical dimensions soon after an artifact isextracted from the sea. In an ideal context, it would beappropriate to preserve and restore the archaeological elementsrapidly and with the latest methods but due to the large numberof artifacts, the cost of complete restoration activities becomesprohibitive for the funding available in public institutions. Forthis reason, many public laboratories are resorting to digitaltechnologies for documentation, restoration, display andconservation. In this paper, we illustrate the experience of theUniversity of Salento in this area of archaeology using 3Dimaging technology. The interest sprang from the need to developa protocol for documentation and digital restoration ofarchaeological finds discovered along the coast of Torre S. Sabina(BR) Italy
Underwater Technology, 2012
In the Porto Cesareo (Lecce, Italy) coastal area, submergedand semi-submerged archaeological evid... more In the Porto Cesareo (Lecce, Italy) coastal area, submergedand semi-submerged archaeological evidence has beenuncovered by recent preliminary surveys carried out inclose collaboration with the local marine protected area(MPA):
(a ) a navis lapidaria wreck of the Roman imperialage; (b ) various scattered and decontextualised finds; (c ) abeached wreck, probably medieval; (d ) some submergedbuilt-structures that are part of the Bronze Age Scalo di Furno settlement; and
(e) remains of structures (walls, build-ings, burial areas). The last three pieces of evidence allowfor the hypothesis of a significantly different ancient coastallandscape than that of the present and a ‘dynamic’ scenarioover the centuries.
Savudrija)"00/02" Prethodno priopćenje Primljeno: 15.07.2012. Odobreno: 23.08.2012. U uvali Savud... more Savudrija)"00/02" Prethodno priopćenje Primljeno: 15.07.2012. Odobreno: 23.08.2012. U uvali Savudrija, u svibnju 2011. g., započela su istraživanja antičke lučke arhitekture čiji je cilj rekonstrukcija antičkog krajolika i pokušaj evaluacije obalne linije u rimsko vrijeme na području Savudrije. Istraživanja su pokrenuta u sklopu istraživačkog projekta Storie del mare, u suradnji triju supotpisnika -nositelja projekta
During the 2010 Italian-Croatian campaign, along the coasts of the island of Mljet, a portion of ... more During the 2010 Italian-Croatian campaign, along the coasts of the island of Mljet, a portion of the hull of a 16th cent. AD wreck, already identified in 2009, was revealed on the seabed at a depth ranging from 38 to 41 m.
The environment of Mljet wreck required the search for a quick and easy method to capture dimensional data. This method was digital photogrammetry, using an underwater camera and PhotoModeler as rendering software. Such a system, already used on land and shallow underwater sites, has been adopted for the first time in deep waters and operated dirtectly by a diver operator. The method was less time-consuming than traditional photogrammetry resulting in substantial savings of immersion time and to a better accuracy than other methodologies (maximum error was of 12 millimetres). However, some difficulties, mostly due to the working depth and to some instrumental errors, have also emerged and I have discussed them.
Uploads
Papers by Cristiano Alfonso
(a ) a navis lapidaria wreck of the Roman imperialage; (b ) various scattered and decontextualised finds; (c ) abeached wreck, probably medieval; (d ) some submergedbuilt-structures that are part of the Bronze Age Scalo di Furno settlement; and
(e) remains of structures (walls, build-ings, burial areas). The last three pieces of evidence allowfor the hypothesis of a significantly different ancient coastallandscape than that of the present and a ‘dynamic’ scenarioover the centuries.
The environment of Mljet wreck required the search for a quick and easy method to capture dimensional data. This method was digital photogrammetry, using an underwater camera and PhotoModeler as rendering software. Such a system, already used on land and shallow underwater sites, has been adopted for the first time in deep waters and operated dirtectly by a diver operator. The method was less time-consuming than traditional photogrammetry resulting in substantial savings of immersion time and to a better accuracy than other methodologies (maximum error was of 12 millimetres). However, some difficulties, mostly due to the working depth and to some instrumental errors, have also emerged and I have discussed them.
(a ) a navis lapidaria wreck of the Roman imperialage; (b ) various scattered and decontextualised finds; (c ) abeached wreck, probably medieval; (d ) some submergedbuilt-structures that are part of the Bronze Age Scalo di Furno settlement; and
(e) remains of structures (walls, build-ings, burial areas). The last three pieces of evidence allowfor the hypothesis of a significantly different ancient coastallandscape than that of the present and a ‘dynamic’ scenarioover the centuries.
The environment of Mljet wreck required the search for a quick and easy method to capture dimensional data. This method was digital photogrammetry, using an underwater camera and PhotoModeler as rendering software. Such a system, already used on land and shallow underwater sites, has been adopted for the first time in deep waters and operated dirtectly by a diver operator. The method was less time-consuming than traditional photogrammetry resulting in substantial savings of immersion time and to a better accuracy than other methodologies (maximum error was of 12 millimetres). However, some difficulties, mostly due to the working depth and to some instrumental errors, have also emerged and I have discussed them.
This changes have their effects on the entire coastal landscape and, over time, they have left its mark on the territory, allowing sometimes, with the help also of archaeological analysis, to hypothesize the scenario of the previous landscapes. In this work, we tested a multidisciplinary study of these phenomena, through an innovative system for the interpretation of the modern landscape, based on the diachronic reading of the previous landscapes. Such a level of knowledge implies the integrated management of a large amount of heterogeneous data, which have been acquired through different types of investigation, often in very different geographical scales and with different levels of precision. Datasets available for this project includes information acquired through the use of instruments to scan the seabed as well as data from aerial and satellite platforms both historical and recent, and finally data lidar . Quantum GIS has proved the most effective tool to manage all the data through their indexing. Geographical data has been stored in a geospatial database based on PostgreSQL with PostGIS extension, this database has been set up to ensure consistent and secure data archiving. All acquired data have been managed through Quantum GIS with also the acquisition of new information. When framework of knowledge will be completed, it will be possible to the evolutionary dynamics that led to the current situation and it will be possible to predict, with relative accuracy, the future scenarios too. We present the preliminary results of this study, focusing the methodologies used and the obtained results.