A theatrical double-faced mask preserved at the Museum of Lipari (Messina): study and 3D reconstruction through portable equipment

Abstract

<p class="VARKeywords">The new tools for 3D survey and modelling (as portable scanners and software packages), often in combination with diagnostics, are nowadays able to provide indispensable elements for the study of archaeological artefacts; their applications to museum’s heritage can be also useful to integrate the traditional graphic documentation and contribute to enhancement and dissemination. This paper shows the benefit of using the aforementioned tools to study the peculiar clay mask No. 11114-E, discovered in 1973 in the Greek necropolis of Lipára, inside tomb No. 1558. The specimen, now exhibited in the Classical Section of the Aeolian Museum, is considered unique both in the Aeolian Islands and in the ancient Greek world, as it is the only one merging two half faces attributable to different characters. This feature, unknown at the time of discovery, has been highlighted in 2018, thanks to a restoration intervention by which a hard concretion layer covering a large portion of the mask surface was removed, bringing to light a smiling young half-face next to an old one with Silenic features. In 2019, the mask was surveyed in situ through a portable and performing laser-scanner arm (the QuantumTM FaroArm by FARO) to produce a high-resolution 3D model useful to enhance the reading of the two halves (not evident enough, due to its state of preservation). The data processing was performed using the Geomagic Wrap software, able to align and merge multiple scans into a single model and to export results in multiple formats, easily shareable and viewable in free software or via the web. Finally, thanks to this method, the successful generation of a digital replica was performed; the resulting replica is useful for dissemination and as a support for the hypothetical reconstruction of the two prototypes taken as models by the craftsman who created the mask.</p><p><strong>Highlights:</strong></p><ul><li><p>A 'mobile laboratory’ consisting of portable equipment has been set up to perform 3D metric surveys on a selection of artefacts preserved at the Museum of Lipari.</p></li><li><p>By means of an ultra-precision laser-scanner arm, a 3D survey on a miniaturistic double-faced mask, belonging to the classical theatrical terracotta, has been performed.</p></li><li><p>A geometrically accurate and realistic 3D final model has been created. This helped the study and reconstruction of the two characters composing the mask.</p></li></ul>

La recuperación de los punzones de rúbrica de la terra sigillata hispánica del alfar romano de Isturgi (Los Villares de Andújar, Jaén) a partir de su digitalización, reconstrucción e impresión 3D

“…Gracias a este nuevo estímulo nos encontramos con un fuerte incremento en el número de posibilidades de análisis y de difusión que van más allá del simple modelo fotogramétrico. Consecuencia directa de esta nueva dinámica es la publicación en los últimos años Gracias al uso de estas técnicas en Arqueología, una pieza que a priori no se encuentra disponible en el contexto arqueológico, puede ser materializada a partir de una fracción infinitesimal de su propia realidad (Giuffrida, Nardoa, Adinolfi, Mastelloni & Ponterio, 2021). Este es el caso de los punzones y marcas de entalle que presentamos en este estudio cuya reconstrucción, y posterior rematerialización, se ha trazado a partir de la sutil incisión que este tipo de herramientas dejaban en el fondo de los recipientes de terra sigillata recuperados del yacimiento de Los Villares de Andújar.…”

Copyright Protection of 3D Digitized Artistic Sculptures by Adding Unique Local Inconspicuous Errors by Sculptors

“…In recent years, 3D scanning has become a widespread technique for collecting 3D images of cultural heritage artifacts, in the areas of small historic objects [40][41][42], sculptures [43][44][45][46], rooms [47,48], or large buildings and entire architectural sites [49][50][51][52]. Structured lighting technology is suitable for the digitization of cultural heritage objects because it is a contactless method for 3D digitization [53].…”

Di̇ji̇tal Arkeoloji̇ Uygulamalari: Sillyon Çalişmalari Örneği̇

“…Arkeolojik kazı ve eserlerde gerçekleştirilen müdahalelerin tekrarlanması mümkün olmadığından, alan ve laboratuvar çalışmalarında verilerin kaydedilmesi çalışma sürecinde ve sonucunda oldukça gerekli olup yapılan işin içerisinde bir bölümdür 1 . 2000'li yılların başından itibaren hızla gelişen dijital teknoloji ile arkeoloji alanında da çeşitli kayıt altına alma işlemleri kolaylaşmıştır 2 .…”