A virtual logbook for the documentation of a continuously changing archaeological site: the San Clemente site in Albenga (Italy)

Abstract

<p>Cultural and built heritage is nowadays recognized as a value not only in the socio-cultural field but also as an important economic driver. However, this non-renewable resource is more and more threatened by both external and internal factors and only by raising awareness on the vulnerability of cultural heritage we can lead to a real involvement of citizen to heritage site protection. In this sense, Virtual Museums (VMs), and more in general virtual technologies, can have a primary role to attract tourists and citizens. Indeed, VMs by presenting cultural concepts by using amusing and engaging techniques may reach younger generations in an easier way. In this paper, the specific case of the San Clemente archaeological site (Albenga, Italy) is addressed. Being the site in the riverbed of the Centa, it undergoes frequent flooding events causing continuously new damages to the archaeological site. The development of a virtual logbook of the site is presented along with the pre-processing steps that are necessary for the preparation of the published material. The logbook is addressed on one side to professionals (i.e. archaeologists and practitioners in cultural heritage) with the main aim of providing a tool for quick damage assessment. On the other side, a mobile app is on development for tourists and citizens allowing virtual exportation of the site and providing informative contents about it.</p><p><strong>Highlights:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Virtual museums and virtual environments are fundamental tools to raise awareness about the vulnerability of archaeological sites.</p></li><li><p>This paper presents the development of a virtual logbook, that can be used by experts and tourists, for the archaeological site of San Clemente (Albenga).</p></li><li><p>Integration of data coming from different sources is rendered into a web environment that can be easily accessed from both desktop and mobile devices.</p></li></ul>

Quantitative Assessment of Riverbed Planform Adjustments, Channelization, and Associated Land Use/Land Cover Changes: The Ingauna Alluvial-Coastal Plain Case (Liguria, Italy)

“…A long history of channelization and riverbed anthropogenic variations characterizes the Centa River close to Albenga, as this area has been inhabited since the pre-Roman period [163][164][165]. For the period investigated, some structures are well recognizable on the 1930 map in reaches A3 (Figure 13a), N2 (Figure 13b), and C2.…”

Virtual sacristy: the interaction with the heritage

“…A work that highlights the importance of the website to share a virtual heritage is the article produced by Previtali (2019). The paper presents the development of a virtual logbook for the San Clemente archaeological site in Albenga, Italy.…”

Copernicus Sentinel imagery for more risk-resilient historic cities in coastal zones: contribution to the monitoring of Albenga archaeological site and delta of river Centa

“…In that occasion (2016), a significant part of the medieval San Clemente church remains has been compromised on stability and integrity. An extensive advanced geometric documentation of the site done before and after this particular event has enabled experts to document and monitor the losses of valuable material occurred using sophisticated material in user friendly applications (Previtali 2019). Moreover, UAV campaigns have been conducted in 2015 and 2018 by Politecnico di Milano, providing an orthophoto coverage of San Clemente remains.…”

“…Extreme flooding events exert significant pressure to the structures of the built remains and to the surrounding landscapes. Nevertheless, it seems that protection of the site would clash with that of public safety-on one side, the riverbed cannot be reduced as this would reduce its width in proximity of the river mouth; hence, the site cannot be potentially reburied for future conservation; on the other side, it seems also impossible to propose embankments as protection of vertical structures as it is necessary to guarantee the outflow of the water in case of a flooding event (Previtali 2019). In September 2019, local press referred to a project proposal for protection of the San Clement site that foresees a collection of upstream riverbed material and its relocation in the stretch in front of the archaeological area; a sort of fence should be created using micro-piles and thus reducing the erosive effect of the river current on the foundations of the ancient complex, without interfering with the regular water flow.…”