Associate professor at University of Sassari. Ph.D. in Prehistoric archaeology (“La Sapienza” University of Rome). Specialization degree in Prehistoric archaeology (“La Sapienza” University of Rome).
The shrine at Monte d’Accoddi constitutes an architectural unicum in the context of the Mediterra... more The shrine at Monte d’Accoddi constitutes an architectural unicum in the context of the Mediterranean of the 4th millennium cal. BC. The building comprised of a terrace with an access ramp, a form that has led to an ongoing debate as to the possible origins of this architectural model. In its earliest phase, attributable to the first half of the 4th millennium cal. BC, the edifice consisted of a truncated pyramidal core. During the second half of the same millennium this was englobed by a second building, similar to the first in general shape, but much larger and with a central, possibly stepped, core. The site was occupied during the 3rd millennium cal. BC and occasionally so during the following proto-historic and subsequent phases of history. This paper will present new radiocarbon dates that will help to define the construction and occupation phases of the monument as well as the settlement that grew around it.
The exceptional find of the tooth of a sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) at Monte d’Accoddi ad... more The exceptional find of the tooth of a sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) at Monte d’Accoddi adds to the documentation on the possible presence, and exploitation by humans, of cetaceans in the prehistoric Mediterranean. The dating (3638–3378 BC) appears to make it the oldest cetacean find in Sardinia.
The female world in neolithic art in Sardinia, in F. Martini, L. Sarti, P. Visentini (eds), The n... more The female world in neolithic art in Sardinia, in F. Martini, L. Sarti, P. Visentini (eds), The neolithic female representations in Italy: iconography, iconology, contexts
Revue Française de Photogrammétrie et de Télédétection (RFPT n°216)
The application of modern re... more Revue Française de Photogrammétrie et de Télédétection (RFPT n°216)
The application of modern remote sensing technologies in archaeology is not yet widespread in all procedures. Current trends show that such technologies are still at the experimental stage and mixed solutions between classical and modern procedures are applied. The “reluctance” to move to a full implementation of these technologies demonstrates that today a step back is necessary in order to get a broader overview. In addition to these modern technologies, new technical means are being tested, such as the increasing use of drones. This article aims firstly at presenting the state of the art of such new technologies in archaeology and secondly at evaluating technical and methodological protocols through the research project “METAdAtA” and its preliminary results.
This paper addresses the archaeometric analysis of several wall coatings applied to diverse archi... more This paper addresses the archaeometric analysis of several wall coatings applied to diverse architectural structures (wells, silos and domestic spaces) from the Chalcolithic site of Su Coddu/Canelles (Sardinia, Italy; c. 3400-2850 BC). The study of the samples was carried out by means of optical microscopy by thin-section analysis, micro X-Ray Diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy combined with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy. The study showed the application of successive layers of different thickness and granu-lometry to isolate the architectural structures. On the one hand, up to two layers made with a Tertiary fossil-iferous marly clay as plaster are documented. On the other hand, the application of a very thin final layer very rich in calcite is observed in the majority of the samples studied. The analyses conducted evidence certain variability in the technological choices made by the craftpeople. However, it is also observed a clear adaptation of the properties of the studied materials to the insulating and waterproofing function that they played in such architectural structures.
SUMMARY – An international and interdisciplinary research into the territory of Usini (Sassari): ... more SUMMARY – An international and interdisciplinary research into the territory of Usini (Sassari): the hypogean necropolis of S’Elighe Entosu - The project was carried out between 2006 and 2009 as part of a collaboration between the University of Sassari and the town Council of Usini, aiming to promote and enhance the cultural heritage of its territory, backed by a multi-year research fund and coordinated by Maria Grazia Melis. An interdisciplinary team was assembled, with the collaboration of specialists from the UMR 6636, Lampea Laboratory of Aix-en-Provence, lead by André D’Anna. the research aimed to reconstruct the environmental and socio-economic framework of human inhabitants, of the prehistoric phases, encompassing the territory that gravitates around the hypogean necropolis of S’Elighe Entosu. the knowledge of the area, in fact, is due to a clever politic development. The interests of involved researchers then extended to the entire territory and accommodated to a larger land mass, which exceeds the municipal boundaries. the main instruments used in the survey are the archaeological excavation of a necropolis and prospecting of the area. the first one, still unfinished, allowed for a partial reconstruction of the sequence of human settlements and the use of this prehistoric necropolis. it also exposed the existence of a Roman necropolis. The study of the monuments in their territory, incorporates multidisciplinary research, directed by André D’Anna, and integrates different coordinated surveys, the characterization of natural resources (flint outcrops, geological formations, sedimentary dynamics and natural environment) associated to the improvement of the archaeological map, from archaeological surveys of large surfaces, and the technological study of stone artifacts and their material origins. these activities help to improve understanding of settlements’ characteristics in a territory according to the guidelines from the methods of regional archaeology and human geography. the archaeological sites census was inserted in 2010 for the purposes of the City Urban Planning at the Regional Landscape Plan. An analysis of craft production, carried out with a morphological and technological approach, has helped to better define the chrono-cultural sequence of the necropolis’ use, frequented during the ozieri, Sub-ozieri, Bell Beaker, Middle Bronze Age 1 and 2, Late and final Bronze Age, iron Age, Punic and Roman phases. As for the technological characteristics of the pottery, a first analysis has been made on macroscopic examination of the diagnostic materials from various cultural phases that have allowed the identification of a variety of techniques, processes and tools used in the stages of shaping, finishing and decorating. the study of the flint industry, although only partial, showed patterns of supply and management of resources, either by raw materials choice or by the finds typology. those last ones’ presence refers to issues related to the meaning of their presence in burial contexts, either from a symbolic standpoint or in terms of technology. the analysis of the hard animal material artifacts was carried out on some ornamental shell dating back to Bell Beaker period. In addition to brief remarks on the usage marks, have been rebuilt the operative sequences of simply bored pendants, pearls and shell. With the help of geographical, architectural data and those from chemical, physical, archaeobotanic, archaeozoologic, paleoanthropological analyses, and also from experimental archaeology, the research constitutes in itself an innovative methodological proposal for Sardinia.
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are extensively used in diverse fields, wherever inexpensive and ea... more Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are extensively used in diverse fields, wherever inexpensive and easy-to-deploy platforms are required for close-range remote sensing. Applications proposed in archaeology to date include ortho-photography and 3-D modeling. On the other hand, use of image processing and feature detection methods, well developed in other fields is hardly used. After reviewing technologies and methods for UAS-based surveying and surface modeling, we propose feature detection methods (e.g. line detection, texture segmentation) dedicated to extraction of structures in the images that are significant for archaeological survey, planning, and documentation and show results on selected case studies. Keywords: Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), ortho-photography, 3-D modeling, multi-rotors, K-means, directional filtering.
The shrine at Monte d’Accoddi constitutes an architectural unicum in the context of the Mediterra... more The shrine at Monte d’Accoddi constitutes an architectural unicum in the context of the Mediterranean of the 4th millennium cal. BC. The building comprised of a terrace with an access ramp, a form that has led to an ongoing debate as to the possible origins of this architectural model. In its earliest phase, attributable to the first half of the 4th millennium cal. BC, the edifice consisted of a truncated pyramidal core. During the second half of the same millennium this was englobed by a second building, similar to the first in general shape, but much larger and with a central, possibly stepped, core. The site was occupied during the 3rd millennium cal. BC and occasionally so during the following proto-historic and subsequent phases of history. This paper will present new radiocarbon dates that will help to define the construction and occupation phases of the monument as well as the settlement that grew around it.
The exceptional find of the tooth of a sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) at Monte d’Accoddi ad... more The exceptional find of the tooth of a sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) at Monte d’Accoddi adds to the documentation on the possible presence, and exploitation by humans, of cetaceans in the prehistoric Mediterranean. The dating (3638–3378 BC) appears to make it the oldest cetacean find in Sardinia.
The female world in neolithic art in Sardinia, in F. Martini, L. Sarti, P. Visentini (eds), The n... more The female world in neolithic art in Sardinia, in F. Martini, L. Sarti, P. Visentini (eds), The neolithic female representations in Italy: iconography, iconology, contexts
Revue Française de Photogrammétrie et de Télédétection (RFPT n°216)
The application of modern re... more Revue Française de Photogrammétrie et de Télédétection (RFPT n°216)
The application of modern remote sensing technologies in archaeology is not yet widespread in all procedures. Current trends show that such technologies are still at the experimental stage and mixed solutions between classical and modern procedures are applied. The “reluctance” to move to a full implementation of these technologies demonstrates that today a step back is necessary in order to get a broader overview. In addition to these modern technologies, new technical means are being tested, such as the increasing use of drones. This article aims firstly at presenting the state of the art of such new technologies in archaeology and secondly at evaluating technical and methodological protocols through the research project “METAdAtA” and its preliminary results.
This paper addresses the archaeometric analysis of several wall coatings applied to diverse archi... more This paper addresses the archaeometric analysis of several wall coatings applied to diverse architectural structures (wells, silos and domestic spaces) from the Chalcolithic site of Su Coddu/Canelles (Sardinia, Italy; c. 3400-2850 BC). The study of the samples was carried out by means of optical microscopy by thin-section analysis, micro X-Ray Diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy combined with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy. The study showed the application of successive layers of different thickness and granu-lometry to isolate the architectural structures. On the one hand, up to two layers made with a Tertiary fossil-iferous marly clay as plaster are documented. On the other hand, the application of a very thin final layer very rich in calcite is observed in the majority of the samples studied. The analyses conducted evidence certain variability in the technological choices made by the craftpeople. However, it is also observed a clear adaptation of the properties of the studied materials to the insulating and waterproofing function that they played in such architectural structures.
SUMMARY – An international and interdisciplinary research into the territory of Usini (Sassari): ... more SUMMARY – An international and interdisciplinary research into the territory of Usini (Sassari): the hypogean necropolis of S’Elighe Entosu - The project was carried out between 2006 and 2009 as part of a collaboration between the University of Sassari and the town Council of Usini, aiming to promote and enhance the cultural heritage of its territory, backed by a multi-year research fund and coordinated by Maria Grazia Melis. An interdisciplinary team was assembled, with the collaboration of specialists from the UMR 6636, Lampea Laboratory of Aix-en-Provence, lead by André D’Anna. the research aimed to reconstruct the environmental and socio-economic framework of human inhabitants, of the prehistoric phases, encompassing the territory that gravitates around the hypogean necropolis of S’Elighe Entosu. the knowledge of the area, in fact, is due to a clever politic development. The interests of involved researchers then extended to the entire territory and accommodated to a larger land mass, which exceeds the municipal boundaries. the main instruments used in the survey are the archaeological excavation of a necropolis and prospecting of the area. the first one, still unfinished, allowed for a partial reconstruction of the sequence of human settlements and the use of this prehistoric necropolis. it also exposed the existence of a Roman necropolis. The study of the monuments in their territory, incorporates multidisciplinary research, directed by André D’Anna, and integrates different coordinated surveys, the characterization of natural resources (flint outcrops, geological formations, sedimentary dynamics and natural environment) associated to the improvement of the archaeological map, from archaeological surveys of large surfaces, and the technological study of stone artifacts and their material origins. these activities help to improve understanding of settlements’ characteristics in a territory according to the guidelines from the methods of regional archaeology and human geography. the archaeological sites census was inserted in 2010 for the purposes of the City Urban Planning at the Regional Landscape Plan. An analysis of craft production, carried out with a morphological and technological approach, has helped to better define the chrono-cultural sequence of the necropolis’ use, frequented during the ozieri, Sub-ozieri, Bell Beaker, Middle Bronze Age 1 and 2, Late and final Bronze Age, iron Age, Punic and Roman phases. As for the technological characteristics of the pottery, a first analysis has been made on macroscopic examination of the diagnostic materials from various cultural phases that have allowed the identification of a variety of techniques, processes and tools used in the stages of shaping, finishing and decorating. the study of the flint industry, although only partial, showed patterns of supply and management of resources, either by raw materials choice or by the finds typology. those last ones’ presence refers to issues related to the meaning of their presence in burial contexts, either from a symbolic standpoint or in terms of technology. the analysis of the hard animal material artifacts was carried out on some ornamental shell dating back to Bell Beaker period. In addition to brief remarks on the usage marks, have been rebuilt the operative sequences of simply bored pendants, pearls and shell. With the help of geographical, architectural data and those from chemical, physical, archaeobotanic, archaeozoologic, paleoanthropological analyses, and also from experimental archaeology, the research constitutes in itself an innovative methodological proposal for Sardinia.
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are extensively used in diverse fields, wherever inexpensive and ea... more Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are extensively used in diverse fields, wherever inexpensive and easy-to-deploy platforms are required for close-range remote sensing. Applications proposed in archaeology to date include ortho-photography and 3-D modeling. On the other hand, use of image processing and feature detection methods, well developed in other fields is hardly used. After reviewing technologies and methods for UAS-based surveying and surface modeling, we propose feature detection methods (e.g. line detection, texture segmentation) dedicated to extraction of structures in the images that are significant for archaeological survey, planning, and documentation and show results on selected case studies. Keywords: Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), ortho-photography, 3-D modeling, multi-rotors, K-means, directional filtering.
Il quinto numero della Collana ospita i risultati delle più recenti indagini effettuate dall’équi... more Il quinto numero della Collana ospita i risultati delle più recenti indagini effettuate dall’équipe del LaPArS nel territorio di Usini. Dopo oltre un ventennio di ricerche archeologiche pubblichiamo la terza monografia, preceduta dai volumi del 2010 e del 2016. La prima parte è dedicata allo studio interdisciplinare connesso alle indagini stratigrafiche nella necropoli di S’Elighe Entosu; nella seconda l'area di interesse della ricerca è estesa a tutto il territorio comunale, con particolare attenzione alle indagini effettuate negli anni 2019-2022 nel settore nord-occidentale.
The project was carried out between 2006 and 2009 as part of a collaboration between the Universi... more The project was carried out between 2006 and 2009 as part of a collaboration between the University of Sassari and the Town Council of Usini, aiming to promote and enhance the cultural heritage of its territory, backed by a multi-year research fund and coordinated by Maria Grazia Melis. An interdisciplinary team was assembled, with the collaboration of specialists from the UMR 6636, Lampea Laboratory of Aix-en-Provence, lead by André D'Anna. The research aimed to reconstruct the environmental and socio-economic framework of human inhabitants, of the prehistoric phases, encompassing the territory that gravitates around the hypogean necropolis of S'Elighe Entosu. The knowledge of the area, in fact, is due to a clever politic development. The interests of involved researchers then extended to the entire territory and accommodated to a larger land mass, which exceeds the municipal boundaries.
The main instruments used in the survey are the archaeological excavation of a necropolis and prospecting of the area. The first one, still unfinished, allowed for a partial reconstruction of the sequence of human settlements and the use of this prehistoric necropolis. It also exposed the existence of a Roman necropolis. The study of the monuments in their territory, incorporates multidisciplinary research, directed by André D’Anna, and integrates different coordinated surveys, the characterization of natural resources (flint outcrops, geological formations, sedimentary dynamics and natural environment) associated to the improvement of the archaeological map, from archaeological surveys of large surfaces, and the technological study of stone artifacts and their material origins. These activities help to improve understanding of settlements’ characteristics in a territory according to the guidelines from the methods of regional archaeology and human geography. The archaeological sites census was inserted in 2010 for the purposes of the City Urban Planning at the Regional Landscape Plan. An analysis of artisanal production, carried out in a morphological and technological approach, has helped to better define the chrono-cultural sequence of the functioning of the necropolis, frequented during the Ozieri, Sub-Ozieri, Bell Beaker, Middle Bronze Age 1 and 2, Late and final Bronze Age , Iron Age, Punic and Roman phases. As for the technological characteristics of the pottery, a first analysis has been made on macroscopic examination of the diagnostic materials from various cultural phases that have allowed the identification of a variety of techniques, processes and tools used in the stages of shaping, finishing and decorating. The study of the flint industry, although only partial, showed patterns of supply and management of resources, either by the choice of raw materials, or either by the type of excavated products. Those last ones’ presence refers to issues related to the meaning of their presence in burial contexts, either from the symbolic point of view, or either in terms of technology. The analysis of the hard animal materials artifacts was carried out on some ornamental shell dating back to Bell Beaker period. In addition to brief remarks on the usage marks, have been rebuilt the operative sequences of simply bored pendants, pearls and shell. With the help of geographical, architectural data and those from chemical, physical, archaeobotanic, archaeozoologic, paleoanthropologist analysis, and also from experimental archaeology, the research constitute in itself an innovative methodological proposal for Sardinia.
The petrological analysis of ceramics from the Early Chalcolithic site of Su Coddu/Canelles (Sard... more The petrological analysis of ceramics from the Early Chalcolithic site of Su Coddu/Canelles (Sardinia) was conducted with the aim of identifying the raw materials used in the pottery production and assessing their origin. The petrological analysis confirms the existence of vessels related to a wide diversity of sources at the site. On the one hand, there are a number of fabrics associated with the use of marly clays that well resemble the clay deposits found in the area surrounding the site. On the other hand, there are some fabrics that must be associated with clays or vessels with a regional or even a supra-regional origin. The existence of several fabrics with diverse origins indicates that Early Copper Age communities of southern Sardinia exhibited a wide mobility in the territory, both at the local and regional level. This broad mobility is indicative of interactions and bonds between the inhabitants of diverse communities in the region. Thus, this research sheds light on the way Chalcolithic communities inhabiting one of the biggest islands of the Mediterranean developed a significant mobility pattern and carried out the exploitation of a wide range of local clayey raw materials.
Landscape is constructed through the diverse activities of individuals in the environment that su... more Landscape is constructed through the diverse activities of individuals in the environment that surrounds them. In this article, we address the role that coastal and lagoonal areas played in the way in which the human communities that inhabited southern Sardinia during the Final Neolithic/Early Copper Age constructed their landscape. To this end, we approach how individuals managed the mineral raw materials available in these locations and constructed taskspaces embedded in the landscape. We studied the provenance of the clays used to make diverse types of artifacts (i.e., pottery, coatings on architectural structures and loom weights) using optical microscopy based on thin-section analysis. In addition, microfossils present in the samples have been identified. The link of these archaeological materials with certain sedimentary deposits from the surrounding area enables us to suggest a close interrelationship and knowledge exchange between different technologies with respect to the possibilities of the diverse resources available in the environment and the elements that formed the landscape of these communities. Thus, the preference to exploit raw materials from lagoonal and coastal areas demonstrates that these environments became a reference point in the construction of landscape and identity in these communities.
Le creusement des hypogées funéraires connaît en Sardaigne un important développement au IV e mil... more Le creusement des hypogées funéraires connaît en Sardaigne un important développement au IV e millénaire BC, notamment dans la partie nord-ouest de l'île. La nécropole de S'Elighe Entosu est un site présentant huit hypogées allant du Néolithique final à l'âge du bronze. Elle est le cadre de recherches menées par Maria Grazia Melis et son équipe. Ces recherches ont vu le développement de plusieurs problématiques liées à l'insertion de cette nécropole dans le paysage, l'architecture des tombes et les multiples phases de fréquentation de ce site. Dernièrement les données concernant l'architecture ont connu un développement nouveau par le biais de l'étude des techniques de creusement des monuments. Ces informations sont fondamentales pour comprendre l'articulation du site et l'histoire des différents remaniements des hypogées. L'étude du creusement se base sur l'analyse des traces présentes sur les parois des monuments et sur le macro outillage découvert dans la tombe IV. Une place importante est donnée à l'expérimentation. Ces recherches ont mené à la création d'une base de données sur les traces, l'étude des pics de creusement et la réalisation expérimentale de ce type d'outil. Abstract In Sardinia, hypogea were dug with increasing frequency in the 4th millennium BC, especially in the northwestern part of the island. The S'Elighe Entosu necropolis is composed of eight hypogea dug between the Final Neolithic and the Bronze Age. Maria Grazia Melis and her team are currently studying this site. Their research addresses various topics, including the positioning of the necropolis on the landscape, the architecture of the tombs and the diverse phases of related human activity. The architectural data was recently updated through a study of the excavation techniques employed to create the monuments. This new information has been fundamental to understanding the articulation of human presence at the site and the history of the various modifications made to the hypogea. The study of the excavation is based on analysis of the tool marks on the monument walls and of the tools found in Tomb IV. Experimentation has played an important role in this work. This research has led to the creation of a database of tool-marks, the study of picks and the experimental reproduction of this type of tool.
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Papers by Maria Grazia Melis
of the 4th millennium cal. BC. The building comprised of a terrace with an access ramp, a form that
has led to an ongoing debate as to the possible origins of this architectural model. In its earliest phase,
attributable to the first half of the 4th millennium cal. BC, the edifice consisted of a truncated pyramidal
core. During the second half of the same millennium this was englobed by a second building, similar
to the first in general shape, but much larger and with a central, possibly stepped, core. The site was
occupied during the 3rd millennium cal. BC and occasionally so during the following proto-historic and
subsequent phases of history. This paper will present new radiocarbon dates that will help to define
the construction and occupation phases of the monument as well as the settlement that grew around it.
documentation on the possible presence, and exploitation by humans, of cetaceans in the prehistoric
Mediterranean. The dating (3638–3378 BC) appears to make it the oldest cetacean find in Sardinia.
The application of modern remote sensing technologies in archaeology is not yet widespread in all procedures. Current trends show that such technologies are still at the experimental stage and mixed solutions between classical and modern procedures are applied. The “reluctance” to move to a full implementation of these technologies demonstrates that today a step back is necessary in order to get a broader overview. In addition to these modern technologies, new technical means are being tested, such as the increasing use of drones. This article aims firstly at presenting the state of the art of such new technologies in archaeology and secondly at evaluating technical and methodological protocols through the research project “METAdAtA” and its preliminary results.
An analysis of craft production, carried out with a morphological and technological approach, has helped to better define the chrono-cultural sequence of the necropolis’ use, frequented during the ozieri, Sub-ozieri,
Bell Beaker, Middle Bronze Age 1 and 2, Late and final Bronze Age, iron Age, Punic and Roman phases. As for the technological characteristics of the pottery, a first analysis has been made on macroscopic examination of the diagnostic materials from various cultural phases that have allowed the identification of a variety of techniques, processes and tools used in the stages of shaping, finishing and decorating. the study of the flint industry, although only partial, showed patterns of supply and management of resources, either by raw materials choice or by the finds typology. those last ones’ presence refers to issues related to the meaning of their presence in burial contexts, either from a symbolic standpoint or in terms of technology. the analysis of the hard animal material artifacts was carried out on some ornamental shell dating back to Bell Beaker period. In addition to brief remarks on the usage marks, have been rebuilt the operative sequences of simply bored pendants, pearls and shell. With the help of geographical, architectural data and those from chemical, physical, archaeobotanic, archaeozoologic, paleoanthropological analyses, and also from experimental archaeology, the research constitutes in itself an innovative methodological proposal for Sardinia.
platforms are required for close-range remote sensing.
Applications proposed in archaeology to date include ortho-photography and 3-D modeling. On the other hand, use of
image processing and feature detection methods, well developed in other fields is hardly used.
After reviewing technologies and methods for UAS-based surveying and surface modeling, we propose feature detection
methods (e.g. line detection, texture segmentation) dedicated to extraction of structures in the images that are significant
for archaeological survey, planning, and documentation and show results on selected case studies.
Keywords: Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), ortho-photography, 3-D modeling,
multi-rotors, K-means, directional filtering.
of the 4th millennium cal. BC. The building comprised of a terrace with an access ramp, a form that
has led to an ongoing debate as to the possible origins of this architectural model. In its earliest phase,
attributable to the first half of the 4th millennium cal. BC, the edifice consisted of a truncated pyramidal
core. During the second half of the same millennium this was englobed by a second building, similar
to the first in general shape, but much larger and with a central, possibly stepped, core. The site was
occupied during the 3rd millennium cal. BC and occasionally so during the following proto-historic and
subsequent phases of history. This paper will present new radiocarbon dates that will help to define
the construction and occupation phases of the monument as well as the settlement that grew around it.
documentation on the possible presence, and exploitation by humans, of cetaceans in the prehistoric
Mediterranean. The dating (3638–3378 BC) appears to make it the oldest cetacean find in Sardinia.
The application of modern remote sensing technologies in archaeology is not yet widespread in all procedures. Current trends show that such technologies are still at the experimental stage and mixed solutions between classical and modern procedures are applied. The “reluctance” to move to a full implementation of these technologies demonstrates that today a step back is necessary in order to get a broader overview. In addition to these modern technologies, new technical means are being tested, such as the increasing use of drones. This article aims firstly at presenting the state of the art of such new technologies in archaeology and secondly at evaluating technical and methodological protocols through the research project “METAdAtA” and its preliminary results.
An analysis of craft production, carried out with a morphological and technological approach, has helped to better define the chrono-cultural sequence of the necropolis’ use, frequented during the ozieri, Sub-ozieri,
Bell Beaker, Middle Bronze Age 1 and 2, Late and final Bronze Age, iron Age, Punic and Roman phases. As for the technological characteristics of the pottery, a first analysis has been made on macroscopic examination of the diagnostic materials from various cultural phases that have allowed the identification of a variety of techniques, processes and tools used in the stages of shaping, finishing and decorating. the study of the flint industry, although only partial, showed patterns of supply and management of resources, either by raw materials choice or by the finds typology. those last ones’ presence refers to issues related to the meaning of their presence in burial contexts, either from a symbolic standpoint or in terms of technology. the analysis of the hard animal material artifacts was carried out on some ornamental shell dating back to Bell Beaker period. In addition to brief remarks on the usage marks, have been rebuilt the operative sequences of simply bored pendants, pearls and shell. With the help of geographical, architectural data and those from chemical, physical, archaeobotanic, archaeozoologic, paleoanthropological analyses, and also from experimental archaeology, the research constitutes in itself an innovative methodological proposal for Sardinia.
platforms are required for close-range remote sensing.
Applications proposed in archaeology to date include ortho-photography and 3-D modeling. On the other hand, use of
image processing and feature detection methods, well developed in other fields is hardly used.
After reviewing technologies and methods for UAS-based surveying and surface modeling, we propose feature detection
methods (e.g. line detection, texture segmentation) dedicated to extraction of structures in the images that are significant
for archaeological survey, planning, and documentation and show results on selected case studies.
Keywords: Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), ortho-photography, 3-D modeling,
multi-rotors, K-means, directional filtering.
La prima parte è dedicata allo studio interdisciplinare connesso alle indagini stratigrafiche nella necropoli di S’Elighe Entosu; nella seconda l'area di interesse della ricerca è estesa a tutto il territorio comunale, con particolare attenzione alle indagini effettuate negli anni 2019-2022 nel settore nord-occidentale.
The main instruments used in the survey are the archaeological excavation of a necropolis and prospecting of the area. The first one, still unfinished, allowed for a partial reconstruction of the sequence of human settlements and the use of this prehistoric necropolis. It also exposed the existence of a Roman necropolis. The study of the monuments in their territory, incorporates multidisciplinary research, directed by André D’Anna, and integrates different coordinated surveys, the characterization of natural resources (flint outcrops, geological formations, sedimentary dynamics and natural environment) associated to the improvement of the archaeological map, from archaeological surveys of large surfaces, and the technological study of stone artifacts and their material origins. These activities help to improve understanding of settlements’ characteristics in a territory according to the guidelines from the methods of regional archaeology and human geography. The archaeological sites census was inserted in 2010 for the purposes of the City Urban Planning at the Regional Landscape Plan. An analysis of artisanal production, carried out in a morphological and technological approach, has helped to better define the chrono-cultural sequence of the functioning of the necropolis, frequented during the Ozieri, Sub-Ozieri, Bell Beaker, Middle Bronze Age 1 and 2, Late and final Bronze Age , Iron Age, Punic and Roman phases. As for the technological characteristics of the pottery, a first analysis has been made on macroscopic examination of the diagnostic materials from various cultural phases that have allowed the identification of a variety of techniques, processes and tools used in the stages of shaping, finishing and decorating. The study of the flint industry, although only partial, showed patterns of supply and management of resources, either by the choice of raw materials, or either by the type of excavated products. Those last ones’ presence refers to issues related to the meaning of their presence in burial contexts, either from the symbolic point of view, or either in terms of technology. The analysis of the hard animal materials artifacts was carried out on some ornamental shell dating back to Bell Beaker period. In addition to brief remarks on the usage marks, have been rebuilt the operative sequences of simply bored pendants, pearls and shell. With the help of geographical, architectural data and those from chemical, physical, archaeobotanic, archaeozoologic, paleoanthropologist analysis, and also from experimental archaeology, the research constitute in itself an innovative methodological proposal for Sardinia.