Exploring the Lombardo: Archaeological Research and 3D Underwater Mapping of the Paddle Steamer from Garibaldi’s Mille Expedition (Tremiti Islands, Italy)

Nicolè, Alberto; Medaglia, Salvatore; Bruno, Fabio; Lagudi, Antonio; Davidde Petriaggi, Barbara; Raguso, Angelo Michele

doi:10.3390/heritage9020072

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Lombardo: Archaeological Research and 3D Underwater Mapping of the Paddle Steamer from Garibaldi’s Mille Expedition (Tremiti Islands, Italy)

by

Alberto Nicolè

^1,*

,

Salvatore Medaglia

^2,*

,

Fabio Bruno

^1,*

,

Antonio Lagudi

¹,

Barbara Davidde Petriaggi

³

and

Angelo Michele Raguso

⁴

¹

Department of Mechanical, Energetics and Management Engineering, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci-Cubo 46C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy

²

Department of Cultures, Education and Society, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci-Cubo 18C, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy

³

Central Institute for Restoration (ICR), Ministry of Culture, Via di San Michele 25, 00153 Rome, Italy

⁴

National Superintendency for Underwater Cultural Heritage, Via Duomo 33, 74123 Taranto, Italy

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Heritage 2026, 9(2), 72; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9020072

Submission received: 9 December 2025 / Revised: 4 February 2026 / Accepted: 6 February 2026 / Published: 12 February 2026

(This article belongs to the Section Underwater Heritage)

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Abstract

This study investigates the archaeological significance and preservation state of the Lombardo, a XIX century paddle steamer closely associated with Garibaldi’s Mille Expedition and now resting off the Tremiti Islands. The research aims to contextualize the vessel’s historical role and to reconstruct its steam engine, paddle wheel and shipwreck dynamics, providing the first comprehensive three-dimensional documentation of the site. Underwater photogrammetry was carried out using high-resolution imaging, a dedicated geodetic network of coded markers, and Structure-from-Motion workflows to generate a scaled 3D model of the wreck. Historical and technical sources were also examined to identify the original configuration of the steam engine and paddle wheel. The results show a highly fragmented site distributed between 9 and 22 m depth, where the surviving remains corroborate historical accounts of post-wreck salvage operations and subsequent natural collapse processes. Analysis of the wreck reveals that the ship’s steam engine was a Maudslay Siamese double-cylinder type, driving radial paddle wheels. The distribution of the remains also suggests that the vessel originally settled on its port side, oriented along a north–south axis. The conclusions demonstrate how integrated archaeological, geomatic, and archival methods could clarify the technical characteristics of the Lombardo and improve understanding of its post-depositional transformation, providing a robust basis for future conservation and dissemination activities.

Keywords: maritime archaeology; shipwreck; marine steam engine; underwater heritage; underwater photogrammetry; Italian Risorgimento

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MDPI and ACS Style

Nicolè, A.; Medaglia, S.; Bruno, F.; Lagudi, A.; Davidde Petriaggi, B.; Raguso, A.M. Exploring the Lombardo: Archaeological Research and 3D Underwater Mapping of the Paddle Steamer from Garibaldi’s Mille Expedition (Tremiti Islands, Italy). Heritage 2026, 9, 72. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9020072

AMA Style

Nicolè A, Medaglia S, Bruno F, Lagudi A, Davidde Petriaggi B, Raguso AM. Exploring the Lombardo: Archaeological Research and 3D Underwater Mapping of the Paddle Steamer from Garibaldi’s Mille Expedition (Tremiti Islands, Italy). Heritage. 2026; 9(2):72. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9020072

Chicago/Turabian Style

Nicolè, Alberto, Salvatore Medaglia, Fabio Bruno, Antonio Lagudi, Barbara Davidde Petriaggi, and Angelo Michele Raguso. 2026. "Exploring the Lombardo: Archaeological Research and 3D Underwater Mapping of the Paddle Steamer from Garibaldi’s Mille Expedition (Tremiti Islands, Italy)" Heritage 9, no. 2: 72. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9020072

APA Style

Nicolè, A., Medaglia, S., Bruno, F., Lagudi, A., Davidde Petriaggi, B., & Raguso, A. M. (2026). Exploring the Lombardo: Archaeological Research and 3D Underwater Mapping of the Paddle Steamer from Garibaldi’s Mille Expedition (Tremiti Islands, Italy). Heritage, 9(2), 72. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9020072

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Exploring the Lombardo: Archaeological Research and 3D Underwater Mapping of the Paddle Steamer from Garibaldi’s Mille Expedition (Tremiti Islands, Italy)

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