Search Results (74)

This work explores the application of robotic systems in archaeology, highlighting their transformative role in excavation, documentation, and the preservation of cultural heritage. By combining technologies such as LiDAR, GIS, 3D modeling, sonar, and other sensors with autonomous and semi-autonomous platforms, archaeologists can now reach inaccessible sites, automate artifact analysis, and reconstruct fragmented remains with greater precision. The study provides a systematic overview of underwater, aerial, terrestrial, and other robotic systems, drawing on scientific literature that showcases their innovative use in both fieldwork and museum settings. Selected examples illustrate how robotics is being applied to solve key archaeological challenges in new and effective ways. While the paper emphasizes the potential of these technologies, it also addresses their technical, economic, and ethical limitations, concluding that successful adoption depends on interdisciplinary collaboration, careful implementation, and a balanced respect for cultural integrity. Full article

The article examines possible amendments to the Australian legislative regime regulating and protecting Indigenous cultural heritage in an offshore, including underwater, context. It suggests that there are significant reforms that are needed to bring the existing domestic legislative regime into conformity with the expectations of contemporary international law, particularly as manifested in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). In reaching this conclusion, the article proceeds by examining recent Australian jurisprudence and archaeological studies, considering offshore Indigenous cultural heritage as well as the current Australian domestic legislative framework. It then proceeds to examine the relevant provisions of both UNDRIP and the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH Convention). The article identifies that the UCH Convention operates to ignore any legitimate role for Indigenous peoples and does not provide an appropriate foundation for legislative reform. The article concludes by suggesting the content of appropriate legislative reforms that accord with the expectations in UNDRIP. Full article

The North American Great Lakes offer a dynamic case study of inundated cultural landscapes. These bodies of water and the life around them have never been static. While submerged lands offer avenues for archaeological research, it is essential to first understand that these cultural landscapes have also been flooded with invasive power dynamics through settler colonialism. For example, the land and water systems in Anishinaabe Akiing (the northern Great Lakes) have fundamentally shifted from flourishing life systems to poisoned areas and now struggle to deal with invasive species. When seeking to learn from or otherwise engage Indigenous knowledge, it is essential to work from a perspective that takes all these changes into consideration. There are Indigenous communities who are interested in these inundated landscapes, and in this research, but a pause, naandamo, is needed to ethically consider the ongoing process of settler colonialism and Indigenous perspectives. Here we address ethical considerations for researchers participating in, or interested in participating in, submerged site research. By incorporating settler colonialism as a methodology of understanding, we will provide an ethical starting place for working with Indigenous communities and inundated landscapes. Full article

Internationally, there is a modern understanding of cultural heritage, including maritime/underwater cultural heritage (MUCH)—not merely as a passive relic of the past, but as a transformative driver for sustainable growth and innovation. The paper discusses the position of maritime cultural heritage (MUCH) in relation to the smart specialization strategies (S3) and its evolving role as a driver of sustainable growth, particularly within the context of the blue economy and smart specialization strategies (S3, S4) in Europe. It then focuses on the Greek context, where UCH-driven activities, particularly soft multi-use (MU) activities that combine UCH, diving tourism, and nature conservation, are gaining momentum, especially within marine protected areas (MPAs). Despite the growing interest, there is a lack of data, regulations, and a clear strategy for such activities, although the “National (Hellenic) Spatial Strategy for the Marine Space” (issued in 2025) suggests promoting low-impact diving tourism incorporating UCH. The research paper examines the benefits and barriers to implementing UCH-driven MUs, recommending the use of maritime spatial planning (MSP) to address relevant challenges. It suggests that integrating UCH with nature conservation and diving tourism in soft MUs could support a sustainable blue economy, through balancing cultural, ecological, social, and economic goals and fostering innovation through S3/S4 on a regional level. Full article

For two centuries, metallic shipwrecks have been relics of the history of navigation, trade, and wars. They are also hotspots of marine biodiversity. The degradation of these shipwrecks not only threatens their environment through the release of polluting compounds, but also the reef ecosystems that have developed. Microorganisms are at the root of both degradation and reef-building, and their roles are still more hypothetical than validated. The aim of this review is to focus on the known or suggested relationships between bacteria and metallic shipwrecks and to identify issues that highlight the need for multidisciplinary studies to better understand the mechanisms at play in these ecosystems with the aim of protecting both the environment and these sites of underwater cultural and natural heritage. Full article

Since 2011, five of Austria’s 29 known prehistoric pile dwellings have been part of the transnational UNESCO World Heritage Site “Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps”. These remarkable archaeological sites have been preserved for over 7000 years in lakes and moors. Due to their hidden location underwater or in the soil of bogs, the sites are inaccessible to the public, making it difficult to convey the full scope of this heritage. To address this, the national project “Surfaced—the digital pile dwellings” was launched, aiming to create a virtual bridge connecting the sites, collections, and exhibitions across Austria. It involved digitizing 500 objects, scanned in high resolution, and presenting them as 3D models in an open-access web application. The web application PfahlbauKompass allows users to explore these 3D models, view information about the artefacts and the sites, and create digital collections. It provides access to finds from national museums, regional heritage houses, and private collections. The project offers scientific potential as well as opportunities for virtual exhibitions and educational initiatives. It aims to preserve and visualize an essential part of Austria’s cultural heritage and was designed not only to archive finds but also to raise awareness of the hidden sites among the public. Full article

Photogrammetry is the process of creating three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions from two-dimensional images. In this paper, a novel method is introduced that significantly enhances 3D reconstruction by improving image quality through a combination of RGB stretching, Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE), and colormaps. This approach effectively increases the number of keypoints and matches between images, resulting in more accurate and detailed 3D reconstructions. Additionally, a heuristic methodology is proposed to identify the optimal colormaps for each dataset based on keypoint matches between image pairs. This approach saves valuable time by recommending the most effective colormaps, eliminating the need to test each individually. A new dataset comprising two real-world image collections from underwater cultural heritage sites is presented to validate the algorithm, characterized by challenging environments such as low visibility and varying lighting conditions. The limitations of existing techniques are addressed by this method, providing a robust solution for enhancing image quality in demanding underwater scenarios. Experimental results show that image enhancement can lead to a 7.91% and 11.4% improvement, and the enhancement fusion with colormaps improves reconstruction accuracy by 10.82% and 64.11%. These findings render the proposed methodology a promising tool for 3D reconstruction in challenging environments, like underwater. Full article

The combination of future changes in sea levels and wave climate in coastal areas represents one of the greatest threats to the preservation of underwater cultural heritage (UCH). This study presents a new methodology to assess climate change’s impacts on UCH preservation in shallow waters, focusing on wave-induced hazards like decontextualization, scouring, and wear erosion. The approach uses hybrid downscaling of bias-corrected wave fields from the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 CMIP5 scenarios. The methodology was applied in the Bay of Cadiz, where an overall reduction in wave energy flux was observed. However, local increases were detected in rocky outcrops and coastal areas with high UCH density. As a result, the shallow zones exhibited significant changes in decontextualization and scouring hazards. However, the most relevant risk changes were linked to wear erosion, particularly at sites on rocky outcrops near Cadiz. The methodology proposed in this study is essential for identifying areas with higher risk and for evaluating UCH preservation under future climate conditions. It offers an effective tool for discriminating sites at risk and for conducting a long-term assessment of these risks in coastal environments affected by climate change. Full article

Bengala, a steamer that sank in 1889 near Capo Rizzuto, Italy, was a relatively new vessel for its time, with an unusually short 18-year service life, given that steamers of the period typically operated for 30 to 40 years. Despite its brief history, SS Bengala played a significant role in the development of Italy’s young merchant navy, undergoing multiple ownership changes and serving various Italian shipping companies. Employed mainly along the route to Southeast Asia, it transported Italian migrants overseas and also participated in troop raids during the Italian military expedition to Eritrea in 1887. Despite its historical significance, no iconographic material has yet been found to depict SS Bengala, and archival research conducted in Italy and England has not uncovered any naval plans, photographs, or drawings of the ship. To overcome this gap, the authors employed new technologies and historical information to create a virtual reconstruction. This research combined archival sources with underwater surveys, including a detailed 3D survey by divers and archaeologists. Archival research, including consultation of official documents, provided critical information on the ship’s dimensions, superstructure, rigging, materials, and construction methods. The 3D modelling of the ship’s external hull, based on precise geometric data from the wreck site, offers a first step towards virtual reconstruction. The modelling is grounded in photogrammetric surveying techniques, ensuring high accuracy in the reconstruction process. The model can be used in augmented reality (AR) applications to enhance underwater exploration, allowing divers to visualise the reconstructed ship in its original environment. Additionally, it supports museum exhibits, interactive visualisations, and educational games, making it a valuable resource for engaging the public with maritime history and archaeology. Full article

Ponte de Vilanova, a masonry bridge, was built in Allariz, Galicia in the 13th–14th centuries. It is still standing. The structure, generally well preserved, shows minor deformations and wear signs caused by environmental factors. To conduct a comprehensive assessment without impacting the bridge’s integrity, drones equipped with thermal and underwater imaging technology were employed. Aerial inspections revealed vegetation growth and minor efflorescence (salt deposits) in some areas, while aerial thermography detected temperature variations along the stone joints, indicating the presence of moisture. The granite blocks comprising the bridge showed consistent quality and preservation. The underwater inspection confirmed that the bridge’s piers are well set on the riverbed, with no major damage observed, ruling out the immediate need for repair. This approach allowed a thorough evaluation of submerged parts without requiring divers, enhancing safety and reducing costs. Full article

Underwater cultural heritage (UCH) is a valuable resource that preserves humanity’s historical legacy, offering insights into traditions and civilisations. Despite its significance, UCH faces threats from inadequate regulatory frameworks, insufficient conservation technologies, and climate-induced environmental changes. This paper proposes an innovative platform combining the internet of underwater things and edge computing technologies to enhance UCH’s real-time monitoring, localisation, and management. The platform processes data through a central unit installed on a buoy near heritage sites, enabling efficient data analysis and decision making without relying on cloud connectivity. Integrating acoustic communication systems, LoRa technology, and nonterrestrial networks supports a robust multilayered communication infrastructure for continuous operation, even in remote maritime areas. The platform’s edge node deploys artificial intelligence models for real-time risk assessment, focusing on key environmental parameters to predict and mitigate corrosion rates and climate-related threats. A case study illustrates the system’s capabilities in underwater localisation, demonstrating how edge computing and acoustic triangulation techniques enable precise tracking. Full article

Cultural assets are all movable and immovable assets that have been the subject of social life in historical periods, have unique scientific and cultural value, and are located above ground, underground or underwater. Today, the fact that most of the analyses conducted to understand the technologies of these assets require sampling and that non-destructive methods that allow analysis without taking samples are costly is a problem for cultural heritage workers. In this study, which was prepared to find solutions to national and international problems, it is aimed to develop a non-destructive, cost-minimizing and easy-to-use analysis method. Since this article aimed to develop methodology, the materials were prepared for preliminary research purposes. Therefore, it was limited to four primary colors. These four primary colors were red and yellow ochre, green earth, Egyptian blue and ultramarine blue. These pigments were used with different binders. The produced paints were photographed in natural and artificial light at different light intensities and brought to a 256 × 256 pixel size, and then trained on support vector machine, convolutional neural network, densely connected convolutional network, residual network 50 and visual geometry group 19 models. It was asked whether the trained VGG19 model could classify the paints used in archaeological and artistic works analyzed with instrumental methods in the literature with their real identities. As a result of the test, the model was able to classify paints in artworks from photographs non-destructively with a 99% success rate, similar to the result of the McNemar test. Full article

In previous studies, drones have been used to carry out visual inspections of heritage elements. To complement the information obtained with common drones, a new underwater drone model is proposed for the specific case of old bridges. The aim is to verify the applicability of underwater drones for inspecting submerged elements of old heritage bridges, given the large number of bridge disasters and collapses linked to failures in their foundations. To this end, we carried out an underwater inspection of the visible submerged elements (submerged but not buried) of three old bridges crossing different rivers. The different locations and characteristics of these bridges allow us to draw some initial conclusions. The results of the operations carried out show that underwater drones are not only useful for this type of inspection, but also the work is much safer than with the means currently used (underwater divers). In addition, the use of drones makes it possible to study certain parameters that can anticipate subsequent foundation problems affecting the entire bridge, such as the settlement or rotation of piers or abutments. This is the main innovation and contribution of this research: the possibility of inspecting submerged elements of masonry constructions using unmanned vessels. Full article

The abandonment of inhabited places is a phenomenon widespread on a global scale that has spanned centuries. It has led to the birth of the so-called ‘ghost towns’. These lifeless sites dot the internal Mediterranean and European areas, testifying to the changeability of the human settlements. Through a vision that reverses the paradigm that epitomises the ‘ghost towns’, these places can be transformed from a problem into an opportunity for the development of the territories that host them. The main topic of this article is to present and update investigations performed on three abandoned settlements sited in Portugal, Italy, and Albania in view of their tourist exploitation, considering three different tailored strategies: underwater tourism, dark tourism, and heritage tourism. For each site, we analysed the site history, the abandonment causes, and the territorial-geological features, thus arguing for the possible valorisation and enjoyment approaches with special attention to digital technologies, which are highly underexploited in the sector. This study, which is part of an international research landscape still in the initial stages, falls within the BEGIN project (aBandonment vErsus reGeneratIoN), which aims to develop a multilevel methodological–operational protocol useful in regional, national, EU, and non-EU contexts for the dissemination of knowledge, conservation, regeneration, valorisation, management, and fruition of areas classified as a ‘ghost town’. The research findings can be useful for scholars, practitioners, and local entities entrusted to manage the abandoned towns. Furthermore, the methodological approach followed in this research can supply useful insights into aims to valorise and enjoy worldwide ‘ghost towns’. Full article

The rich and valuable underwater cultural heritage present in the Mediterranean is often overlooked, if not completely unknown, due to the inherent difficulties in using physical approaches. The iblueCulture project was created to bridge that gap by introducing a real-time texturing and streaming system. The system captures video streams from eight underwater cameras and manipulates it to texture and colorize the underwater cultural heritage site and its immediate surroundings in a virtual reality environment. The system can analyze incoming data and, by detecting newly introduced objects in sight, use them to enhance the user experience (such as displaying a school of fish as they pass by) or for site security. This system has been installed in some modern and ancient shipwrecks in Greece and was used for in situ viewing. It can also be modified to work remotely, for example, in museums or educational institutions, to make the sites more accessible and raise public awareness. It can potentially be used in any underwater site, both for presentation and education, as well as for monitoring and security purposes. Full article