The Project

The aim of this Paper is the combined use of literary sources, archaeological reports, architectural drawings and sections, results of geophysical surveys, photogrammetric representations and aerial photographs for the best and most accurate virtual representation of archaeological sites and monuments in 3-dimensional (3D) format. and promotion of cultural heritage. To create the virtual representations, the two-dimensional (2-D) sections, drawings, facades and floor plans of the monuments will be constructed first. Photorealistic imaging techniques will also be used to more accurately represent the colors and textures of the building materials. Visual panorama analyzes (via GIS and / or Space Syntax analysis) and acoustic transmission will be used as an adjunct to clarify ambiguities in pursuit of the most reliable reconstruction of monuments and sites. The resulting 3D models will be used to create interactive virtual tour applications in order to better assimilate historical information by the general public. The interactive applications will be available through an online platform that will be created specifically for the dissemination of the results that will emerge. Thus, every remote user will be able to virtually experience the experience of visiting and touring the specific archaeological site or monument that he visits virtually. Users will be able to navigate the virtual space of their choice and be informed about the monuments through text information, photos and audio and video files which will be activated depending on the user's access point to the relevant historical monument of interest.

The Lab

LABORATORY OF GEOPHYSICAL
SATELLITE REMOTE SENSING AND ARCHAEO-ENVIRONMENT

Since 1996, the Laboratory of Geophysical - Satellite Remote Sensing & Archaeo-environment of the Institute for Mediterranean Studies (I.M.S.) / Foundation of Research & Technology (F.O.R.T.H.) has been active in the areas of Geophysical Prospection, Satellite Remote Sensing, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), 3D Reconstructions & VR and Archaeo-environment and has been widely recognized due to the quality of the services provided, the results of the research projects carried out and the training of students and professional archaeologists both in Greece and abroad.

The Laboratory employs the most modern techniques for accurate field measurements and has a technical support (hardware and software) that meets the needs of processing, analyzing and mapping geophysical and satellite data. It has more than 30 collaborations with universities and research institutes from Greece and abroad (Australia, Belgium, France, Italy, U.S.A., China, Cyprus, Sweden, Island, Lithuania, Hungary, Bulgaria, a.o). Its long term collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and other cultural and educational foundations has created a bridge of communication and trust. Its long term collaboration with the different sections of the Ministry of Culture and other cultural organizations has created a channel of reciprocal communication and trust. The continuing activities of the Lab led to the publication of Archaeo-Telepiskopika Nea in order to enhance communication with the scientific community and help the dissemination of the results of our research projects.

Since 1996, the Lab has completed more than 100 research projects. Services and collaborations of the Lab have been expanded to cover a large number of Greek and foreign institutes and other public and private organizations including the Technical University of Crete, the University of Crete, the University of Athens, the University of Ioannina, the University of Cyprus, the Hellenic Ministry of Culture (Divisions of Volos, Cyclades, Dodekanesse, Kavala, Komotini, Chania, Lasithi, Thebes, Lamia, Kerkyra, Ioannina, a.o.), ITSAK, Foundation of Hellenic World, Foundation for the Study of Alexander's Civilization, Natural History Museum - University of Crete, Municipality of Rethymno, Ecole Francaise D'Athenes, Swedish Archaeological School of Athens, K.I. Sarantopoulos Ltd - METON Ltd (Athens - Salonika highway), Instituto Per Gli Studi Micenei De Egeo-Anatolici, Groningen Inst. of Archaeology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Οhio State University, Univ. of Chicago, Univ. of Cornell, Univ. of Washington, Univ. of Nebraska - Lincoln, Univ. of Melbourne and Univ. of Monash, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a.o. The Lab is also connected to development and public agencies for carrying out large scale development and construction works (e.g. construction of national road Athens-Thessaloniki, Attika highway, ERGOSE A.E. railways, AGET-HERAKLES, K.I. Sarantopoulos Ltd - ΜΕΤOΝ Ltd, ΤΕΑΒ Α.Ε., Doxiadis Associates/ABP PLUS International S.A., Prefecture of Rethymno, Municipality of Rethymno, a.o.).

Our Publications

V. Sevetlidis , C. Manzetti , G. Cantoro , I. Fiotakis , N. S. Papadopoulos , G. Pavlidis and A. Sarris, "Politia: a Virtual Tour Management System", 4th Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA-GR) Conference, pending review.

Aknowledgement

This work was supported by the project ‘‘POLITEIA II” (Politismos-Technologia, New Technologies in the Research, Study, Documentation and Access to the Information for Cultural Heritage Objects and Monuments II) (MIS 5002478) (implemented under the ‘‘Action for the Strategic Development on the Research and Technological Sector”) funded by the Operational Programme ‘‘Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation” (NSRF 2014- 2020) and co-financed by Greece and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund).