Preserve and Value. The Digital Platform for the archaeological sites of Ostia and Portus

The proposed memory describes a research conducted at the Department of Architecture of University “Roma Tre” based on an agreement with MiBAC –SSBAR (Italian Ministry of Culture), scientific committee Anna Maria Moretti for MiBAC and Antonio Pugliano for University Roma Tre. The agreement was focused, between 2010 and 2012, on a “Program of integrated actions of research and training for preservation and valuing of the archeological site of Ostia and Portus”. The result of research consisted in experimentation of a digital system able to manage data coming from bibliographic studies, from reading of cartographic maps and analysis in the field, inside a deputy folder in electronic format, that can be implemented as needed, well structured but also enough flexible to allow transferring of information in data shape to be managed by more diffused software, such as GIS or “open source”. This work program put attention in identification and characterization of analysis subject and in the definition of an appropriate digital language useful for their archiving. Vectorialization of information has been done to create a kind of language that could express both quantitative and qualitative data, thematic and cartographic. A reference glossary has been prepared to be useful for vectorial and standardized data-gathering . Vectorialization consists in data storing inside a spatial coordinates system that ensure quantification and localization. Data, organized in big groups and sub-cathegories, give information that can be distinguished and superimposed, referring to a cartographical base. The scenario of the considered themes rise from historical and cartographical analysis carried out on territorial, urban and building scale. The set of information, converted to graphical vectorial data, is complete of scientific synthesis and contains the ideal reconstruction of both whole town and single building across several historical phases. The vectorial data are associated to an archive of raster-format documents (historical, bibliographical and site survey documents ), and to a repository of digital material (laser scanner survey). Vectorial data refer to an open and compiling glossary that can be implemented as needed too, referring to: Antonio Pugliano, Elementi di un costituendo Thesaurus utile alla conoscenza, alla tutela, alla conservazione dell’architettura, Prospettive edizioni, 2009. This publication has been made thanks to an initiative of MiBAC, Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione (Central Institute for Catalogue and Documents) and University of Roma Tre, and concerned the production of a Thesaurus of traditional architecture. In that occasion the aim was to produce methods of development and standard instruments, useful for cataloguing of architectural assets. In particular elaboration of Thesaurs had the goal to gather words and idioms commonly used in architecture and town planning, so to obtain an efficient tool, both graphical and relevant to the language, that could be essential for knowledge and preservation of historical and urban architecture. The preparation of a system of conventional, shared and lexical elements is positive for culture and architectural design, especially for application finalized to the preservation of architectural asset, that can be exercised through digital system and procedures.