Analisi a raggi X, fotogrammetria e realtà virtuale per lo studio e la valorizzazione di contesti archeologici: un caso di studio dalla necropoli di Crustumerium.

In this paper we present the application of established methodologies to innovatively study a soil block from the necropolis of Crustumerium, north-east of Rome. The find contains human remains and metal artefacts and it is dated to the VII century BC. X-ray analysis and digital acquisition were conducted for the study of the sample to better understand the composition. During the archaeological excavation, if well preserved, artefacts are directly recovered. While if they are fragile and of difficult identification, it is preferred creating a soil block to recover artefacts later by micro-excavation in a controlled environment and after appropriate analysis. This helps to preserve most of the information still present and the best way to acquire this data is through X-ray analysis, in a completely non-invasive technique. Using X-ray imaging (radiography and computed tomography) it is possible to obtain information about distribution, shape, dimensions and state of preservation of the artefacts while also allowing the study of the inner part, invisible to macroscopic analysis. XRF and XRPD give us elemental and molecular information on constituent materials (i.e. alloy, corrosion products, etc.). In this sense, photogrammetry also becomes a useful tool for acquiring data, particularly those of the surface. The study, digitization, manipulation and restoration of human remains in a virtual environment is called Virtual Anthropology (VA). This case study aims to show how the combination of both virtual anthropology and X-ray techniques can be useful tools to study and preserve the remains, especially when it is not possible to move and handle a fragile specimen. From the digital acquisition of archaeological contexts, through the integration with photogrammetry and laser scanning methodologies, it was possible to proceed with the construction of digital environments in virtual reality (VR): within these the digital finds can be freely manipulated, allowing the implementation of innovative museum contents in 3D and different formats (audio, video, VR, AR). It is thus possible to involve and educate the public through storytelling, enriching the museum experience, and also providing support for the accessibility of different types of public, including those with disabilities.