X-ray Analysis, Photogrammetry and Virtual Reality for the Study and Enhancement of Archaeological Contexts: A Case Study from the Necropolis of Crustumerium

In this paper, we present the application of established methodologies to innovatively investigate a soil block containing a human skeleton and metal artefacts (VII century BC) from the necropolis of Crustumerium near Rome. The chemical composition was investigated using X-ray analysis, and digital acquisition was conducted for dissemination and enhancement purposes. This case study aims to show how the combination of virtual techniques (i.e., virtual anthropology and virtual reality) and X-ray imaging (XRI) can be useful tools for the study and communication of both ancient human remains and archaeological artefacts, especially when it is not possible to move and handle a fragile one.