102 research outputs found

    Underwater Cultural Heritage as an Engine for Social, Economic and Cultural Development. State of Research at the University of Cadiz (Andalusia, Spain)

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    Public access to underwater and maritime cultural heritage has proven to have a very positive effect on the local economy. This type of heritage is very attractive for the cultural tourism sector in general and for active and diving tourism. The Nautical and Underwater Archeology Line of the University of Cadiz, within the framework of the TIDE Project (Interreg Atlantic Area) and Herakles Project (FEDER-UCA18-107327) have been working on the enhancement of maritime and underwater heritage through the application of new technologies. In this paper, we will present the advances in the project in the Strait of Gibraltar, based on the first phase of scientific analysis and on the definition of a common working methodology that has resulted in a toolkit for the development of tourism activities linked to the MCH and UCH. Pilot activities under development are focused on accessible underwater heritage routes, VR applications to create Dry Dive experiences and the streaming of underwater archaeological works, thanks to a bottom-surface acoustic communication buoy. Results show that these types of outreach solutions and, by extension, of tourism application, must be preceded by a rigorous archaeological research process, a study of the target audience and the evaluation of the carrying capacity of the sites, to avoid falling into the mercantilisation or deterioration of the UCH. On the other hand, virtual or indirect access solutions are very useful, but always through the correct interpretation of the heritage.This research was funded by TIDE, or Atlantic Network for Developing HistoricalMaritime Tourism; EAPA_630/2018 is an Interreg funded project. Thiswork has been co-financed by the 2014-2020 ERDFOperational Programme and by theDepartment of Economy, Knowledge, Business andUniversity of the Regional Government of Andalusia. Project reference: FEDER-UCA18-107327. This work has been co-financed by II Convocatoria de Ayudas Para El Fomento de Proyectos Universidad-Empresa Fundacion Campus Tecnologico de Algeciras. Project Reference: FCTA2020-07

    A Sustainable Approach for the Management and Valorization of Underwater Cultural Heritage: New Perspectives from the TECTONIC Project

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    Documentation and conservation of underwater cultural heritage (UCH) are crucial to preserving humankind’s history and traditions, safeguarding tangible testimonies of past human life while ensuring its accessibility to future generations. The TECTONIC (Technological Consortium TO develop sustainability of underwater Cultural Heritage) project is promoting an intersectoral collaboration between academic and non-academic professionals (i.e., archaeologists, conservators, geologists, engineers, etc.) working on different topics related to UCHs, to find solutions to the issues still existing in the field. The overall aim is the exchange of skills for the improvement and assessment of innovative materials and techniques to develop solutions and marketable products for the conservation and management of the UCH, sustainably. To achieve its overall aim, TECTONIC is undertaking activities driven by the following objectives: (a) the study, documentation, and mapping of selected UCHs; (b) the creation of decision-support tools for UCH risk assessment in a changing environment; (c) the initiation of conservation studies and protocols for conservation activities; (d) the development of open and low-cost robotic solutions for the inspection of UCH; and (e) the raising of public awareness and knowledge about UCH. All the objectives are devoted to stimulating new sustainable ideas that would bring the growth of cultural tourism and the development of new marketable products by capitalizing on the research results.Fil: Ricca, Michela. Università della Calabria; ItaliaFil: Alexandrakis, George. Foundation For Research And Technology ? Hellas.; GreciaFil: Bonazza, Alessandra. Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche. Istituto Di Scienze Dell Atmosfera E del Clima.; ItaliaFil: Bruno, Fabio. Università della Calabria; ItaliaFil: Petriaggi, Barbara Davidde. Instituto Superiore per la Conservazione ed il Restauro; ItaliaFil: Elkin, Dolores Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Secretaría de Cultura de la Nación. Dirección Nacional de Cultura y Museos. Instituto Nacional de Antropología y Pensamiento Latinoamericano; ArgentinaFil: Lagudi, Antonio. Università della Calabria; ItaliaFil: Nicolas, Stephane. Centre d'Activité des Playes ZE Jean Monnet; FranciaFil: Novák, Michal. Synpo; República ChecaFil: Papatheodorou, George. University Of Patras; GreciaFil: Prieto, Javier. Universidad de Salamanca; EspañaFil: Ricci, Marco. Università della Calabria; ItaliaFil: Vasilijevic, Antonio. H2O Robotics; CroaciaFil: La Russa, Mauro Francesco. Università della Calabria; Italia. Foundation For Research And Technology ? Hellas.; Greci

    Actors in VR storytelling

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    Virtual Reality (VR) storytelling enhances the immersion of users into virtual environments (VE). Its use in virtual cultural heritage presentations helps the revival of the genius loci (the spirit of the place) of cultural monuments. This paper aims to show that the use of actors in VR storytelling adds to the quality of user experience and improves the edutainment value of virtual cultural heritage applications. We will describe the Baiae dry visit application which takes us to a time travel in the city considered by the Roman elite as "Little Rome (Pusilla Roma)" and presently is only partially preserved under the sea.Comment: Pre-print versio

    VIRTUAL TOUR IN THE SUNKEN “VILLA CON INGRESSO A PROTIRO” WITHIN THE UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF BAIAE

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    The paper presents the application of some Virtual Reality technologies developed in the Horizon 2020 i-MARECulture project to the case study of the sunken “Villa con ingresso a protiro”, dated around the II century AD, and located in the Marine Protected Area - Underwater Park of Baiae (Naples).The i-MARECulture project (www.imareculture.eu), in fact, aims to improve the public awareness about the underwater cultural heritage by developing new tool and techniques that take advantage of the virtual reality technologies to allow the general public to explore the archaeological remains outside of the submerged environment.To this end, the paper details the techniques and methods adopted for the development of an immersive virtual tour that allow users to explore, through a storytelling experience, a virtual replica and a 3D hypothetical reconstruction of the complex of the “Villa con ingresso a protiro”.</p

    Making the invisible visible:Underwater Malta—a virtual museum for submerged cultural heritage

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    The seabed can be considered as the world’s largest museum, and underwater sites ex‐ plored and studied so far provide priceless information on human interaction with the sea. In recog‐ nition of the importance of this cultural resource, UNESCO, in its 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, determined that objects/sites should be preserved in situ, whilst also advocating for public access and sharing. The implementation of these principles is not without difficulties. Some states have opened up underwater sites to the public—mainly through diving, yet the vast majority of the world’s population does not dive. In Malta, 7000 years of human occupation is reflected in and on the landscape, and recent offshore surveys show that the islands’ long and complex history has also left an indelible mark on the seabed. Besides difficulties related to their protection and management, these sites also present a challenge with regard to sharing and communicating. Recent advances in underwater imaging and processing software have accelerated the development of 3D photogrammetry of submerged sites and the idea for a virtual museum was born. The virtual museum, UnderwaterMalta, was created out of a need to share the plethora of underwater sites located on the seabed of the Maltese Islands. A multitude of digital tools are used to share and communicate these sites, offering visitors a dry dive into submerged sites that would otherwise remain invisible to the vast majority of the public. This paper discusses the basic principle of the sharing of underwater cultural heritage and the difficulties that beset the implementation of such a principle. A detailed explanation and evaluation of the methods used to gather the raw data needed is set in the context of the particular and unique working conditions related to deep water sites. The workings of this paper are based on first‐hand experiences garnered through the record‐ ing of numerous wrecks over the years and the creation and launch of The Virtual Museum‐Under‐ water Malta—a comprehensive virtual museum specifically built for “displaying” underwater ar‐ chaeological sites that are otherwise invisible to the general public.peer-reviewe

    Protecting and Preserving Underwater Cultural Heritage in Southeast Asia

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    This chapter examines Southeast Asia’s significant underwater cultural heritage, which faces a range of threats. The 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage has afforded greater protection to underwater cultural heritage worldwide but has been less effective in Southeast Asia due to its limited uptake. In light of this, the author uses case studies to argue for a broader understanding of how protection and preservation of Southeast Asia’s underwater cultural heritage can be achieved. These management approaches include cultural diplomacy, public-private partnerships, commercial involvement and the increasing professionalisation of maritime archaeology. While some of these approaches are in line with the principles enshrined in the 2001 UNESCO Convention, others are at odds with these principles. Despite this, we cannot afford to dismiss these alternative approaches, as the threats faced by underwater cultural heritage in Southeast Asia are time critical

    In Search of Atlantis: Underwater Tourism between Myth and Reality

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    In post-modernity, the millenarian search for mythical sites has become a tourist attraction and the process of culturalization of consumption has created and is creating a new global heritage. Places already celebrated for leisure have been reinvented as mythical and archaeological sites. A good example is the Atlantis Hotel on Paradise Island, in the Bahamas. Here, Plato’s mythical Atlantis has inspired an underwater pseudo-archaeological reconstruction of a civilization that most likely had never existed. The myth-making force of the sea transforms the false ruins and affects how they are perceived. This is quite consistent with a tourism where authenticity has lost its traditional value and sensory gratifications have replaced it. A more recent Atlantis Hotel in Dubai and another one under construction in China show the vitality of this myth and the strength of the thematization of consumption. Other examples confirm this tendency in even more grotesque ways. At the core of this process there is the body: the tourist’s and the consumer’s body. The post-modernity has enhanced its use as tool and icon of consumption

    "Design for All” in Architectural Heritage conservation: the technology challenge

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    [EN] Among the United Nations 2030 objectives for the sustainable development, stand out those who seek social, economic and cultural equality of people, within the framework of different human settlements, their cultural heritage and the natural environment. This idea raises the need to establish effective strategies, resources and tools aimed to balance the current conditions in most disadvantaged groups, such as people with disabilities. The situation is complicated because the barriers to integration and inclusivity are diverse, the initiatives, legislation and ways of acting are also very different. Therefore, overcoming the situation requires a broad multidisciplinary approach. On the other hand, Heritage resources can be a valuable mean for permanent and sustainable development, if there is a proper combination of different aspects: design, management and maintenance, continuous improvement and dissemination with inclusive criteria. One of the possibilities to afford that difficult task is to promote in the field of university education different activities such as information exchange, cross-cutting networks, research studies, experimental ICT tools development and adequate dissemination. This proposal is structured in this sense to arouse the interest and participation of teachers, students and researchers in these actions, establishing collaborative projects and work proposals.López Mateu, V.; Pellicer Armiñana, TM. (2019). "Design for All” in Architectural Heritage conservation: the technology challenge. En Proceedings 5th CARPE Conference: Horizon Europe and beyond. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 73-77. https://doi.org/10.4995/CARPE2019.2019.10565OCS737

    IKUWA6. Shared Heritage

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    Celebrating the theme ‘Shared heritage’, IKUWA6 (the 6th International Congress for Underwater Archaeology), was the first such major conference to be held in the Asia-Pacific region, and the first IKUWA meeting hosted outside Europe since the organisation’s inception in Germany in the 1990s. A primary objective of holding IKUWA6 in Australia was to give greater voice to practitioners and emerging researchers across the Asia and Pacific regions who are often not well represented in northern hemisphere scientific gatherings of this scale; and, to focus on the areas of overlap in our mutual heritage, techniques and technology. Drawing together peer-reviewed presentations by delegates from across the world who converged in Fremantle in 2016 to participate, this volume covers a stimulating diversity of themes and niche topics of value to maritime archaeology practitioners, researchers, students, historians and museum professionals across the world

    Oceans without history? Marine Cultural Heritage and the sustainable development agenda

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    This paper aims to set out the role Marine Cultural Heritage (MCH) can play in informing responses to global challenges and enhancing the sustainable development of coastal zones. This requires recognition of the importance of MCH as a knowledge base amongst marine ocean scientists, policy makers and marine stakeholders on the one hand and a greater effort by marine heritage specialists to engage with the 2030 Agenda on the other. The forthcoming UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) provides an opportunity to engage with the sea more widely but it is argued that the cultural element provided by considering past human action is currently lacking. The importance of understanding human interaction with the sea in terms of gaining a more complete picture of human history is briefly presented and a definition of MCH as all past action in the human zone is given. The article then sets out how MCH can enhance sustainable development in the marine zone with particular reference to SDG14 considering heritage tourism, coastal development and infrastructure, development aid policy, climate change, coastal management, fisheries and the offshore industry. The article highlights that the knowledge and data from MCH should be seen as crucial in evidence-based decision making across the coastal and marine sectors. The paper concludes that the inclusion of MCH approaches in initiatives aiming at coastal and ocean sustainability is not just advisable—it is essentia
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