Abstract
Tracing its origins to computer utilization in the 1960s, archaeology has evolved into a highly digitized discipline within the Humanities. Digital technologies have emerged as a transformative force, profoundly influencing data recording, research, preservation, and public engagement.
Beginning with a travel back in time to Early Bronze Age Oman, this presentation explores methodologies including UAV remote sensing, point clouds, and geophysical techniques in addressing challenges posed by historical sites. The collaborative endeavour of the Time of Magan and NeoArabia research programmes allow us to investigate and decode paleo-environments and archaeological remains and reveal new dimensions of analysis and interpretation.
Venturing further, we walk along the storied pathways of the Roman Via Appia and delve into technologies harnessed by the Netherlands eScience Center in one of its broadest humanities projects. Visual storylines and gamified online interactive journeys, replete with media like images and videos embedded within a 3D environment, engage audiences in immersive experiences while deepening our understanding of the past.
Building on the research endeavours and on the public engagement highlighted by these projects, this presentation will explore the dynamic interplay between archaeology and by the powerful tools offered by interactive technologies.
Bio
Valentina Azzarà is the Section Head of the Social Sciences and Humanities at the Netherlands eScience Center. She holds a PhD in Archaeology from Paris 1 University and specializes in Middle Eastern non-urban societies that developed in harsh environments. She directed archaeological projects and field work across Asia and Africa. Since 2017, she directs the research programme Time of Magan in coastal Oman and was a member of the French ANR programme NeoArabia, leveraging cutting-edge technologies – from paleo-environmental analyses to remote sensing – to reconstruct Neolithic and Bronze Age socio-ecological systems in South-Eastern Arabia.
