COMPLEX ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES: AN INTEGRATED STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK FOR PROGRESSIVE KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION AND REPRESENTATION

In ancient times the town of Adulis, Eritrea, was one of the most important harbours on the Red Sea and a fundamental gateway within the network of cultural and trade exchange between Mediterranean and Oriental civilizations. Ancient literary sources frequently refer to Adulis, which was destroyed and abandoned during the 8th century and rediscovered at the beginning of 19th century. Excavations led by various researches were carried out intermittently since 1867 up to the 1960s; in particular extensive excavations were conducted by Paribeni in 1906. In 2011 the archaeological and research activities started again, directed by Ce.R.D.O., in cooperation with the Eritrean Government, the National Museum of Asmara, The Regional Museum of Massawa, the Catholic University of Milan, the Politecnico of Milan, the “L’Orientale” University of Naples, the Museum of Rovereto. The research, also funded by the Italian Foreign Ministry, aimed at the valorisation of the ancient town, including the creation of an archaeological park. This paper outlines how the choice of the appropriate technologies in the fields of survey, documentation and analysis, can support various aspects and task of the project. The case study of Adulis has been a rich opportunity to test methodologies and practices about collection and management of data and knowledge related to various aspects and for different users, producing clear and easy-to-use information for complex archaeological sites. As in many other cases, the management of this site, besides facing logistical issues, has to deal with the involvement of experts from differing branches, each of which normally adopts its own strategies and tools in managing information. In order to maximize the richness of the data collected and its interpretation, the main benefit of this approach is to provide the entire team with a clear exhaustive framework and knowledge receptacle in a familiar environment.