3D Data Integration for Web Fruition of Underground Archaeological Sites: A Web Navigation System for the Hypogeum of Crispia salvia (Marsala, Italy)

Abstract

The diffuse data fruition of archaeological hypogeum sites still represents a challenge due to their limited accessibility and their preservation and maintenance issues. This implies that the fruition of these peculiar archaeological sites is often possible through digital reconstructions and interactive web navigation systems. The survey methodologies based on terrestrial laser scanning and photogrammetry allow making accurate and detailed digital reconstructions of these sites that are useful for virtual fruition purposes. In addition, many different systems can be used for remote web navigation and fruition. This work presents a possible solution for the virtual fruition of archaeological hypogea with a multiscale 3D web navigation system based on WebGL open-source technology. The system has been implemented for the Roman hypogeum of Crispia salvia, located in Marsala (southern Italy). The hypogeum belongs to the Archaeological Park of Lilibeo-Marsala and is considered one of the most important archaeological discoveries in this area for its extraordinary frescoes. Public accessibility of this site is limited because it is located outside the boundaries of the Archaeological Park, in the modern town, and covered by a residential building. In this case, the web navigation system adds an important contribution due to the limited real accessibility to the site. This work shows the framework for the construction of the web navigation system, where 3D surveys, digital reconstructions, 3D modeling, and web development are integrated. The choice of using an open-source technology for the web navigation system limits the costs of the process, and, at the same time, grants the web dissemination of site information.

An Open-Source Web Platform for 3D Documentation and Storytelling of Hidden Cultural Heritage

“…Moreover, web-based VR solutions break the barrier of adopting expensive dedicated equipment (e.g., VR headsets, handheld controllers) or costly specialized software, since the widespread diffusion of Web Graphic Libraries (WebGL) [31,32]. WebGL marked a significant shift, departing from the use of proprietary tools and plugins thanks to their ability to build interactive 3D and 2D graphics within web browsers, allowing for hardware-accelerated rendering of graphics and making possible to easily develop VR scenes through JavaScript toolkits (e.g., CesiumJS, ThreeJS, BabylonJS, PotreeJS) [33][34][35]. The use of such open-source tools also allows many different approaches to the customisation of web applications, including the choice of 2D or 3D geometries, as well as text, images, video and other multimedia sources, ensuring not only the accuracy of the representation of the site, but also its playability with interactive functionalities that provide more immersive virtual experiences [31,36,37].…”