Three case studies to test the digitization process of pottery through ArchAIDE project and the importance of the collaborative approach
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Three case studies to test the digitization process of pottery through ArchAIDE project and the importance of the collaborative approach 26/08/2020 ─ Maria Taloni Caterina Paola Venditti Direzione Generale Educazione, ricerca e istituti culturali Ministero per i beni e le attività culturali e per il turismo
1 (SLIDE1-copertina o titolo)Introduction (SLIDE2intro)Our Ministry is deeply involved in the digitalisation, both in the direction of fulfillment of a digital public administration and for its fallout on everything related to the cultural heritage. The concept of our project is based on theoretical and methodological reflections: we see in Archaide a new way of approaching the problem of classification within an open database, enriched by the contribution of scholars, researchers stressing the force of a collaborative approach and a mutual exchange, which is sometimes more difficult to get outside a digital context. Moreover, the chance of digitally consulting catalogues, bibliography, archives, which has always been recognized as an alternative to the classical research methods, has been perceived as a necessity, especially in these last months, when access to libraries, warehouses and in general to the subject of study was limited or even denied. Finally, we figure out the possibility to stress the algorithm on non-standardized ones, such as roman coarse ware and pre-roman productions or not only on sherds, but entire vessels. (SLIDE3 agenda) (SLIDE4) Such a challenge would not be achievable without the establishment of a stable network of collaborations already built by our Directorate-General, with the final aim to realize a research project for archiving and cataloguing three groups of materials belonging both to different geographical areas, chronological periods and stadium of analysis, useful to stress the potentiality of ArchAIDE algorithm. (SLIDE5)Because of its characteristics and goals the project will be able to merge in the Italian Strategy for Artificial Intelligence provided by the National Programme for Research (PNR) 2021-2027, whose timeline matches the forecast of Horizon Europe. Its second pillar focuses on the Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness: our project perfectly fits both in the cluster “Culture, creativity and inclusive society” and “Digital, Industry and space” and in the following related areas of intervention: Cultural Heritage, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Advanced Computing and Big Data, Emerging enabling technologies.
2
Main issues
(SLIDE6) Considering the experiments already carried out on standardized classes, we figured out the
opportunity to work on non-standardized ones, such as roman coarse ware and pre-roman productions, forcing us
to reflect about methodological issues:
● How to match, if possible, formal recognition and different fabrics?
● Is it possible to use AI to deepen the recognition of different fabrics?
● How to use image recognition tools for non-standardized productions or whole vessels?
● How does ArchAIDE dialogue with other digital archives?
The aim is to create a database in ArchAIDE, at the same time useful for data storage and organization and for
the implementation of the recognition algorithm, developing three different sub-projects in a long-term
research perspective.
1. (SLIDE7) The first on-going one, realised in the frame of a memorandum of understanding with the “L.
Pigorini” Museum, concerns the pottery belonging to the tombs of Riserva del Truglio necropolis
(Marino - Rome), dated to I Iron Age and Orientalising period, including several classes, like brown
impasto, red impasto, coarse ware, bucchero, italo-geometric and etrusco-geometric pottery, divided
into different forms and types. Finds are already drawn and catalogued, but so far not yet digitalised.
Since ArchAIDE machines are not trained yet with pre-roman pottery and with whole vessels, we
decided to stress the machine learning tool.
a. (SLIDE8)First step was selecting pottery class, like brown impasto, and pottery categories, like
amphorae, cups and bowls; brown impasto corresponds to almost 64% of the total ceramic
materials found in the necropolis while, among pottery categories, amphorae (both the
so-called “anforette laziali” and “anforette a spirali”), cups and bowls are the most represented;
b. second step, is the digital acquisition of specific pictures of sherds and entire vessels;
c. third, entering all the information about a single type, starting from the so-called “anforette
laziali”: description, chronology, origins and occurs, images (pictures and drawings), references,
equivalences taken from the related catalogues;
d. (SLIDE9)at the same time, where possible, uploading the sherds and vessels images with the
external profile and the internal profile of the fracture or the whole vase.
3
2. (SLIDE10) The second sub-project will be carried out in the framework of the agreement undersigned
with the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio and the German Archaeological Institute of Rome. It
concerns the pottery coming from the archaeological excavations of the late roman republican
foundation of Fabrateria Nova, chronologically framed between the middle republican age and the
Middle Ages. (SLIDE11) On the whole, over 26,500 potsherds have been analysed; among the most
represented classes, we have chosen the coarse ware, prevalent from a quantitative point of view (in the
latest estimates, more than 20337 sherds were counted (5511 diagnostic), corresponding to almost 77%
of the total ceramic materials found in Fabrateria Nova) and which represent a very complex challenge.
(SLIDE12) Starting from the documentation already produced (a relational database that includes
graphic and photographic data and which allows to cross data and compare materials and contexts of
origin), we will implement the ArchAIDE database with the coarse wares by simultaneously drafting an
internal classification, with the ambition to obtain great results in three directions:
a. first of all we hope to build a framework for future research on the local coarse ware, as future
excavation campaigns on the site are already planned with the consequent increase of common
ware to be compared;
b. by storing a considerable number of fragments, with certainty of increase following further
excavations, we will be able to implement the image recognition algorithm;
c. we will build a grid to classify coarse wares coming from neighboring territories, certain to find
completely similar shapes and types to compare.
3. (SLIDE13) The third sub-project will concern another strong point of the ArchAIDE system, the
possibility of digital archiving the catalogues, useful at the same time both for consultation and for the
training of the image recognition algorithm. The idea is to acquire catalogues relating to a class not yet
represented in ArchAIDE, with the perspective of inserting the relative fragments in a later stage. The
task will be carried out thanks to the contribution of DAI and with the involvement of students and
interns, led by pottery specialists with the following tasks:
a. bibliographic research;
b. catalogues’ digitization, according to the ArchAIDE protocol;
c. data entry.
(SLIDE14) Timeline
4
Future perspectives
(SLIDE15) Another possible future step, will be tested in the wider project of restoration and valorisation of
Silvestri-Rivaldi villa in city centre of Rome, near Colosseum, with the digital acquisition of materials found
during archaeological excavation carried on in 2001 and 2002 and now stored in the storerooms of the villa,
underneath an agreement including the private property of the building, several offices of the Ministry and the
Capitoline Superintendence; the place is also recently included in the list for the Strategic Plan “Grandi Progetti
Beni Culturali” with specific funds for restoration and valorisation.
Recap and strong points
(SLIDE16) Strong points of mentioned sub-projects will be:
● heterogeneous and complementary human resources, tools and data, and the possible involvement of
trainees and students in teaching and applied research will finally strengthen the project and guarantee
its success;
● deepen the theoretical consideration of classification and typology of pottery in order to renew the
debate on this topic, set little aside in the last decades and more focused on archaeometric research and
quantitative approach;
● allow the ArchAIDE method to be tested at every stage, highlighting any potential critical issues and
contributing to the increase of the capacity of the application.
Three case studies
to test the
digitization
process of pottery
through
ArchAIDE project
(and the importance of
the collaborative
#414
approach)
Maria Taloni, Caterina Paola Venditti
Digital pottery archives:
Ministry for Cultural Heritage, Activities and Tourism
new methods of data use and classification Directorate-General for education, research, and cultural institutes
AI vs UFO
What species of
dinosaur
are you???
AGENDA
2.
1.
Horizon Europe and 3.
Establish a network of
National Programme for Main issues
collaborations
Research 2021-2027
5.
4. 6.
Future perspectives:
Three different sub- Strong points
projects and timeline Silvestri-Rivaldi villa
and recap
project
Network of
relationships
and
collaborations
° German
Archaeological
Institute - Rome
(DAI)
° University of
Cassino and
Southern Latium
° Museo delle Civiltà
° University of Pisa -
Mappa Lab
Horizon Europe and National Programme for Research
Horizon Europe 2021-2027: II pillar and NPR 2021-2027 (on-going) and AI National
related areas of intervention StrategyMain issues
How to match, if
Is it possible to use AI to
possible, formal
deepen the recognition of
recognition and different
different fabrics?
fabrics?
How to use image
How does ArchAIDE
recognition tools for non-
dialogue with other digital
standardized productions
archives?
or whole vessels?Riserva del Truglio necropolis (Marino, RM)
RdT: selected brown 2; 1% 2; 1%
8; 3%
impasto and forms 2; 1%
1; 1%
2; 1% 13; 8%
4; 2% 21; 9% 10; 6% 35; 23%
4; 3%
2; 1%
10; 6%
53; 22%
35; 23% 18; 12%
156; 64%
19; 12%
1; 1%
amphorae jugs two-sided vase
goblets kantharoi drinking cups
Brown impasto Red slip bowls bowls (s) big bowls
Bucchero Italo-geometric pottery kotylai pyxes boat-shaped vases
Etrusco-Corinthian pottery dolia cookers spindle-whorlsData entry ArchAIDE database
Input & outputFabrateria Nova (San Giovanni Incarico, FR)
FN: selected coarse 3%
0% 2%
1% 1%
ware and forms 2% 0% 5%
22%
1% 6%
3%
1% 2%
10% 30%
5%
30% 1%
7%
26% 42%
Jugs Jars
Lids Bowls
Jars Pots Mixing bowls Pots
Lids Clibani Little amphorae Cups
Saucepans Pans
Bottles Mugs
Open shape Closed shape
Mortaria/Basins WashbowlsFN existing database
Archiving catalogues
Timeline
RDT Major milestone FN CATALOGUES
Pottery selection, Digitization of non Data entry and Catalogues digitization
digitization, digital archive image recognition
pictures test
From a digital
Coarse ware archive to
Data entry classification Catalogues digitization
ArchAIDE
RDT FN Major milestone CATALOGUESFuture perspectives: Silvestri-Rivaldi villa project Multidisciplinary project of restoration and valorization
Strong points & recap Strengthening the project with a heterogeneous and complementary network of collaborations comprehending human resources, tools and data To deepen the theoretical consideration of classification and typology of pottery To allow ArchAIDE method to be tested at every stage
Direzione Generale Educazione,
ricerca e istituti culturali
www.dg-er.beniculturali.it
@dger.web
Thank you!
maria.taloni@beniculturali.it
caterinapaola.venditti@beniculturali.itYou can also read
