Kainua Project: principles, theoretical framework and archaeological analysis

Abstract

The use of virtual reconstructions is an approach which has already been applied for past projects in the Etruscan city of Marzabotto. The Kainua Project, which aims at the virtual recreation of the whole Etruscan city, is based on the principles of the London and the Seville Charter. The modelling process of the virtual Kainua is based on a rigorous archaeological analysis. The ArchaeoBIM method, formed within the project, has been used to confirm the validation of the models and is therefore an important step towards a more detailed architectural analysis of non-preserved structures. The unexcavated areas of the Etruscan city were involved in a campaign of geophysical surveys, which were the basis for the recreation of wide areas of the city with a good approximation thanks to an interpretative scheme of the modules of the buildings and their allocation within the blocks. The virtual Kainua is first of all an analysis tool. As a matter of fact, through forms of interactivity and simulations the virtual model allows us to formulate important considerations about historical and social issues. The model, however, is also the base for an updated system for the fruition of the archaeological area by a wider audience, chiefly onsite and it becomes a decoding key that visitors can use during their visit.