Archaeological stratigraphy as a formal language for virtual reconstruction. Theory and practice

In recent years there has been a growing interest in 3D acquisition techniques in the field of cultural heritage, yet, at the same time, only a small percentage of case studies have been conducted on the virtual reconstruction of archaeological sites that are no longer in existence. Such reconstructions are, at times, considered “artistic” or “aesthetic” endeavors, as the complete list of sources used is not necessarily provided as a reference along with the 3D representation. One of the reasons for this is likely the lack of a shared language in which to store and communicate the steps in the reconstruction process. This paper proposes the use of a formal language with which to keep track of the entire virtual reconstruction process. The proposal is based on the stratigraphic reading approach and aims to create a common framework connecting archaeological documentation and virtual reconstruction in the earliest stages of the survey. To this end, some of the tools and standards used in archaeological research have been “extended” to taxonomically annotate both the validation of the hypothesis and the sources involved.