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Because of the possibilities that it opens for a variety of fields and practices, gamification has increasingly garnered significant attention. This has put it at the forefront of many significant debates around its applicability and implications. In the case of its application to cultural heritage, although there is much trailblazing to do, the body of work has been growing and the field is gaining its maturity. As such, this paper aims to take stock of the directions the field has been moving towards—to provide orientation for future work and projects that are yet to be developed. To do this, the paper aims to map out the publications in the field of gamified cultural heritage, by conducting a broader and systematic literature review. The study has found that, with regards to who the main actors with publications in the field are, a prominence of European institutions and networks, namely from Italy, Greece and the United Kingdom, can be observed. Regarding what heritage is being gamified and for what purpose, the study found a prominence of focus on historical, architectural and archeological heritage values and a very significant focus on gamification being used for motivation/engagement and for creativity enhancement. When looking at the gamification design dimensions that are given prevalence, intrinsic motivation seems to be prioritized, and, with regards to the observed target publics, tourists and visitors and seem to prevail in gamified heritage projects, with children as a specific group coming in second. Regarding technologies and tools being used, Mobile Applications, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are particularly prevalent. Regarding mentioned future orientations, the study found that a vast majority of papers are self-contained, both in scope of work and discussion, with most of those that do mention future directions indicating continuation and/or expansion of their specific project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the path of knowledge developed for assessing the structural safety of the Norman-age Pisan Tower, which is mostly incorporated into the Royal Palace in Palermo, Italy. Historical, geomatic, and mechanical investigations were conducted and the most relevant results are herein collected and presented. The research path was addressed to specific tasks: identification of the building, geometric surveys, recognition of the sequence of phases of building transformation, detection of the components of the load-bearing structure, structural diagnostic surveys, and investigation of the subsoil and foundations. The explicit vulnerabilities found were mostly confined to the Piazzi library floor, while implicit vulnerabilities were identified in the presence of false walls and in high loads and fillings on the vaults of the last levels. The results of the analyses allowed the individuation of the confidence factors to use in structural analysis models aimed at the assessment of the seismic safety of the building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gandharan art developed in the Himalayan area in the early centuries CE. It has been investigated mostly from an iconographic point of view, missing, until very recently, a systematic technical investigation of materials and techniques. Recently our team began performing chemical analyses of the traces of the polychromy originally covering statues, reliefs and architectural decorations, to discover the ancient painting techniques and artistic technologies. This paper presents the results of the analytical investigation (optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry) of pigments, ground layers and binders of a new group of samples taken from stucco architectural decorations (2nd–3rd/4th centuries CE). The samples were collected directly at an archaeological site in the Swat Valley, ensuring the exact knowledge of their stratigraphic provenance, as well as the absence of any restoration treatment applied prior sampling. The results are discussed in the wider context of Gandharan polychromy investigated so far by our team, as found in sculptures and architectural decorations preserved in museums (in Italy and France) and in archaeological excavations in Pakistan. The aim of this research is to shed light on the materials and techniques of this Buddhist ancient art from this region and on the influences exerted on it from Eastern and Western artistic traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of the characterisation, identification, provenance determination, and quantification of the white, greco scritto-like and polychrome marbles used for architectural purposes at Forum Sempronii, a Roman town in the Marche region of Italy. Samples of five fragments of white marble and one fragment of a greco scritto-like marble have been studied using mineralogical and petrographic observations and stable isotope ratio analysis (SIRA) of carbon and oxygen. Polychrome marbles were macroscopically identified by comparison with reference samples and available image databases. Analytical results of the white and greco scritto-like marbles identified the material as coming from the quarries of Carrara (Luni, Italy) and Proconnesos (Marmara, Saraylar, Turkey) for white marble, and of Ephesos-Hasançavuslar for greco scritto-like marble. Further, at least eleven imported polychrome stone varieties were distinguished. The study clearly illustrates that Forum Sempronii had access to the main marble trade networks of the Roman Mediterranean. The early attestation of Proconnesian marble at the town's augusteum (i.e., Augustan date) is unique for central Adriatic Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, dismissed mines are considered significant local tangible and intangible cultural heritage elements and they are more and more often at the core of dedicated enhancement processes, being sometimes inscribed in the UNESCO list; included in geoparks; transformed worldwide into industrial museums; or reused. Italy has a peculiar approach to the topic even if it has been underestimated, and research in the field might be improved. Which models should be looked at? Is it possible to identify some basic criteria to look at to obtain positive results? If yes, where should one start? Our proposal is that the application to the newly born class underground built heritage (UBH) can provide instruments for their historical functional classification and introducing several criteria for their interpretation and reuse could eventually support future enhancement projects in this specific sector. This methodology has been already applied worldwide to this category of good, giving positive results and motivating the authors to continue the research following this hypothesis, with the aim of creating a framework of good practices to be used as a reference for new projects. This paper summarizes the authors' research in this direction. After the introduction of the academic scenario and the UBH theoretical approach, this study proposes the results from applying this new methodology to several worldwide case studies from Greece, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Poland in order to evaluate best practices and/or unsuccessful stories. This study, based on data collected during onsite inspections by the authors within several international financed projects, consists of two steps. In the first, a general overview of all the aspects connected to the historical and contemporary reuses of dismissed mines under analysis was carried out, proposing a reclassification on the basis of the UBH methodology. The second section is dedicated to a new case study: Valle Imperina dismissed mines complex. This section includes an analysis of tangible and intangible values connected to the site and that of the state of the art of the corresponding enhancement. At the end, an evaluation of its potentialities and some critical issues was conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The WAS—Waterscape Archaeology in Sicily—project is dedicated to underwater cultural heritage mapping, knowledge and awareness of the cultural heritage, dissemination, and analysis of the submerged environment concerning the coast. The prototype investigation site presented here is Isola delle Femmine (PA, Italy). This paper highlights the archaeological discovery with a description of the main finds, across a multidisciplinary approach, carried out with low-cost technology, increasing sustainable diving, and underlining the relationship between submerged and open-air historical evidence. Our studies address the realization of new underwater archaeological itineraries connected to local history. This text provides a historical-archaeological introduction to understanding the context of the site and, with some geological notes, illustrates the phases of the research with a presentation of the main artifacts, with a focus on the methodology and the techniques of the surveys and the usefulness of underwater photogrammetry and 3D modeling with a particular focus on the tourism application in the diving centers. Our work has allowed for the creation of two new underwater archaeological itineraries of Sicily. The innovative aspects of our project are linked to a new holistic approach in the context of the scientific synergy between multiple disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an overview of the history of the research in deep water archaeology in Italy and the recent activities carried out by Fondazione Azionemare, in collaboration with the Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici of the Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Through a preliminary presentation of some shipwrecks dated to the Roman period, discovered by the Fondazione Azionemare and investigated, thanks also to photogrammetry, with the archaeologists of the Venetian university, this article analyses the characteristics and the potentialities of these contexts, which present an excellent level of conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of a UNESCO Global Geopark (UGGp) itself implies that the integration of geological, biological and anthropogenic factors and related values, both tangible and intangible, are at the base of any interpretation, communication, educative practices and enhancement aiming at strengthening the sense of place in local communities, as well as guiding those areas toward sustainable economic growth. However, the measures and good practices codified for UGGps limit their impact on the properties' boundaries, sometimes neglecting the strong natural, social and cultural link between the listed areas, their surroundings and other serial geosites. The paper introduces a five-step study on selected examples of Geoparks and geosites in Italy, Japan and Tunisia, sometimes also including areas inscribed in the UNESCO list as cultural sites, focusing on the possible role of UGGps as drivers for sustainable development of geotourism. The research considers the contextualization of UNESCO UGGps within a broader territorial scale, introducing the concept of Diffused Geopark as a new opportunity in protection and management practices and as a driver for local economies and internationalization of lesser-known contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Typically, historical masonry constructions were only designed due to gravity loads. The structural detailing, aimed at improving the seismic performance, was introduced thanks to the advancement in performance-based seismic design approaches in recent decades. In this context, the vaults play a key role. Depending on the construction technology, material, shape and constraints, the vault can modify the load patterns both in static and/or dynamic conditions. Furthermore, in heritage buildings, the possible presence of frescos or decorations increase the difficulties in assessing the technological nature of the vault. Non-destructive in situ investigation techniques, such as thermography, can be a powerful tool to improve the level of knowledge with respect to structural detailing and increase the prediction capability of the numerical model. The present paper discusses the results of a large thermography campaign performed in a cultural masonry building located in the south of Italy. The extensive investigation was aimed at identifying the typologies of vaults covered by worth frescos. This peculiarity was considered in the structural analysis in order to investigate the influence of the vault typology, in terms of plan stiffness versus the global seismic vulnerability. The outcomes demonstrated that thermography was decisive in improving the level of knowledge and obtaining a more reliable prediction of the seismic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention to the condition assessment and conservation of cultural heritage is increasing due to growing sensitivity to the preservation of the built and natural environment and awareness of the risks associated with natural hazards. In this context, a comprehensive approach to the conservation and valorization of cultural heritage requires the combined action of different skills to achieve reliable assessment of the conditions of valuable assets and sites based on qualitative and quantitative indicators. This paper explores the issues of conservation and sustainable management of archaeological sites, considering humanistic and technical aspects. It reviews the current rules and practices concerning the maintenance and administration of archaeological heritage and outlines the implementation of a novel procedure, based on low-cost tools, to assess and describe the current condition of archaeological assets. Specific attention is paid to the interaction between experts and researchers operating in both humanistic and technical fields and to the knowledge and data contribution available on modern web-based platforms to implement reliable and low-cost data acquisition for the development of worthwhile plans for the conservation and enhancement of cultural heritage. The Samnite complex of Pietrabbondante, Molise, South Italy, is employed to apply and check the proposed tools in the real world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fellini Museum is an exhibition hall dedicated to the Rimini film director Federico Fellini, included by the Ministry of Culture of Italy among the great national cultural projects. It was inaugurated on 19 August 2021, and it is the first worldwide exhibition hall dedicated to the famous film director. The museum, intended as a widespread museum center, is divided into three separate places in the historic center of Rimini: Sismondo Castle (built at the behest of Sigismondo Malatesta, at that time Lord of Rimini and Fano, starting from 1437 AD), Fulgor Palace and Malatesta square. The goal of the present paper is double. In the first part, as a case study, the innovative integrated system and installations planned for the optimal functioning and management of the Fellini Museum of Rimini in Italy is illustrated, showing its related complexity, due to its extension and articulation through different environments and due to the respect for architectural/historical heritage. In the second part, as dedicated and linked research, a proper Genetic Algorithms-based method, studied and applied for the optimization of the design of the wired network of the integrated system, the electrical power network and the air conditioning network is illustrated. It guarantees a decrease of realization costs, considering also the typical vincula and restrictions of already existing historical buildings, such as the considered one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the analyses carried out on the medieval copper alloy door (1111–1118 AD) of the mausoleum of Boemondo d'Altavilla in Canosa di Puglia (Southern Italy). The studied door is the smallest medieval bronze door extant in Italy and, unlike the other Byzantine doors, was most probably made in Canosa di Puglia and not in Constantinople. Analyses were performed to assess the chemical composition of the alloy patinas using a portable energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) instrument designed at the University of Salento. The experimental results suggested that the two door leaves have the same chemical composition, even if they appear different in both style and size. Furthermore, the alloy used for the door is different from the other previously-analyzed Byzantine bronze doors. The obtained results can be used in the future to compare the chemical composition of other Byzantine doors in order to better understand the manufacture of these precious artifacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]