Intra-Site Analysis and Photogrammetry: the Case Study of the ‘Buca di Spaccasasso’ (Grosseto, Italy) an Eneolithic Funerary Site

Here we present the outcome of a project that involved the implementation of an intra-site GIS based on photogrammetric methodologies at Spaccasasso Cave (Grosseto, Italy), an Eneolithic funerary site, the main burial chamber of which shows evidence of complex depositional practices. Due to their peculiar archaeological context, traditional excavation procedures are ineffective in recording these prehistoric palaeosurfaces. As a result, we have turned to using photogrammetric applications. The goal is to obtain 3D photorealistic restitutions in order to create DEM and ortophotographs, which are useful for managing archaeological information in a GIS. Two different methodologies are employed. The first is based on ERDAS IMAGINE LPS software, while the other makes use of open source software based on multi-vision scene reconstruction. 3D survey methodologies make it possible to render a realistic model of the archaeological site, which is an asset for recording qualitative data and 3D information, which is then used for performing intra-site analyses. We assess the different methods by focusing on the practical and logistical requirements of the excavation process.