DiSpLay
Digital Spolia Layering

Project

DiSpLay is a georeferenced interactive map that constantly reflects the results of the pilot project “The Stones of Venice. A Digital Landscape”, developed with the help of the Venice Centre for Digital and Public Humanities and of the Time Machine Coordination & Support Action.

For the first time in the history of Venetian archaeology, the project The Stones of Venice: a Digital Landscape aims to present the innovative potential of the application of a non-invasive digital technique for the extensive measurement of reused sculpture (spolia) preserved in Venice and its lagoon, both in architectural contexts and as freestanding structural elements. The sample measurements were carried out to get precise digital representations of archaeologically and epigraphically meaningful items, such as ancient columns, capitals or inscriptions, which are reused in the facades of palaces on the Grand Canal, as well as inside and outside Venetian churches and bell-towers. In most cases, measurements were taken for the first time; it was also possible to test the functions of the device over considerable distances, even greater than 50 m, thus obtaining the measurement of artefacts that are difficult to access. The data collected within the project are now accessible through an open access digital map: in addition, 3D models of the most meaningful spolia are available for free consultation and download.

DIgital SPolia LAYering
Credit: © DiSpLay, Chiara Tomaini

Map

The map contains the Venetian spolia investigated as part of the project together with some others known from scientific literature. It will be implemented with further reference to other spolia in the course of time. Two layers of filters have been employed to display the spolia on the map: "Reused Artifacts" refers to archaeological artefacts and inscriptions that have been reused as freestanding sculpture and/or with a public but not necessarily architectural function. "Reused Architectural Sculpture" refers to artefacts that have been reused with an architectural function.

The map, created in a GIS environment and available online for free, allows the visualisation of the two different layers together with all the artefacts included in each of them. 
"Reused Artifacts" (in blue) are displayed with the following associated data: name, typology, material, dimensions, short description, chronology, provenance, bibliography, media.
"Reused Architectural Sculpture" (in pink) is displayed with the following associated data: name, number, typology, short description, chronology, provenance, bibliography, media.

OpenStreet map displaying the location of spolia in Venice and in the islands of the lagoon.
Credit: © DiSpLay Eleonora Delpozzo

Ca’ Foscari unit of CHANGES - Cultural Heritage Active Innovation for Nex-Gen Sustainable Society is member of the Spoke 8 leaded by the Sapienza University of Rome, co-leaded by the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa together with the University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, the University of Naples “Federico II”, the National Research Council (CNR), the University of Florence, the Roma Tre University, the cooperative CoopCulture and the company Engineering.
The overall project of the spoke concerns “Sustainability and resilience of tangible cultural heritage”, it was started in December 2023 and will last until August 2025.

Ca’ Foscari unit is focusing on three actions:

  1. “Sacra absentia”. Medieval church furnishings in Venice between the surviving and the lost
  2. “Spolia”. The reuse of ancient marbles in Venice in the Middle Ages
  3. “Venice Long Data”. Study of historical archives for a network science of historical objects and events

A selection of data and results from each action are hosted on DiSpLay’s map.

Past events

file pdf 26/01/2024 - "Venice Long Data. The Future of the Past"
Giorgio Cini Foundation, Venice
88 KB

Contacts

Project CHANGES - Cultural Heritage Active Innovation for Sustainable Society, project code PE00000020 - CUP H53C22000850006, National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) - Mission 4 “Istruzione Ricerca”, Component 2 “Dalla ricerca all’impresa”, Investment 1.5 “Creazione e rafforzamento di Ecosistemi dell’innovazione”, 01/01/2022-30/11/2025.

3D Models

In this section, you can find for free consultation a selection of 3D models of spolia created within the framework of the project using the photogrammetric technique and integrating the data obtained from digital measurements. In addition, some models have been created during the Venice Summer School in Digital and Public Humanities (2022 Edition). 

In current research, 3D digital replicas of archaeological artefacts are tools that can be widely used for both research and conservation purposes. They offer scholars the possibility of studying objects in detail, taking accurate measurements at any time and extracting different graphical representations from them; this significantly expands their potential for conducting high-quality specialist research and for increasing the understanding and appreciation of each object. These so-called 'digital twins' can also be useful for conservation purposes, especially in the case of endangered cultural assets that require restoration or are in need of replacement by copies.

The 3D model gallery can be accessed from the link below. The models uploaded here represent the majority of the objects in the 'Reused Artefacts' layer and have been opportunely optimised for online display.
 

Screenshot of the 3D model of the Piraeus lion, monumental entrance door of the Arsenale, Venice.
Credit: © DiSpLay, Eleonora Delpozzo

Outreach

Publications

J. Ruskin, Part of Saint Mark's Basilica, Venice: Sketch after Rain, drawing, watercolour, bodycolour and pen and ink over graphite on pale grey wove paper.
Credit: © University of Oxford - Ashmolean Museum
J. Ruskin, Study of the Marble Inlaying on the Front of the Casa Loredan, Venice, drawing, watercolour, bodycolour and pen and ink over graphite on pale grey wove paper.
Credits: © University of Oxford - Ashmolean Museum

Gallery

Distance meter use during the survey in St. Mark's Square (November 2019).
Credit: © DiSpLay Eleonora Delpozzo, Myriam Pilutti Namer
Distance meter use during the survey in Campiello Testori, Venice (November 2019).
Credit: © DiSpLay, Myriam Pilutti Namer
Distancemeter use during the survey in Campiello Testori, Venice (November 2019)
Credit: © DiSpLay Eleonora Delpozzo
Distance meter use during the survey at Palazzo Mastelli, Venice (December 2019).
Credit: © DiSpLay Myriam Pilutti Namer
Distance meter use during the survey at the Fondaco dei Turchi, Venice (October 2019).
Credit: © DiSpLay Myriam Pilutti Namer
Distance meter use during the survey at St. Pietro di Castello (October 2019).
Credit: © DiSpLay Myriam Pilutti Namer
Distance meter use during the survey in Campo San Pietro at Castello, Venice (October 2019).
Credit: © DiSpLay Myriam Pilutti Namer
Distance meter use during the survey at Ca’ Loredan (November 2019).
Credit: © DiSpLay Myriam Pilutti Namer
Screenshot of the Virtual Class "Mozilla for Digital Humanities: an easier way to share knowledge" held by E. Delpozzo within the course of Virtual Archaeology (Dr. F. Bernardini, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, VeDPH), 29 April 2021
Credit: © Eleonora Delpozzo
E. Delpozzo presenting the project at the Venice Summer School in Digital and Public Humanities, St. Mark’s Square, Venice, 13 July 2022
Credit: © Eleonora Delpozzo
Screenshot of the 3D Model reproducing the inscription at the base of the bell tower of San Vidal, Venice.
Credit: © DiSpLay Eleonora Delpozzo
Screenshot of the 3D model of the lion from Delos, monumental entrance door of the Arsenale, Venice
Credit: © DiSpLay Eleonora Delpozzo

Media

  1. Video presenting the virtual environment of the Virtual Class “Mozilla for Digital Humanities: an easier way to share knowledge” held by Eleonora Delpozzo within the course of Virtual Archaeology (Dr. F. Bernardini, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, VeDPH), 29 April 2021. Video 
  2. Conference by Luigi Sperti at the Ateneo Veneto presenting the  spolia of St. Mark’s Square (in Italian). Video
  3. Short presentation by Lorenzo Calvelli and Giovannella Cresci Marrone at the Istituto Veneto on the alleged Roman origins of Venice (in Italian). Video [ITA]
  4. Lorenzo Calvelli on the history of the toponym Venetia. News [ITA]
  5. Alexander Mitchell's artistic and scientific artwork on Venetian spolia

Partners

Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici
vedph Venice Centre for Digital and Public Humanities
Centro Studi Archeologia Venezia