The project

The project

The project MUSAS, conceived and directed by the archaeologist Barbara Davidde from the Istituto Centrale per il Restauro [ICR, Central Institute for Restoration], is aimed at experimenting on a supra-regional scale an integrated model for monitoring and promoting the submerged archaeological heritage preserved in museum collections and in situ in order to build a good practice that can be extended and replicated on other sites. Moreover, the project aims at the networking of underwater archaeological areas and Museums that conserve artefacts of underwater origin by implementing innovative technological solutions.

Goals and deliverables

1) Web portal for the Virtual Museum of Underwater Archaeology, where the finds of underwater origin, now stored in museums, are shown by the means of images, catalogue cards, and 3D reconstructions.

2) A system for augmented exploration and reconstruction of the underwater archaeological involved in the project.

3) A network of innovative underwater sensory nodes for environmental monitoring, deployable in a flexible way and conceived for verifying the conservation state of the sites and for locating divers.

4) The definition of good practices to promote: a) the knowledge of underwater archaeology with physical and virtual tours in submerged and subaerial environments, b) underwater archaeological tourism by broadening the sensorial experience, and c) to monitor and protect underwater archaeological sites.

Site and Museums

Baiae (Bacoli, Naples): Underwater Park (Villa Pisoni e Nymphaeum at Punta Epitaffio) e National Archeological Museum of Campi Flegrei;

Egnatia (Fasano, Brindisi): submerged port and National Archeological Museum Giuseppe Andreassi;

Caulon (Monasterace, Reggio Calabria): Underwater Archeological Park and Archeological Museum of the Ancient Caulon;

Kroton: National Archeological Museum e Archeological Museum and Park of Capo Colonna.

The Project MUSAS MUSei of Underwater Archaeology – Protection, enhancement and networking of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (Campania-Calabria-Apulia) – CUP B12C16000080001- was financed by PON Cultura e Sviluppo 2014-2020 [National Operating Program for Culture and Development 2014-2020] from Axis I resources – “Rafforzamento delle dotazioni culturali” [Reinforcement of cultural endowments], Action 6c.1.b, amounting to € 3,250,000.00 (Decreto dell’Autorità di Gestione del 18/02/2016 REP 11/16).

Team

ICR Working Group

ICR members collaborating in MUSAS project:

Carlo Cacace, restorer.
Maria Grazia Corsi,
administrative assistant.
Elisabetta Giani,
physicist.
Antonella Di Giovanni, restorer.
Rocco D’Urso,
administrator.
Luciana Festa, conservator.
Stefano Ferrari, restorer.
Edoardo Loliva, photographer.

Clara Mancinelli,
management assistant.
Anna Milaneschi, art historian.
Roberto Petriaggi, former Director of the Underwater Archaeology Operations Unit.
Elisabetta Prunas, restorer.
Rita Quaresima, management assistant.
ICR Press Office: Cristina Lollai, promotion and communication manager cristina.lollai@beniculturali.it