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The Oakley Lecture presents a lecture by Professor Davide Tanasi, University of South Florida. He will be speaking on "From Ruins to (Virtual) Reality: The Digital Afterlife of the Roman Villa del Casale (Sicily)".  This lecture delves into the transformative impact of 3D digitization on archaeological heritage and the global dissemination of knowledge. Focusing on the Roman Villa del Casale at Piazza Armerina in Sicily, it will explore how digital approaches are revolutionizing the perspectives of archaeologists and art historians on Roman villas, their decorative elements, and the artefacts they contain. The 5th century CE Villa del Casale is a paramount example of a late Roman rural villa, boasting 3500 m² of exceptionally well-preserved mosaic floors and a rich historical narrative. Despite its significance, the site faces numerous challenges, including conservation issues, a limited understanding of its later use phases, untapped legacy data, and inadequate digital accessibility. In this presentation, methodological best practices in 3D digital imaging and visualization will be discussed showing their potential to enhance iconographic and architectural studies, monitor and document changes in the physical state of mosaics, and recontextualize legacy data for more comprehensive analysis. Moreover, the potential of those digital methods to improve the global accessibility of Roman material culture, making this approach of invaluable importance to capture a wider audience.

Sponsored by: Department of Classical Studies

Contact

[[jrholm, Joyce Holmes]]

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