From survey to integrated digital documentation of the cultural heritage of museums: A protocol for the anastylosis of archaeological finds

The conservation, development, and enjoyment of the artefacts in museums can benefit greatly from the application of integrated digital technologies. This topic is of great interest not only to researchers in various disciplines, but also to the managers of this heritage, the producers of technologies, innovative companies and start-ups, and the wider public. However, it does not currently seem to be possible to identify methods and protocols shared between the actors involved for the purpose of managing the phases of acquisition, definition of data models, management of digital content, and its later implementation. "Tailor-made" approaches therefore have direct consequences on the efficacy of the digitalisation processes currently available when applied to conservation and restoration, and to the promotion of cultural heritage. In this paper, we propose a protocol for the digitalisation of archeological artefacts for the purpose of their display in museums. The method is illustrated with reference to a case study involving very rare artefacts from a wooden throne from the Villanovan Age. Finally, the work is part of the results of a wider project for the definition of protocols for the surveying and modelling of cultural heritage, from the architectural scale down to the scale of artefacts, carried out through public-private partnerships.