Good practice in management of ‘invisible’ archaeological townscapes

Technological developments and methodological improvements that characterised in recent years archaeological diagnostics and survey of complex sites fulfilled the objectives of European legislation and recommendations for preservation of archaeological heritage and cultural landscapes. These innovative approaches also disclosed new challenges for the management and valorisation of a particular category of archaeological sites where most of the archaeological features are buried and ‘invisible’ to visitors. Therefore, scientific acquisitions must be made available to the public in an appealing way and should fulfil expectations of local communities by way of the sound application of innovative methodologies. To illustrate such new approaches we will present the experience achieved in the framework of the EU-funded Radiography of the Past project in respect of the valorisation of archaeological sites and the interactions with local governments and stakeholders. This case study is about facing the challenges of promoting cultural tourism in very remote areas and integrating well-preserved landscapes with the extraordinary results achieved thanks to non-destructive fieldwork. This goal was reached via the elaboration of a targeted management plan for an archaeological park. The plan framed all aspects and identified all actors that would ensure the scientific management and preservation of the site with the aim of understanding the heritage site’s position in the social landscape and of exploiting its potential for educational and touristic purposes. To disseminate knowledge and involve local inhabitants, we developed multimedia systems to virtually guide visitors through the urban environment, perfectly preserved yet invisible beneath the soil. The 3D reconstructions and real-time virtual tours of the Roman town lead the non-specialist public through the research process from methodological aspects to technicalities of data capture and from data processing and interpretation to visualisation and contextualisation. To produce these deliverables, techniques of storytelling were adopted under the guidance of specialists of the discipline.