Cultural Heritage and Digital Technologies. Theory, methods and new tools for the study and dissemination of knowledge in the archaeological practice

Over the years, the World of Archaeology has looked at modern technologies of 3D data acquisition and visualization in an opposite way: from an initial suspicion and refusal, it has passed to an excessive and sometimes uncritical enthusiasm. Once accepted that the use of Digital Technologies in Archaeology might not be a goal but the way by which to create knowledge, modern archaeologists must create a strong theoretical basis, and coordinate interdisciplinary teams able to cover all the different phases of the archaeological research. In order to have a both scientifically rigorous and efficient communication, it is necessary that the archaeologists are aware of the features, both positive and negative, of the devices to be used for the dissemination and sharing of very different kinds of data. Among these new tools, virtual immersive environments play a key role for the archaeological practice, since they allow for the visualization and analysis in real-time of different types of data and the interaction with them. The case study of the agora of Segesta represents an example of these new trends.