Digitalization of the Imperial Ramp and Santa Maria Liberatrice
In 1900, Giacomo Boni’s team demolished the church of Santa Maria Liberatrice, thus uncovering one of the most significant and symbolic areas of the Roman Forum. The Imperial Ramp of Domitian stands out within the complex —an impressive building dating from the 1st century that linked the Forum to the Palatine Hill, providing a monumental entrance to the Imperial Palace.
During the restoration process before its public opening, the Superintendency entrusted Visivalab with the laser scanning of the structure. Our work also included the digitization of the documental archive regarding the area and the priceless statues and archaeological remains that came to light after the collapse of the church.
CLIENT Soprintendenza per il Colosseo e l’area archeologica centrale di Roma
YEAR 2015
FEATURES
- Research and digitization of documentary heritage
- Laser scanning of archaeological heritage
- Three-dimensional model
- Dissemination of scientific research
Project
Project
This project had three phases of digitization for which we used various technologies:
ARCHIVE DIGITIZATION
Thanks to the meticulous documentation of the early 20th-century excavations, we can now understand what the Forum was like back then. This knowledge is crucial since its appearance changed entirely after the deliberate collapse of the 17th-century church, Santa Maria Liberatrice.
Additionally, the study of photographs and archaeological documents provides the necessary background for laser scanning the remaining monuments and sculptural pieces found in its original location.
Digitization was carried out using ARCHEOLECTIO, a state-of-the-art tool designed for safe digital acquisition in high resolution for all types of files and materials.
DIGITIZATION OF THE DOMITIAN RAMP
The impressive structure built by Domitian spanned almost 300 meters and raised 35 meters in height. We conducted laser scanning to digitize the four remaining sections out of the original seven.
From the resulting point cloud data, we generated a 3D model that we later used for disseminating the scientific study, following the monument’s restoration and opening to the public.
DIGITIZATION OF THE PIECES
Among the rubble of Santa Maria Liberatrice came to light a sequence of pieces related to the Fountain of Juturna and the sculptural group of the Dioscuri, including statues of Asclepius and Hercules, some altars, and three fountains from the early imperial period.
Some of the pieces were digitized three-dimensionally with a laser scanner, while others were photographed in high definition from various angles, depending on the characteristics of each of them. Both methodologies guarantee a comprehensive and detailed view, thus ensuring thorough recording for digital preservation.
DISSEMINATION OF THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY
With the aim of disseminating the research and restoration of the monumental complex, the Superintendency organized a thematic exhibition dedicated to the Imperial Ramp. For the occasion, Visivalab created a multimedia itinerary, including an interactive totem and an audiovisual projection, using the materials digitized by our team.
