INTEGRATION OF MULTI-SOURCE SPATIAL INFORMATION AND XML INFORMATION SYSTEM IN UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGY

We present the first stage of an interdisciplinary project devoted to the survey and the documentation of underwater archaeological excavation. The case study is the excavation driven by the DRASSM at the beach of the Catalans in Marseille. The excavation and peripheral work is sponsored by the city of Marseille in coordination with DRASSM and 2ASM association (Association Archeologie Sous-Marine). This paper is structured in three parts: The eccentric archaeological context: at 200 meters from the beach, in Marseilles downtown, we found the remain of an ancient Greek city probably due to dredging from the old harbour. Sculpture, architectonic pieces, amphorae, vessel, etc. have been close to the beach for centuries and were discovered only last year by Pierre Giustiniani, president of the 2ASM. The extent of this excavation (on about 500m by 300m) makes it impossible to carry out a simple photogrammetric survey. The survey process was done merging several 3D sources. In this project we use multibeam sonar data to produce bathymetric data and sonar with signal penetration into the seabed. These two acoustic approaches allow to make a seabed map and to locate important architectonic blocs even yet under the seabed. In this area we chose some place to make a standard archaeological excavation with an underwater photogrammetric survey. One of the main objectives of this work is the artefact analysis and documentation. The survey produces two data types: artefacts registration and 3D models used generally as an interface to the archaeological data. We developed a web information system, fully XML (SVG and X3D for the graphic part, and XML for the database) in order to manage the objects, strongly heterogeneous, carried out of the water during this excavation. ISA-PX (for Information System for Archaeology using Photogrammetry and XML) allows archaeologists to update the database on the web with a visual 2D or 3D control of the artefact position in the site. The first results of a campaign led in last fall will soon be available on the web site http://www.2asm.net/Catalans/