Hand Made 3d Modelling for the Reconstructive Study of Temple C in Selinunte: Preliminary Results

This paper illustrates the preliminary results of the virtual reconstruction of temple C in Selinunte. The reconstruction was undertaken as part of the Land-Lab Project launched by the University of Lecce in 2003 for the promotion and appropriate exploitation of the cultural, historic, artistic and archaeological heritage of two Italian regions, Puglia and Sicily, using advanced technologies. The reconstruction of temple C was launched with the help of numerous experts in the field of surveying and representation, as well as art historians, archaeologists and architects, following a fully multidisciplinary approach. The reconstructive study was conducted in a 3D environment mainly using NURBS modelling, Subdivision Surfaces and sub-polygonal displacement. Our reconstructive approach, which might be defined numerical, makes it possible to recompose, at least in the initial phases of the work, all the surveyed architectural elements in accordance with a procedure based on digital anastylosis. The reconstruction of the monument represents a contribution to the study of Doric architecture in southern Italy conducted with the help of modern technologies. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ «And it is now time for us to move on to the second phase of the study; from descriptive archaeology we must pass on to reconstructive archaeology» E. Gabrici, Per la storia dell'architettura dorica in Sicilia, 1935 1. The Land-Lab Project This paper was written under the auspices of the Land-Lab Project (Multimedia Laboratory for archaeological research, training and communication), launched by the University of Lecce in February 2003, co-financed by the European Union in the ambit of the 2000-2006 National Operative Programme entitled “Scientific Research, Technological Development, Quality Training”. The LandLab Project is coordinated by Prof. F. D'Andria, of the University of Lecce and its goal is the promotion and appropriate exploitation of the cultural, historic, artistic and archaeological heritage of two Italian regions, Puglia and Sicily, using advanced technologies. Under the auspices of this project, a reconstructive study of Temple C of Selinunte was begun in 2005, with the aim of using innovative technologies in order to make a specific contribution to the study of Doric architecture in Sicily, but at the same time to use the results of the research to create multimedia products designed for the general population. This double objective was fulfilled by using rigorous methods of study, with a view to obtaining the most reliable reconstruction possible with the quantity and quality of data currently available. 2. Characteristics of the monument Temple C is a peripteral Doric hexastyle with seventeen columns along its sides, with a pronaos, cella and adyton. It is located on the highest point of the Acropolis, with the stylobate at 30.40 metres above sea level. Fourteen columns on the North side, still in the position where they fell, were raised in 1925-1927 together with part of the trabeation (Figure 1).The temple is 23.90 by 63.70 m at the stylobate. The terrain on which the temple is constructed slopes downwards towards the West and the North. Above this base rises the crepidoma, made up of two steps of which the upper one is flush with the stylobate (Figure 2). The eastern side may be accessed by a broad flight of seven steps, exactly half the height of those of the crepidoma present on the long sides. As well as this flight of steps on the eastern side, access to the ptera was facilitated on the North and South sides by smaller flights of steps, traces of which may still be observed on the ground. The flooring is composed of rectangular slabs of irregular dimensions. In the ptera and in the pronaos, the slabs are oriented along the length of the building, while in the front pteron, in the cella and in the adyton they are perpendicular. F. Gabellone /Hand Made 3d Modelling for the Reconstructive Study of Temple C in Selinunte: Preliminary Results ©The Eurographics Association 2006. Figure 2: Plan of Temple C. Koldewey and Puchstein, 1899, fig. 12, op. cit. Figure 3: Terracottas conserved and now visible in the