Panel: TECHNOLOGY AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF SCHOLARSHIP: SOFTWARE AND TOOLS FOR THE STUDY OF RELIGIONS (Sponsored by ITSERR - Italian Strenghtening of the ESFRI RI RESILIENCE)



440.6 - GUIDELINES AND INNOVATIONS FOR DIGITIZING MAGICO-RELIGIOUS ARTIFACTS

AUTHORS:
Ferrandino G. (Università di Napoli L'Orientale ~ Napoli ~ Italy)
Text:
The paper aims to establish guidelines for the digitization of ancient magico-religious artifacts, particularly those from the Nile Valley and beyond, which are the focus of research conducted by WP10 within the ITSERR Project. These artifacts pose significant challenges, including the recognition and description of their content and the accurate representation of their form. Capturing the intricate information and relationships among the various components of an artifact in a digital catalog entry is a complex task. The use of metadata and thesauri helps integrate descriptions of these components and facilitates data sharing, adhering to the FAIR principles of Open Science. A key challenge, however, lies in automating the segmentation of the artifact's various elements, encompassing not only inscriptions but also symbolic motifs. High-resolution three-dimensional scanning supports the creation of digital replicas, yet fully analyzing the relational complexity of artifacts—such as the interplay between their physical structure and inscriptions—requires advanced technologies, particularly those leveraging artificial intelligence.