A GIS for mapping and studying the exploitation and use of the stone resources of the Regio X – Venetia et Histria

In recent years, the Department of Cultural Heritage in collaboration with the Department of Geosciences of the University of Padua has been conducting a research project on the exploitation and use of the stone resources of the Regio X – Venetia et Histria in the Roman Age. The project involves the archaeometrical study of samples taken from Roman buildings and artefacts from the urban centers of the region to determine the lithotypes used and their provenance, and the mapping and analysis of the quarries exploited in historical times. Over the years, a large amount of both archaeological and geological and archaeometric data has been collected, which were firstly inserted in a database connected to a Geographic Information System published by Previato and Zara in ASMOSIA XI Proceedings. In the last months a more complex GIS project was realized by using the open source software QGIS. The GIS structure permits to integrate and relate data from different sources. It contains georeferenced information on historical quarries, and on the geological features of the outcropping rocks. In addition, it includes the results of archaeometric analyses conducted on stone samples taken in the quarries but also from buildings and artefacts from archaeological contexts, making it possible to connect them to their basin of origin. Through the integration of geological data and the results of sample analyses, the GIS makes it possible to reconstruct the exploitation dynamics of stone resources, identify connections between quarries and sites of use, and map trade routes or possible supply routes for stone. Furthermore, it offers a useful tool for spatial analysis and visualization of information related to the distribution and use of stones, contributing to the understanding of the processes of selection, extraction and transport of resources in ancient periods. This poster aims to present the potential of the GIS structure, which is intended as a multidisciplinary research tool that combines historical, geological and archaeometric data. The project foresees that the GIS will be made freely available online in the future, thus becoming a useful tool for other scholars interested in conducting both historical and geological studies.