The CAA-GR 2024 Conference Proceedings capture the spirit and substance of the fifth national meeting on computer applications in archaeology and cultural heritage, held in Serres, Greece. Organized by the Athena Research Center and the International Hellenic University, the conference brought together a vibrant community of researchers, professionals, and practitioners exploring how digital technologies are reshaping our relationship and interaction with the past.
Under the theme Transforming Heritage Research in a Transforming World, the volume reflects the urgent need for new approaches to the study and preservation of cultural heritage in the face of rapid technological advances, environmental challenges, and societal shifts. The chapters span a wide range of topicsfrom geophysical methods and risk management to 3D scanning, immersive visualization, digital tourism, and museum accessibilityhighlighting the interdisciplinary and forward-thinking spirit that defines the field today.
Rich with innovative ideas, practical solutions, and theoretical reflections, this volume offers a compelling look at how computational tools are redefining the boundaries of archaeology and heritage studies. It is an essential resource for anyone interested in the digital transformation of the cultural sector and the future of heritage research.
Part 1: Field-based methods and geophysics.- Être à la temps! The use of
mobile applications during surface surveys in Yambol province, Bulgaria.-
Exploring the archaeological limit at the Amyklaion, Sparta/Greece: From
pre-excavation methods through geophysics to a central documentation platform
in a 3D environment.- "This place is not what it used to be. The
everchanging road networks through the ages on Mount Nif and its
surroundings.- Detection of archaeological surface ceramics using very
high-resolution remotely sensed data.- Revisiting Terpni: Geophysics meets
archaeology on Paliokastro Hill, an ancient city in the Lower Strymon
Valley.- Sustainable, mindful, and reflective digital workflows for
archaeological research in the Byzantine neighbourhood of the Pythion of
Gortyn, Crete.- Part 2: Environment and risk management in heritage.-
Monitoring environmental degradation of archaeological monuments using
remotely sensed environmental observations: Insights from Delphi, Epidaurus,
Olympia, and Aigai.- Geodetic benchmarks: A topic for scientific legacy in
the future.- Evaluation of natural hazard risk on monumental structures: The
case of the Rafinas Roman bath complex in Attica, Greece.- Part 3: 3D
scanning and immersive visualization.- 3D documentation and 2D drafting of a
post-Byzantine monument using LiDAR technology.- 3D documentation of a
Byzantine Church in Kalampaka.- 3D documentation of the monument "Metochi of
Agia Anastasia in Kritsiana of Epanomi".- 3D reconstruction of Thessalonikis
modern public baths.- 3D documentation of the Schwartz Mansion at Ampelakia,
Larissa.- Deep learning-based monocular depth estimation in cultural
heritage.- Limitations of SFM techniques for 3D modelling of archaeological
excavations using UAV images.- Cultural metaverse experiences in
archaeological sites.- Museatopia: A cultural metaverse.- Employing immersive
technologies for successful cultural heritage promotion: Experience gained
from previous cultural projects and the case of the v-Corfu Project.- A
systematic study on the applications of virtual & augmented reality in art
education.- Human-centric emotion recognition in VR for humanities research.-
Technhom time machine. Reviving a spinning mill through augmented industrial
heritage.- Enhancing cultural engagement: Mixed reality and mobile app
innovations at the Acropolis of Tiryns.- Material insights: Exploring 3D
digital methodologies on Minoan and Mycenaean seals and sealings.- Part 4:
Digital tourism and cultural apps.- From archives to dark tourism: Routes in
Athens and Attica.- Evaluating ARs impact on cultural tourism: The virtual
Street Museum.- Enhancing cultural tourism recommendations: Design and
evaluation of the ACUX-R mobile user interface.- Digicult: Digital
storytelling of Aitoloakarnania's fortifications - Evaluation of interactive
apps.- Part 5: Museum communication, accessibility, and education.- Museum
accessibility for the visually impaired: The case of Greece and the
contribution of innovative technologies.- Understanding the perceptions of
Teachers regarding digital transformation in education & cultural heritage
via mixed reality applications.- Modern approaches in museum social media
data analysis.- Headlines: Crafting and assessing a cutting-edge iOS mobile
application for cultural heritage daily news.- Digital challenges for small
museums: The DigiSmALL approach.- Digital cultural apps and sustainability:
Digistoryteller and its potential.- Digital stories for the BIRI collections:
Methods, limitations and challenges.- Part 6: Aggregator-based documentation
and heritage preservation.- Digital documentation of ecclesiastical cultural
heritage: Insights from the NARRATE project.- Open access to the
archaeological reasoning process. The naked archaeologist concept.-
Exploration and digitization of the Pomak linguistic corpus.- Exploring
active learning approaches in treebank development.- Travelling back to the
origins of computer aided design: The digital preservation and representation
of the NUMASURF milling machine.- Every good search tells a story: Creating
virtual exhibitions on the Greek national cultural aggregator through
query-based curation.- Unraveling the geographical maze: Extracting place
information for enhanced metadata enrichment at SearchCulture.gr.
Dr. George Pavlidis is a member of the Speech, Media and Content Technologies Dept. and of the Clepsydra Cultural Heritage Digitization Lab at Athena Research Center, Greece. With a PhD in Electrical Engineering (2005) and the Ericsson Award of Excellence, he has led and contributed to R&D projects in multimedia, culture, and education since 1991. His work spans 2D/3D imaging, machine learning, human-computer interaction, 3D digitization, and extended reality. He is a Senior IEEE Member and has taught at multiple Greek universities.
Dr. Stella Sylaiou is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surveying Engineering and Geoinformatics at the International Hellenic University. Since 2003, she has led or contributed to numerous European and Greek R&D projects, with a focus on virtual museums, the emotional responses of virtual visitors to narratives, and the integration of virtual humans in museum environments. His work spans virtual heritage, digital museology, and 3D documentation of cultural heritage.
