Il rilievo topografico in archeologia: strumento di conoscenza e memoria

The application of the Geographic Information System (GIS) in archeology has allowed to combine the historical and descriptive information of an archeological investigation with the data provided by the modern tools and methodologies of topographical survey. This results in an unprecedent level of knowledge of the archeological sites and their structures. In this work the evolution of the survey techniques and the basics of GIS are presented briefly in order to establish the frame of the GIS under development for the Sabratha site (Libya). The goal is to develop an accessible and useful tool for the scholars and at the same time to preserve and to spread world wide the memory of a cultural and trade center of the Mediterranean sea