Virtual Reality Web Collaborative Environments in Archaeology

This paper presents the outcome of the research project: "Integrated Technologies of Robotics and Virtual Environments in Archaeology", financed by the Italian Ministry of the University and Scientific Research, FIRB (Funds for the Investments of Basic Research). The aim of the project is to experiment and realize a multi-user domain on the web aimed to a multidisciplinary scientific community: archaeologists, historians, experts in human and social sciences, communication experts. The capacity to load, share and interact with data in the same spatial virtual environment can increase the level of learning and scientific communication. The project is the result of the collaboration between CNR-ITABC of Rome, the University of California, Merced, the Department of Archaeology of the University of Pisa and Scuola S. Anna of Pisa. It focuses on three archaeological sites: the Teban tomb 14 in the necropolis of Gurna, Fayum Medinet Madi, both in Egypt, and Khor Rori, in Oman. The collaborative environment is constructed through a virtual reality system. This allows to create a virtual space where it is possible to share 3D information on the project and to host additional behaviors of the scientific community.