Abstract
Etruscan rock-cut tombs with decorated facades are phenomenon located only in area of inland southern Etruria, now province of Viterbo and Grossetto, Italy. In comparison to famous tombs of Tarquinia with their splendid frescoes and that of Cerveteri with their monumental tumuli, rock-cut tombs don't get so much attention of public and also of academics.
Facades suffer from heavy erosion caused by water and vegetation. Not only is their surface abraded, also bedrocks are getting cracks and whole blocks of bedrocks are falling down, so it is right time to find a tool that can record them in simple, fast and cheap way.
Photogrammetry in this case is a very good instrument for study of rock surfaces, especially relief decoration and rock-cut inscriptions. In my thesis I work on two cases of study and I want to shortly describe the process of using photogrammetry in creation of 3D models step by step on following two examples.
First case of study is 3D model of facade of the so-called Doric Tombs (Tombe Doriche) from necropolis of Norchia, where part of left frontone is broken off and lies on the ground in front of tombs covered in vegetation and another part is on display in Archeological museum in Florence - this case presents 3D modeling as an easy way to put together scattered parts of monuments. Second case of study is facade of so-called Siren Tomb (Tomba della Sirena) from necropolis of Sovana.
Here is presented virtual reconstruction of hypothetical original look of tomb facade. Virtual reconstruction is not only a digital replica of a physical object, but includes the study of all the available information on the archaeological monument in order to re-create its original state.
That demands study of all relevant bibliography and analogical iconographical sources, in this case mostly Etruscan decorated cinerary urns and sarcophagy.