ABSTRACT

The different archaeological research conducted in Italy in recent years with the help of aerial photography, offer the opportunity to return to talk about the importance of this fundamental instrument in topographical studies and to reiterate some basic concepts. The aerotopographic researchs in Italy, started with G. Lugli in 1938, after a further development from the end of the 2nd World War onwards thanks to the studies of Italian and foreign archaeologists (F. Castagnoli, G. Schmiedt, D. Adamesteanu, J. Bradford), find their final consecration in the last decades of the last century and particularly in activities conducted by specific research laboratories of the University of Siena, Second University of Naples and the University of Salento. The Italian situation at the present, on account of the spreading of systematic aerial reconnaissance, oriented aerial shots and derived studies, is greatly developing. The change in the legislation with the abrogation, in December 2000, of the restrictive and anachronistic “Royal Decree” of 1939 about aerial recordings, which effectively prevented the free activities of aerial recordings to scholars, is to be considered as one of the most significant changes in our field, and opened also in Italy the frontiers of aimed low flights and of recordings of oblique pictures. This led to the launch of a number of initiatives and interventions in some regions of Italy. This paper will try to present a synthesis of the current trends and future developments of the matter.

KEYWORDS

Aerial Archaeology, Italy, Research, Ancient Topography