Submissions

Novel technologies for on-site and remote collaborative enriched monitoring to detect structural and chemical damages in cultural heritage assets

What if EU citizens could collaborate with scientists in the preservation of cultural heritage? Could conservation professionals be provided with actionable technologies, skills and frameworks that upgrade their efficiency? Europe's cultural heritage is a rich and diverse melting pot of traditions, monuments and communities where we have boiled our identity, well-being and sense of belonging. Nonetheless, in recent years, we have witnessed a series of natural and human-induced disasters that threaten it. Improving cultural heritage resilience to climate change and anthropogenic hazards requires a shift in conservation practices towards more holistic ones. The Horizon Europe funded project ChemiNova aims to develop an intelligent computational system that goes beyond current technologies to improve the conservation, analysis and monitoring of European cultural heritage assets. Using a myriad of data, it will tackle structural and chemical damages, focusing on two specific human-induced threats: climate change and civil conflicts. With this session, we plan to present first activities of the European research team and we would like to encourage other scientists, researchers and tech-affine companies to present their work, dedicated to the described topics. By this, we would like to increase the scientific exchange between the project group of 12 partners with all those interested and related to the topics preservation, monitoring, 3d-modeling and collecting data of cultural heritage sites at any scale, from entire buildings to fine collections.

Motivation: Our motivation is to increase the outreach of our project. In addition, we encourage international scientist, companies and stakeholders of cultural heritage sites to participate at and contribute to the main objectives of the ChemiNova project. These are the long-term preservation of our cultural heritage to persisting against the changing exterior conditions caused by climate change related effects as well as other hazardous events.

Target Audience: Scientists, researchers and companies, active in the field of preservation of cultural heritage at any scale, from entire sites to dedicated collections; experts in monitoring, 3d-documentation, analysis and material research; shareholders and people in charge of cultural heritage sites and museums.

Keywords: climate change, civil conflicts, preservation, 3D models,

Session Chairs:
Peter Dorninger, 4D-IT GmbH, Austria
Cristina Portales, Universitat de Valencia, Spain

PhD/Master Session

A crucial aspect of CHNT is that it brings together researchers from different fields and backgrounds, creating a platform that enables and promotes the exchange of ideas. This discussion can only benefit from the input and perspectives of the young scientific generation. Their participation enriches the scientific dialogue with their fresh views and gives them the opportunity to confront themselves with their peers in the context of an international conference. Therefore, we invite students and recent graduates to present their ongoing or finished Master or PhD thesis at the conference. Novel ideas, new ways of thinking, clever solutions, workarounds, and critical thoughts are especially welcome.

The topic of the presentation has to be within the scope of cultural heritage and new technologies. However, presentations that are within this year’s regarded topics, as outlined in the conference description, will be given preference.

The session wants to encourage young scientists to present for their first time at an international conference.

To promote the participation of Students under 27 years of age who only give a presentation at the PhD/Master session, the committee will cover their entry fees. Furthermore, accepted speakers will be considered for the Best Student Paper award at CHNT.

Motivation: Young researchers have got the possibility to present their work in a relaxed, benevolent but nevertheless professional atmosphere. It’s an enrichment for both sides. Speaker and audience can benefit from new ideas, perceptions plus constructive criticism. Finally, the Best Student Paper award of CHNT offer a brill incentive for young researchers to present their work.

Target Audience: Young Scientists, PhD-Students, Master-Students

Keywords: #PhD/Master #youngscientists #beststudentaward

Session Chairs:
Nadine Alpino, State Library of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Brigit Danthine, Austrian Archaeological Institute (OeAI), Austria

Gamification and public participation

This session will explore the intersection of cultural heritage and modern games, with a focus on how game developers can represent and promote cultural heritage in their work. Do Game developers have a one directional approach when it comes to developing a game strategy? Or is there sufficient interaction between the game developers and the target group and the general public? And what role do researchers play in this interaction? Over the last years there seems to be more involvement from scientists in the gaming industry. Some universities now offer game development related studies. To what extend have games become more science-based (the historical and cultural-heritage data-use but also as to the science of how people play games, behavioral studies etc.)?

We are seeking submissions from game developers, researchers, and industry professionals who are interested in discussing the role of cultural heritage in games and the potential impact of these representations on players. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

- The use of historical settings and events in games

- The portrayal of diverse cultures and traditions in game narratives

- The challenges and opportunities of incorporating cultural heritage into game design

- The potential for games to educate and raise awareness about cultural heritage

An important question is also which concessions for the sake of the game (in relation to accuracy etc.) have to be made during the development process.

We are particularly interested in attracting game developers to participate in this debate, as their perspective is crucial to understanding how cultural heritage can be effectively integrated into game design. We encourage developers to submit papers, case studies, or proposals for panel discussions that explore their experiences with incorporating cultural heritage into their games.

We look forward to engaging in a lively and thought-provoking discussion on the intersection of cultural heritage and games at the conference. Thank you for considering this call for papers.

Motivation: After a first session on gamification in Cultural Heritage and the follow-up session last year where we focused on preserving cultural heritage through gamification, we would like to focus this year on gamification, citizen participation and the game industry.

Target Audience: Game developer, game industry professionals, researchers in cultural heritage, science citizen

Keywords: Gamification, cultural heritage, citizen participation

Session Chairs:
Elisabeth Monamy, Archeomuse / University of Bern, Austria
Soultana Zorpidou, Independent, Greece
Bert Brouwenstijn, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam / Research Institute CLUE+, Netherlands
Daniel Stiller, Omgevingsdienst Regio Utrecht, Netherlands

Research Data Management in Cultural Heritage goes Digital - New Technologies along the object biography

Infrastructures for Research Data Management (RDM) and applying the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Re-usable) and Open Science Principles are key features in modern (digital) Cultural Heritage. Nowadays, computer applications, as well as statistical and computational approaches, constitute a big part of the toolbox of every CH researcher, as they open tremendous possibilities for all research. Several initiatives, such as the German National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) – especially NFDI4Objects – or the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), use this topic to strengthen new technologies along the individual object biography. This includes (a) comprehending representations of physical objects as research data, (b) relating them to individual contexts, (c) transforming them adequately into the digital space, and (d) curating them according to domain-specific requirements. This leads to a paradigm derived from the FAIRification workflow: (i) capturing, (ii) semantic (meta) data modelling and qualifying, (iii) applying (scientific) analysis, (iv) sharing the data by visualisation and FAIRified publication, (v) interlinking and integrating data into knowledge graphs.

To support the activities within the before mentioned paradigm, this session invites contributions dealing with various aspects of RDM, FAIR and Open Science, but not limited to:

- applying new documentation methods for data capturing in the CH domain

- applying (semantic) data modelling (e.g. CIDOC CRM) for data qualification (e.g. RDF, LPG, etc.)

- applying new scientific analysis in Cultural Heritage, not limited to natural sciences, geosciences, geodesy, conservation sciences

- FAIRification Tools and Research Software (incl., e.g. small R/Python scripts, “CAA Little Minions”) and statistical/computational approaches

- concepts to share research (meta) data in free and open available comprehensible FAIRified representations

- methods and concepts for integrating and interlinking research data into domain-focused and overarching knowledge graphs

- working together with Citizen Science and their knowledge bases/repositories (e.g. Wikiverse, Open Street Map, Portable Antiquities Scheme, …)

- dealing with legacy data, data sustainability and long-term archiving

- presenting experiences as DOs (Good Practices) and DON’Ts (Worst Practices)

- applying AI methods and tools for CH

Motivation: In the last couple of years, the importance of digital research data management (RDM) has increased in all research fields, including the cultural heritage domain, especially archaeology. This domain is an interdisciplinary connection of both people and data, which can only be solved by interlinking the research data. To create a framework and a network for this purpose, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary (incl. Citizen Science) infrastructures and common standards must be developed and established. This can only be done together using several perspectives on the same research data point and creating so-called “community standards” such as common exchange formats (LIDO), reference models (CIDOC CRM) and ontologies. Another huge topic is integrating Citizen Scientists and volunteers into this process, maybe via the Wikiverse (Wikidata, Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, …) or Open Street Map. This can also be done by sharing the DOs (Good/Best Practices) and DON’Ts (Worst Practices) so that others may have a good example or just not make mistakes again.

Target Audience: The target audience for this session will be primarily the following groups, but not limited to:

- digital archaeologists, computational archaeologists (archaeological computer scientists), digital humanists

- researchers in the Cultural Heritage domain

- researchers from the natural sciences, geosciences, geodesy (incl. geoinformatics), conservation sciences, …

- Research Data Management (RDM) staff

- Citizen Science

Keywords: Research Data Management; FAIR Principles; Digital Approaches; Data Modelling; Object Biography

Session Chairs:
Florian Thiery, Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA), Germany
Mattis thor Straten, Kiel University, Germany
Nadine Alpino, The State Library of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

3D Documentations in Archaeology

In this session, experiences and developments related to the use of platforms such as UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and UUVs (Unmanned Underwater Vehicles) for collecting image and other sensor data can be presented.

Particularly in the field of underwater archaeology, viable solutions for reliable georeferencing are still being sought. A crucial aspect of the topic is the software tools for processing, storing, retrieving, and analyzing 3D data. The primary challenge is to ensure data quality, transparency, and reproducibility of research processes and results. While proprietary software packages have facilitated the process of 3D model creation, they often act as black boxes. Additionally, high license fees create a barrier to entry, reducing the reproducibility of research results. Therefore, we are particularly interested in developments and advances in open-source software and workflows for the creation, analysis, and publication of 3D data.

Another topic under discussion is the development of suitable tools and data structures for working with and storing 3D models and related information. Nowadays, most 3D models of archaeological sites and cultural heritage assets have a certain presentation character: They provide a good visual impression of the object of interest, but for further analysis, most studies rely on derived products such as plan drawings and orthophotos, which are easier to annotate and analyze. We are interested in innovative ways to harness the potential of 3D data for the documentation, analysis, and monitoring of archaeological and cultural heritage sites in the 3D environment. Case studies could, for example, focus on the classification and annotation of 3D models and their linkage with data structures for documenting qualitative and quantitative information.

Motivation: 3D documentation to improve workflows, research, and presentation of archaeological sites, cultural heritage sites, and objects has become established in archaeology.

Target Audience: This session invites submissions on topics such as:

- Complete workflows and case studies,

- Decision/planning support processes for excavation and heritage documentation campaigns,

- Georeferencing and quality assurance,

- Processing pipelines and workflows for 3D reconstruction, especially FOSS solutions,

- Monitoring: continuous excavation and site recording for documentation, conservation, and long-term studies,

- Data management solutions for recorded data, annotation, and integration of 3D data with qualitative data and long-term accessibility of 3D data,

- Innovative applications for the analysis of 3D data for archaeological research questions.

Contributions and perspectives are welcome and may address the aforementioned topics or further enhance established practices and processes.

Keywords: 3d documentation, 3d reconstruction, 3d data

Session Chairs:
Marco Block-Berlitz, HTW Dresden, Germany
Tim Karberg, HTW Dresden, Germany
Martin Oczipka, HTW Dresden, Germany

Bridging Science and Culture: Exploring Multidisciplinary Approaches to the Knowledge and Preservation of Cultural Heritage

At the core of the Venice Charter-1964 is the “recourse to all the sciences and techniques” in the preservation of monuments and sites. This session aims to address the role of various scientific and technological approaches in our understanding and preserving cultural heritage. In the last years the network Heritage Science Austria has been playing a pivotal role in Austria, fostering collaboration within Austria and throughout Europe through the ongoing implementation of the national node of E-RIHS (European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science). This session organized by HSA wants to offer a venue to ongoing multi- and interdisciplinary projects utilizing advanced analytical methods, such as microscopy, spectrometry, elemental analysis and XRF-based methods, gas-chromatography, thermoanalysis, microbiology, and environmental monitoring, to enquire the composition, degradation processes, and preservation needs of cultural heritage objects.

Topics of interest may include: the identification of microstructures; analysis of surface morphology and degradation mechanisms; the study of microorganisms and biological growth; the identification of chemical composition and elemental analysis; the determination of metal composition and analysis of corrosion products on metal artifacts; the characterization of organic materials such as resins, varnishes, and adhesives as well as the identification of organic compounds in archaeological residues; the identification of trace elements for provenance studies; the analysis of degradation products in organic materials; the investigation of thermal stability and decomposition kinetics; the assessment of biodeterioration and microbial activity. Last but not least we would welcome papers addressing the identification of microbial communities in museums and collections, the evaluation of conservation strategies to mitigate microbial degradation and the monitoring of environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and pollution levels, also in relation to the on-going climate crisis.

Motivation: The motivations of this session are multifarious and are connected to a number of crucial topics in the ongoing research around heritage.

1. Interdisciplinary Collaboration: This session provides a platform for researchers from diverse backgrounds to come together and share insights from their collaborative projects, highlighting the synergy between different scientific and technological approaches in cultural heritage preservation.
2. Advancements in Analytical Techniques: The session potentially showcases the latest advancements in analytical methods applied to cultural heritage conservation. By featuring projects utilizing cutting-edge techniques such as microscopy, spectrometry, elemental analysis, and gas chromatography, participants can gain valuable knowledge about innovative approaches to studying and preserving cultural artifacts.
3. Understanding Composition and Degradation Processes: Each analytical method offers unique capabilities for examining the composition and degradation processes of cultural heritage objects. By presenting research on microstructures, surface morphology, and degradation mechanisms, the session fosters a deeper understanding of the materials used in artifacts and the factors contributing to their deterioration over time.
4. Insights into Preservation Needs: By employing advanced analytical methods, researchers can gain insights into the preservation needs of cultural heritage objects. From identifying chemical compositions to assessing thermal stability and microbial activity, these insights inform conservation strategies aimed at safeguarding cultural artifacts for future generations.
5. Addressing Contemporary Challenges: The session addresses contemporary challenges facing cultural heritage preservation, such as climate change and environmental degradation. By exploring the monitoring of environmental factors and the impact of climate change on heritage sites, participants can contribute to the development of proactive conservation measures tailored to the challenges of the 21st century.

Overall, this session serves as a vital forum for exchanging knowledge, fostering collaboration, and advancing the field of heritage science through the application of advanced analytical methods. By potentially addressing a wide range of topics, it may contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding the study and preservation of cultural heritage for future generations.

Target Audience: The target audience of the proposed session includes a wide range of researchers engaged in the analyses and conservation of cultural heritage, from students and early career researchers to advanced scientists and practitioners.

Keywords: Heritage sciences; archaeometry; conservation science; Heritage Science Austria; E-RIHS.

Session Chairs:
Valentina Ljubić Tobisch, TU Wien, Austria
Klaudia Hradil, TU Wien, Austria
M. Bianca D'Anna, TU Wien and ÖAI-ÖAW, Austria
Federica Cappa, Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien, Austria

AI FOR CH: ENABLING A PARADIGM SHIFT IN THE ERA OF CLIMATE CHANGE? Artificial Intelligence for Monitoring, Analyzing, and Reacting to the Climate Change impact on Cultural Heritage

The proposed session aims to explore the revolutionary potential of integrating Data and Visualization Technologies, especially Graph Databases and Semantic Web technologies as CIDOC-CRM, for Cultural Heritage research and dissemination. This integration promises a transformative approach to data interpretation, offering dynamic, query-friendly systems that enhance data explainability. By adopting a common framework for trans-project data accrual, the session will demonstrate how semantic-visual dimensions allow for the exchange and comparison of data across projects, facilitating a unified CH knowledge base.

We will delve into the benefits of these technologies for Cultural Heritage, including their role in enhancing data interpretability for both human analysts and AI-powered applications. The session will showcase innovative ways to infer missing data, reconstruct historical phases, and identify stylistic linkages, all while maintaining a reversible and flexible knowledge creation process.

Furthermore, we will explore the potential of low-code/no-code solutions and visual programming languages in democratizing technology use in CH, enabling professionals with varying technical backgrounds to contribute to, and access, CH data more readily and meaningfully. The session aims to highlight how a streamlined, visually interpretable data structure can foster more flexible, hypothesis-driven research and knowledge creation in Cultural Heritage.

Motivation: The motivation behind this session is to address the growing need for accessible, interpretable, and dynamic data management solutions in the Cultural Heritage sector. By presenting case studies and theoretical frameworks, the session will provide a comprehensive understanding of how Graph Databases and Semantic Web technologies can revolutionize CH data practices, making them more inclusive, interoperable, and insightful.

Target Audience: Targeted at cultural heritage scholars, PhD candidates, professionals, data scientists, archaeologists, museum curators, digital humanists, IT specialists, and experts in architectural representation, this session caters to those eager to expand their use and understanding of advanced data visualization and semantic data structures within cultural and architectural domains.

Keywords: Cultural Heritage Data, Graph Databases, Semantic Web, Architectural Representation

Session Chairs:
Lorenzo Ceccon, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Daniele Villa, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Barbara Galli, Politecnico di Milano, Italy

Digital Religioscapes of Cavernous Mountains – New Ways Ahead in Speleo-Archaeology

In the recent past applications of photogrammetry and terrestrial laser scannings in the Franconian Jura and the Pontic Mountains provided new insights into subterranean ritual landscapes through three-dimensional recordings of rock-cut tunnels and natural shaft caves, their ecological features and artificial installations. As such attempts aiming for high-resolution digitalisation of sacr(aliz)ed places exemplify, digital archaeology offers exciting prospects for revealing the unilluminated: underground shrines cut into the bedrock, sequences of events for ritual practices of past communities and hitherto unseen cult facilities carved from the rock. In combination with zooarchaeological, osteological and textual analyses as well as radiocarbon dating 3D digitization enables an integrated socio-spatial approach for reconstructing detailed sequences, e.g., of the deposition of cultic assemblages and the remains of animal and human bodies.

In this session we wish to discuss new ways to document, visualize and investigate invisible ritual landscapes and their built environments through digitalisation of underground structures and the location of finds. We invite contributions presenting case studies applying digital approaches at cavernous sites and current methodologies including cutting-edge technologies that are particularly suitable to explore

• religious and settlement activites of cave-dwelling communities
• prehistoric rock art and architecture as features of sacr(aliz)ed landscapes
• rock-cut tombs and burial assemblages of grave goods deposited in rocky environments
• ritual activites performed at cave sites (e.g. the ritual deposition of human/animal remains or votive offerings).

By focusing on digital religioscapes as cultural landscape inventories we wish to promote new ways for a better understanding of subterranean sacr(aliz)ed places and raise the following questions: What kind of digital technology is both applicable and appropriate to create digital religioscapes under specific circumstances? How can digital approaches support us in rendering sensorial experiences and reconstructing religious practices of past communities? Which strategies for the visualization of ritual landscapes is offered through digital data?

Motivation: We wish to promote the documentation and reconstruction of subterranean archaeological sites, which are often tremendously threatened through illicit digging. Therefore, this session aims to create a new platform for the presentation of case studies applying state-of-the-art technologies and to support both the exchange of expert knowledge and the initiation of future collaborative projects.

Target Audience: (geo)archaeologists, speleologists, cultural heritage and monument conservators, architects, students of (geo)archaeology, conservation and restoration scienes

Keywords: digital archaeology, digital religioscapes, speleo-archaeology, 3D laserscanning, photogrammetry

Session Chairs:
Julia M Koch, University of Giessen, Institute of Classics, Department of Classical Archaeology, Germany
Timo Seregély, University of Bamberg, Institute for Archaeology, Heritage Conservation Studies and Art History, Department of Prehistoric and Protohistoric Archaeology, Germany
Rainer M Czichon, University of Uşak, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Archaeology, Turkey

Inventories for Cultural Landscapes

Inventories for Cultural Landscapes

With this session we are aiming to foster advancements in documentation, research and management of cultural landscape inventories, as they are imperative for conservation of both cultural and natural heritage sites. Such sessions provide a platform for researchers to present their innovative approaches, particularly those leveraging new technologies, to address the complexities of inventorying these landscapes and heritage.

Inventories play a pivotal role in the management, encompassing elements such as architectural structures, archaeological remains and intangible heritage. By convening a session dedicated to inventories, researchers can showcase their methodologies for thorough documentation and communication, ensuring that no aspect of cultural significance is overlooked.

ew technologies and their integration offer unprecedented opportunities to enhance inventory processes. LiDAR, photogrammetry, and geospatial solutions allow for the rapid and accurate capture of data, facilitating detailed analyses and visualization of cultural landscapes. Researchers can demonstrate how these technologies streamline inventory efforts, enabling more efficient management and conservation strategies.

Furthermore, the session provides a forum for discussing the challenges and best practices associated with inventorying cultural landscapes. By sharing experiences and lessons learned, researchers can collaboratively develop innovative solutions to common obstacles, such as data management, accessibility, stakeholder engagement, and more general dissemination. Integration of such tools in third party uses like tourism etc. showing the sustainability and multiplier factor of such methods and technologies.

Importantly, the utilization of new technologies in inventorying cultural landscapes promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and offers opportunities for citizen science. Researchers from fields such as archaeology, architecture, ecology, geography, and computer science can contribute their expertise to develop comprehensive inventory frameworks that consider both cultural and natural heritage aspects.

By inviting researchers we want to contribute to the development of robust inventory methodologies, showcasing new technologies that underpin effective management and conservation practices, ensuring the preservation of our heritage for future generations.

Motivation: The Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut region is of outstanding universal value. The cultural landscape was inscribed on the UNECSO World Heritage List in 1997 as a site of millennia-old industrial culture and the scene of pioneering archaeological research, as well as the unique Alpine natural landscape. It was thus one of the first to benefit from the long-term conservation of the instruments of the World Heritage Convention under this designation.

The management of cultural landscapes poses a particular challenge. The increasingly dynamic changes in the region have been met with new World Heritage Site Management since 2023. In order to do justice to the multi-layered task of coordinating all the topics set out in the management plan completed in 2021 in a targeted manner, there is an urgent need for an instrument that summarises the elements of the cultural landscape. As part of a project in cooperation with the Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut World Heritage Management, relevant stakeholders and universities, a cultural landscape inventory adapted to the challenges of managing the World Heritage site is to be created over the next few years.

The aim of the session is to promote an exchange with experts in the field of cultural landscape recording and inventorying.

Target Audience: Researchers in the fields of archaeology, architecture, ecology, geography, and computer science in particular

But also managers, representatives of authorities and interest groups involved in the preservation and maintenance of cultural landscapes

Keywords: Cultural Landscape Inventories, Cultural Heritage Management, Documentation of Cultural Landscapes

Session Chairs:
Ulrike Herbig, TU Wien, Austria
Bernd Paulowitz, Welterbemanagement Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut, Austria

Create, develop, and delegate, experiences from the liquid scenario of Artificial Intelligence for Cultural Heritage

The last few years have led to speed up the development of software solutions based on Artificial Intelligence. Its application has reached a strong presence in all the media, often with more sensationalistic than consistent and scientific approaches. This process seems to repropose a certain sequence that happened more than once in the past century, where the introduction of innovative technologies restructured the market and the general approach to graphics, representation, communication, etc… Thus, the extremely fast evolution of AI scenario offers continuous new possibilities and challenges to Cultural Heritage in all its declinations. From image and data processing to image generation to solving complex systems of clues and evidence, supporting and delegating human decisions. The inclusion of “AI-based” solutions is, and will be in the near future, a constant in any innovative field and research. The development of rules, procedures, and interactions, frame a landscape which scholars and scientists have to explore day by day. The present session wants to collect contributions about the use of AI solutions for Cultural Heritage in consistent and key roles. It means not just applications in which AI has a side role or is used for its soundness, but as a solid enhancement of results and efficiency. Image generation, reconstruction, 2D and 3D modelling, data treatment and segmentation, and any field or scenario based on AI procedure as well as proper mixed techniques are welcome in this session that will try to have a reasonable time for questions/answers and promote the exchange of ideas of human intelligence about artificial intelligence.

Session Chairs:
Giorgio Verdiani, University of Florence, Italy
Michele Russo, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

Cultural Heritage and the new future of new technologies

Many professions risk being replaced by semi-smart algorithms and humans need to rethink procedures and operations that no longer require handwork and evolve their skills to what's next.

What has long been happening in production will also affect doctors, bus drivers, construction workers, archivists and many more. The best chance of not being replaced by an AI is bringing more intelligence, giving space to specific skills, and learning how to use and get real advantages from technologies. This is a consistent challenge for archaeologists, architects, digital humanities experts and all the scholars researchers and professionals moving in the field of cultural heritage and in its creative interactions.

The International Conference on Cultural Heritage and New Technologies is approaching its thirtieth occurrence. It is devoted to innovation, and providing people with a venue for networking and the creation and evolution of ideas.

Session Chairs:
Wolfgang Börner, Stadtarchäologie Wien, Austria
Giorgio Verdiani, University of Florence, Italy
Stephen Stead, Open University - Paveprime Ltd, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Piotr Kuroczyński, Hochschule Mainz, Germany

THE RETURN OF FAIR REUSE OF ARCHIVE DATA

This session continues the dialogue from last year concerning the reuse of archival data. We are particularly interested in the use of oral history and traditions and how they may be incorporated with excavation material. The archaeological research community was an early adopter of digital tools for data acquisition, organisation, analysis, and presentation of research results of individual projects. (Richards 2022). As several projects have shown, digital data can be shared, but how can that data be used? To address those questions, principles and ontologies have been created and are ready to be applied.

One concept is FAIR data. FAIR data is data which meets the principles of Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability (FAIR). The acronym and principles were defined in the journal Scientific Data in 2016.

Keywords: CIDOC CRM, FAIR, CRMarchaeo

Session Chairs:
Jane Jansen, Arkeologerna - Intrasis, Sweden
Stephen Stead, Open University - Paveprime Ltd, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM) - Preservation through digitization

The 60th anniversary of the Charter of Venice prompts a critical reflection on the challenges facing the preservation and documentation of cultural heritage in the digital era. Historical assets, threatened by climate change, war, and other perils, necessitate innovative approaches to ensure their safeguarding for future generations. Building Information Modeling (BIM), under the ISO 19650 standard, emerges as a powerful tool for addressing these challenges, offering opportunities for the interoperable and sustainable digital 3D representation of built cultural heritage.

This session at the international conference "New Technologies and Cultural Heritage" explores the impact of BIM in the preservation through digitalization of built cultural heritage. We invite contributions that delve into the standardization of 3D data sets within the context of historic BIM implementation. Topics of interest include case studies demonstrating the successful application of BIM in heritage preservation, methodologies for acquiring and modeling historical data, innovative approaches to documentation and conservation using BIM, and discussions on ethical and legal considerations in digitizing cultural heritage. Additionally, research focusing on the integration of BIM with other digital technologies, such as laser scanning and photogrammetry, for enhanced visualization and interpretation of historical assets is encouraged.

A couple of possible topics of relevance within the implementation of historic Building Information Modeling in the cultural heritage sector include the development of comprehensive BIM databases for historic buildings, enabling detailed analysis and conservation planning, and the exploration of augmented reality applications for immersive experiences of cultural heritage sites.

This session aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration among conservators, stakeholders, architects, building researchers, archaeologists, and art historians. By bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise, we aim to advance our understanding of the potential of BIM in the cultural heritage sector and identify strategies for its effective implementation. Join us in exploring how BIM can empower us to preserve and celebrate our rich architectural legacy for future generations.

Keywords: Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM), Standardization, Interoperability, Documentation, Preservation

Session Chairs:
Piotr Kuroczyński, Independent
Yusuf Arayici, Northumbria University, UK

Round Table: How can we make the invisible visible using new technologies? Reflecting on Europe's lost Jewish communities and their lost cultural heritage.

When we talk about lost Jewish communities in Europe within a museum or historical context, we focus on the crucial chapter of the Holocaust.

We invite you to open a new discourse, theoretical and practical, on illuminating and focusing on the happy and celebratory moments of the history of those Jewish communities, their lost intangible heritage including local traditions, gastronomy, music, and whatever else constitutes the daily life of a once vibrant and active community that flourished for many centuries in one place but now no longer exists.

Is it possible to make this absence visible using new techniques? Do we want to give those forgotten members of the community space to tell their happy stories and focus on the character of their existence in peaceful times?

Is it important for a future urban design to include the forgotten parts of history and place them back in the public space? How can we achieve this and how can technology help us?

Can we think about shifting the commemoration of the lost Jewish communities from a closed sterile museum context and transport it directly within to the public space?

Motivation: We need a new framework for addressing critical historical issues within local societies and beyond national borders for encouraging peace, empowering intercultural & interreligious dialog through cultural awareness. New technologies can be very helpful.

Target Audience: Museologists, public authorities, urban designers, digital designers

Keywords: Lost Jewish heritage, inclusive urban design, future talks

Session Chairs:
Soultana Zorpidou, Independent, Greece
Elisabeth Monamy, Archeomuse / University of Bern, Austria
Bert Brouwenstijn, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam / Research Institute CLUE+, Netherlands
Daniel Stiller, Omgevingsdienst Regio Utrecht, Netherlands

Round Table: Encouraging Collaboration for the Conservation of Mining Heritage: A Panel Discussion on Research, Conservation, and Management Strategies

Encouraging Collaboration for the Conservation of Mining Heritage: A Panel Discussion on Research, Conservation, and Management Strategies

Mining activities have profoundly shaped the cultural landscapes of regions worldwide, leaving behind a rich tapestry of tangible and intangible heritage. This panel discussion aims to serve as a catalyst for collaboration among individuals and organizations interested in researching, conserving, and managing mining-related cultural landscape heritage.

The discussion will explore multifaceted approaches to understanding and preserving mining heritage, drawing on the expertise of professionals, scholars, community stakeholders, and policymakers. Presentations will showcase innovative research methodologies, ranging from archaeological excavations and heritage documentation to ethnographic studies and oral history collection, aimed at unraveling the complexities of mining landscapes.

Furthermore, the panel will delve into conservation and management strategies tailored to the unique challenges posed by mining heritage sites. Topics of discussion will include sustainable land use planning, heritage interpretation and education, community engagement and empowerment, and the integration of mining heritage into broader cultural and natural landscape conservation frameworks.

Importantly, this panel discussion seeks to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and forge partnerships that transcend disciplinary boundaries. Participants will have the opportunity to share insights, experiences, and best practices, laying the groundwork for collaborative projects aimed at conserving mining heritage on a global scale.

By harnessing the collective expertise and passion of participants, this panel discussion aims to inspire the development of collaborative projects dedicated to the preservation and sustainable management of mining-related cultural landscape heritage. We invite researchers, conservation practitioners, policymakers, community advocates, and heritage enthusiasts to join us in this endeavor. Together, we can chart a path towards a future where mining heritage is valued, protected, and celebrated for generations to come.

Motivation: As stakeholders begin discussions to prepare a nomination dossier for the registration of the "Eisenstrasse" in Austria, a round table discussion on mining heritage in cultural landscapes is essential. This forum will gather representatives from regions also engaged in mining and cultural landscapes to exchange ideas and plan future collaborative activities. By fostering dialogue and sharing insights, this discussion aims to leverage collective expertise, strengthen partnerships, and lay the groundwork for coordinated efforts in preserving and promoting mining heritage worldwide.

Target Audience: researchers, stakehlder, authrities working within the framewokr of conservation of mining cultural heritage

Keywords: Mining Heritage, Cultural Heritage and mining activities, Eisenstrasse

Session Chairs:
Ulrike Herbig, TU Wien, Austria
Nicholas Clarke, Department of Architecture, University of Pretoria / Heritage Futures, South Africa

Round Table: Sustainability vs Innovation in Digital Fieldwork

Impressive technological developments and unbroken speed of innovation notwithstanding, digital field work in Archaeology has always been plagued by fundamental problems when it comes to aspects of sustainability. Key promises of the digital field work paradigm, such as effortlessness, cost efficiency, reproducibility and reusability of data have remained unfulfilled on a general level. It seems that the quest for ever faster, higher resolution data capture, the sheer speed of technological innovation, and the diversity of digital technologies leave little room to address less exciting but fundamental aspects of digital field work design and data capture. In close relation, there seems to be no comprehensive trend towards standardisation, simplification and interoperability, leaving one of Digital Archaeology's greatest promises, simple comparative analysis of globally distributed sites, as distant as it was before the introduction of digital technology.

Thus, we need to find answers to questions of sustainability in digital field work, such as:

* What are the most promising technological paradigms for archaeological field work?

* Can investment in multiple technological platforms, such as CAD and GIS, be sustained by the archaeological community, or is it time to remove some technologies from best practice, and fully invest in others?

* What kind of data should we need to produce, so that future archaeologists can make good use of them? Do we need to focus on simple, standardised relational data structures, or will the use of AI make data structure irrelevant?

* What are the factors that stand in the way of stronger interoperability and standardisation (and how much standardisation do we actually need)?

This session invites presentations that move beyond showcasing current technology, by providing ideas, insights, and ideally working approaches to the challenges of digital field work with a long-term sustainability focus.

Motivation: The session is motivated by a specific need for resource optimisation. Digital archaeology being the domain of an enthusiastic community that is often short on resources, investments in (often expensive) digital technologies must be made with long-time sustainability and reusable digital output in mind.

Target Audience: The session should cater to all those interested in gaining inspiration and insight into aspects of economically and technologically sustainable, digital fieldwork.

Keywords: sutainability, investment, digital fieldwork

Session Chairs:
Benjamin Ducke, German Archaeological Institute (DAI), Germany
Helmut Schwaiger, Austrian Archaeological Institute (ÖAI), Austria
Peter Baumeister, German Archaeological Institute (DAI), Germany
Christian Gugl, Austrian Archaeological Institute (ÖAI), Austria

CHNT Creative Digital Award

The "CHNT Creative Digital Award" is a thematically "open" call, but must be within the framework of the conference. In this category there will be the subcategories posters, apps and short films. This works will be presented during the entire conference (online & on-site) and the authors are invited to give a short presentation (max. 2 minutes) of their project.

The posters, apps and short films should be described in the form of a short abstract.

If the abstract will be accepted, please send the poster (PDF!) by october 15th, 2024 and bring a printed A0 version to the conference.

Session Chair:
Peter Dorninger