DEVELOPMENT OF A PROTOCOL FOR A GIS RELATED TO THE RESTORATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE BUILDINGS AND SITES THROUGH DOCUMENTATION STAGE

Abstract. The Conservation and the Restoration of Cultural Heritage is a particularly specialized and interdisciplinary process. It requires scientific monitoring and planning and incorporation of skills and knowledge in the academic milieu. Relevant studies programs and courses are primarily designed to explore the possibility of cooperation between scientists (archaeologists, architects, surveyors, engineers etc.). Participating in such an educational institution (Interdepartmental Program of Postgraduate Studies “Protection, Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Monuments”, AUTh, Greece), the development of a protocol for a GIS related to the restoration of cultural heritage buildings and sites through documentation stage was born out of necessity.

Α GIS application including the documentation (geometric, architectural, structural etc.) of the historical complex of Saint John, the Baptist (19th century, Kavala, Greece), while using modern 3D representational techniques (laser scanner, topography, photogrammetry, GPS), and the related thematic information (analysis, archive data) has been organized for that purpose and has been used as a case study.

The main objectives of the project are to give guidelines regarding the collection, the processing and the management of heritage data, to articulate the cross-disciplinary collaboration/synergy and to provide an educational toolkit. The methodology is proposed to be applied to other objects of study such as archaeological sites, individual structures, monuments and sites of different dating and use (e.g., industrial, religious, fortification etc.).