The conservation of the Cultural Heritage(CH) passes through their understanding (in the extended meaning of the term) and the survey can contribute significantly in this knowledge process with the techniques that have been developed in the years. If the documentation is the first step towards the preservation of the historical-architectonic-archaeological heritage, the figure of ‘surveyor’ also acquires primary importance. A ‘good survey’ requires knowledge of the instruments and techniques, familiarity with software for managing and processing data and clarity of purposes. The training is the base. The aim of the course, divided in theoretical and practical lessons, was to provide the base-knowledge required to deal with the of actual measure and representation topics through a critical, interpretative cognitive archaeological journey in the archaeological site of the Sanctuary of Diana. Additional topics was also the strategy and the possible methodologies for the data management, later upgradeability and moreover the usage, diffusion and web-publishing of elaborated data and results.
The course was divided into three parts: theoretical classes; on site survey; processing of data acquired. The first and third parts were held in Milan in the Polytechnic. The on-site survey was done in the Temple of Diana in Nemi. Nemi is a town in the province of Roma, almost in the centre of the Colli Albani on the volcanic lake of the same name.
The Sanctuary of Diana, situated on the northern shore of Lake Nemi, in an extremely suggestive environmental and landscape context, is one of the most studied and mentioned places of worship for the Latins. The summer school objective, its idea, was to transmit the ‘modus operandi’ of a surveyor presenting the students with a practical, real case and a pre-set documentation, analysis and planning purpose (the roof). During the ‘field’ work, students put theoretical notions supplied during class lessons into practice and analyzed them. The students covered the entire survey process: inspection, planning the type of instrumental survey, time-management, measurement activities, checking data acquired, processing, producing results. Field activities and the subsequent data processing and finalizing period taught them the traditional survey methods (celerimetric and topographical), enabled them to experiment with the more innovative 3D survey techniques (laser scanner and photogrammetry), create a material and deterioration survey of structures analyzed and assist in collecting samples. Once the field survey had been completed they had to face the problems linked to data rendering and presentation. All the stages were carried out in teams and this is also an integral part of the school: knowing how to work in groups so you all contribute to achieving goals and handling the inevitable problems – operational and processing – occurring when you do a survey of this kind with team spirit.
