The use of aerial photogrammetry as a tool for gathering information about archaeological sites is recently growing. This trend is guided by the affordability of unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with high resolution cameras. The accuracy of photogrammetric 3D reconstructions is influenced by several factors: from the use of ground control points to flight planning and to the localization capabilities of the employed aerial vehicle. In this work, the 3D reconstruction of the archaeological site of Adulis, Eritrea, is described from planning to data acquisition and processing, with particular attention to the effect of technological and environmental limitations on the mission planning and obtained data quality. The results prove to have a reasonable and acceptable uncertainty, given the on-site difficulties and the purpose for which the data have been acquired. The main outputs of this work, (i.e., orthoimages, 3D models and digital elevation models) will constitute a base for future works related to the development of an archaeological park, accessible to visitors, and to the planning of the activities related to new excavations, such as the resulting materials handling.

The Town Hall of Besozzo (Varese, Italy) is located in the city centre of the village and its first construction phase is dated back to the XIV-XV century. It shows a complex palimpsest which is the result of the numerous transformations occurred during its life: enlargements, super elevations, demolitions, inner spaces subdivisions and use changes. Currently a project has been issued for the reuse of the building which assigns new spaces for the town offices to the northern wing recently acquired. The aim of the research was to provide a diagnostic insight, useful for the development of the conservation project which will necessarily take into account the multitude of values registered on the building. Owing to a lack of meaningful archival documentation, the elevation’s stratigraphic reading and the methods for dating historical buildings proved to be an invaluable resource for the comprehension of the building’s transformations. Cross-referencing readings of indirect sources carried on the building with the results of the in-depth analysis made it possible to rebuild the growth of the structure from its origin to the present days. Such analysis includes: geometric survey, photographic rectifications of facade and inner sections, non-destructive diagnostic investigations, bricks, mortar and plaster chemical-physical analysis, mensiochronology, study of the building techniques and chronotypology which is a stylistic analysis performed both on the constructive (apertures) and decorative (shelves, graffiti, colourings traces) architectural elements. Blending the results of these dating techniques produced the complexity of the stratigraphic reading which has been conveyed with adequate hatching on the rectified images (U.S. – Stratigraphic Unity) while schematic 3D reconstructions exemplify the chronological sequence of the building activities. Individuation and comprehension of the building constructive phases made also possible to understand which were the different uses of each room inside this domestic architecture thus providing the client and the bodies in charge of protection with valuable data for the preservation project.

Systematic studies on Late Islamic cemeteries that integrate architectural, ritual, and biological aspects remain relatively rare, particularly in Islamic countries or regions with an active Muslim presence. Typically, available research focuses more on epigraphic and artistic features. Since 2018, excavations at the Cathedral and surveys in the ruins of the city of Adulis (Massawa, Eritrea) have uncovered 326 Muslim graves: six dating to the 15th and 18th centuries CE and 320 attributed to the mid-19th to the early 20th century CE. These discoveries have enabled, for the first time in Eritrea, a detailed scientific study of the biological characteristics of the human remains, the funerary architecture, and the burial rites of Muslim communities from the 15th to the early 20th century. The skeletal remains were analyzed through taphonomic and anthropological studies. The graves were categorized into various typologies based on their structural features, while evidence of funerary rituals was documented as indicative elements of the burial practices adopted. These findings were further enriched by ethnographic sources and collaborative work with local communities, who acted as custodians of the historical memory and traditions of the region. The results provide insights into a historical period of Eritrea that is otherwise poorly documented. More broadly, they contribute to the understanding of the history of the Horn of Africa, a region with limited data from funerary and archaeological contexts. The Muslim cemeteries of Adulis represent the most extensively investigated Muslim burial site in recent years, providing critical insights into the historical Muslim presence in the region. These findings also allow researchers to hypothesize the succession of various communities that chose Adulis as a central location for interring their deceased, reflecting its enduring significance as a focal point for cultural and ritual practices across different periods.