An exploratory study on the application of reverse engineering in the field of small archaeological artefacts

In Italy’s artistic heritage, there are numerous small artefacts that are rich in details usually invisible to the naked eye. In the last decade, the need to document and create digital archives of cultural heritage has triggered research on the application of well-known reverse engineering techniques. Despite the applications in the field of virtual heritage, the 3D digitalization and reconstruction of small archaeological artefacts remains an open issue due to their small dimensions and handling constraints. In this context, this paper presents a methodology to compare the performance of two different techniques for 3D digitalization, one using a triangulation laser scanner and one using Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry. The methodology is based on a QFD approach to identify and quantitatively evaluate the differences between the achieved 3D models. It has been applied to the famous limestone sculpture called “Venus of Frasassi”. The main advantages and limits of both techniques are discussed with a focus on their ability to allow the identification of hidden shape features.