Work

A multidisciplinary and interoperable dataset to understanding the dialogue between humans and the environment in Southern Umbria, emphasising sustainable management and valorisation of cultural and landscape heritage

Year: 2026

Type: data-paper

Abstract: This article presents an integrated digital tool for the documentation, reconstruction, and interpretation of ancient Umbrian landscapes, developed within Spoke 8 (Sustainability and Resilience of Tangible Cultural Heritage) of the CHANGES Partnership (Cultural Heritage Active Innovation for Next-Gen Sustainable Society). The research aims to create a system of interoperable datasets that connect archaeological, cartographic, topographical, geo-environmental and documentary sources within a unified CAD-GIS environment. The proposed system is structured into multiple, interrelated datasets that organize complementary information: geospatial and documentary sources, historical cartography, archaeological and topographical records, georeferenced graphical data, and thematic deliverables. Together, these components form a scalable digital infrastructure that ensures metadata standardization, interoperability, and adherence to FAIR principles. Applied to the Valnerina area, with a focus on the Municipality of Arrone (Terni, Umbria) as a pilot case study, the framework supports the reconstruction of the cultural landscape and the analysis of relationships between human settlement, environment, and territorial transformations. The resulting model provides both a methodological reference and an operational tool for managing Tangible Cultural Heritage, promoting sustainable data integration, reproducibility, and open access. It establishes a transferable approach for future regional studies, combining scientific rigor, spatial analysis, and heritage conservation within an interoperable digital ecosystem. In summary, the study proposes a shared, interoperable, and sustainable model for the knowledge and enhancement of Umbria's cultural-historical landscapes, providing a methodological framework applicable to other territorial and research contexts.

Source: Data in Brief

DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2026.112555

Authors: Paolo Carafa, Niccolò Cecconi

Institution: Sapienza University of Rome

Language: English

Topic: Archaeological Research and Protection

Subfield: Space and Planetary Science

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,220