Looking to the Future, Caring for the Past. Preventive Archaeology in Theory and Practice

The volume focuses on non-invasive investigation methods in preventive archaeology and stems from the experience of two Erasmus Intensive Programmes coordinated by the University of Bologna (2012–2014), which established a broad partnership of European universities and research institutions. It provides a comprehensive analysis of preventive archaeology in Europe, covering regulations, procedures, and operational practices. Contributions include previously unpublished data from geophysical and aerial surveys across multiple contexts, addressing issues related to both abandoned ancient sites and continuously occupied sites. Bringing together contributions from leading experts and emerging researchers, the volume offers an integrated overview of methodological approaches and non-invasive techniques, highlighting good practices for research, site evaluation, and teaching. The coordination of the project, the inclusion of original data in several contributions, and the integration of multiple case studies make this work comparable to a monograph in terms of scientific contribution and scope; the contributions authored by the coordinator represent approximately one third of the volume.