Digital strategies for enhancing Cultural Heritage: the Villa del Casale of Piazza Armerina Project, from legacy data to digital ecosystem

Legacy data plays a pivotal role in reconstructing archaeological sites and historical landscapes, often consisting of diverse analogue resources that require a multifaceted approach to unlock their heuristic potential. In response, digitization emerges as a transformative solution which offers opportunities to safeguard and democratize access to this heritage, transcending geographical borders and enabling remote access to materials previously confined to specific locations. The paper focuses on the project ‘Digital strategies for enhancing cultural heritage: the Villa del Casale of Piazza Armerina, from the late antique building site to the Museum Collection’. Adopting a multidisciplinary approach, the project aims to gather scattered legacy data, advances scientific understanding, and develops precise datasets through historical research and digitization. The overall goal is to create a web-based digital ecosystem intends to expand users’ perception of Piazza Armerina cultural heritage and provides them with a comprehensive understanding of its historical developments. By enhancing Museum exhibits and virtually accessing artifacts stored in the Villa’s storerooms, the project seeks to enrich visitors’ experiences and promote cultural exchange.