In September 2015, the Archaeological Geo-Informatics Laboratory of PPKE and the Janus Pannonius Museum in Pécs, together with a four-person mission, participated in the Ostia Forum Project 2015 season, led by PD Dr. Axel Gering (Winckelmann-Institut für Klassische Archäologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin), in collaboration with the Superintendency of Rome and Ostia and the direction of the 'Scavi di Ostia', led by Prof. Cinzia Morelli. The joint mission in Italy is funded by the CAP-15 budget of the PPKE and the JPM ArchaeoLandscapes Europe of JAPLandscapes.
Our mission conducted extensive ground-penetrating radar surveys across several large open areas in the center of the Roman port city of Ostia. Over the course of a week, we focused on key locations, including the porticus bordering the southern part of the forum, the southern part of the forum itself from the east, the basilica bordering the forum from the west, the square adjacent to the basilica, and the public square known as Foro della Statua Eroica, located to the east of the forum.
The radar surveys covered both unexplored areas and portions that had already been partially investigated. In the process, we discovered previously unknown sections of wall and additional architectural features that had not been identified before.
In parallel with the radar measurements, our team utilized remote-controlled drones to capture thousands of aerial photographs of Ostia’s central areas. The photographs were processed using the JPM software suite to create three-dimensional models and orthophotos. These tools will help document the ruins and provide valuable supplementary data for our ongoing surveys.
