Ontology-based photogrammetric survey in underwater archaeology

Abstract

This work addresses the problem of underwater archaeological surveys from the point of view of knowledge. We propose an approach based on underwater photogrammetry guided by a representation of the used knowledge, structured by ontologies. Ontologies and photogrammetry are used together from the survey process to the graphical results. This paper focuses on the use of ontologies during the 3D results exploitation. A JAVA software dedicated to photogrammetry and archaeological survey has been mapped onto an OWL formal-ism. The use of procedural attachment in a dual representation (JAVA - OWL) of the involved concepts allows to access computational facilities directly from OWL. The use of rules as SWRL illustrates very well this double formalism, also the use of computational capabilities of rules logical expression. We present an application that is able to read the ontology populated with a photogrammetric survey. Once the ontology is read, it is possible to produce a 3D representation of the individuals and observing graphically the results of logical spatial queries on the ontology. This work is done on a very important archaeological wreck in Malta named Xlendi, probably the most ancient Phoenician wreck of western Mediterranean Sea.