Current Research in Carnuntum

The State of Lower Austria and Danube University Krems have been collaborating for some time through the Center for Museum Collection Sciences in various areas of collection documentation, collection care, and collection-related research. As part of the “Digital Cultural Heritage” funding program of the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Public Service, and Sports, a project focusing on 3D digitization in the field of archaeology has been underway since 2024. Through the collaboration with the University of Continuing Education Krems, the goal is specifically to expand capacities in the areas of 3D digitization and the processing of the generated 3D object data.

Through the EU campaign “Twin It! 3D,” the ministries of culture of the member states, together with selected national cultural institutions, are championing the 3D digitization of European cultural monuments. The campaign aims to help better document Europe’s cultural heritage through the creation of 3D models and to preserve it for future generations. In each EU member state, listed historic sites were identified for three-dimensional digitization that are representative of that country’s cultural heritage. For Austria’s contribution, the Heidentor in Petronell-Carnuntum was selected for 3D digitization through a funding competition organized by the BMKÖS. The structure is owned by the State of Lower Austria and is managed by the Department of Art and Culture, Carnuntum Branch. The project presents four 3D models of the Heidentor: a model of its current condition, a reconstructed model from the time of its construction in Roman times, and two additional models from historical periods documenting its deterioration and initial restoration efforts.

While the proven polychromatic nature of ancient stone monuments in the Mediterranean region has increasingly entered the public consciousness, little data is available on the situation in the Roman provinces. This project therefore aims to conduct a comprehensive study of the polychromy of Roman-era stone artifacts (primarily sculptures and architectural elements) in the Noric-Pannonian region. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, aspects such as polychromy as a design element, ancient color symbolism, and the use of various painting techniques will be examined. A special focus of the research is on objects associated with the cult of Mithras from Carnuntum and the Vienna Basin, and on the significance of color in religious and ritual contexts.

The LEGION project is developing an AI-supported method for the automated classification of Roman utilitarian pottery from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Carnuntum. The goal is to enable a faster, sustainable, and reproducible analysis of archaeological find assemblages, as well as to gain new insights into provincial Roman material culture. The project is based on a dataset of approximately 70,000 two-dimensional profile drawings, enriched with detailed archaeological metadata (form, production, decoration, chronology, fragment type). Methodologically, the project combines machine learning with explainable AI and human-in-the-loop approaches, thereby generating a transparent, scalable typological chronology. In addition to classification, LEGION enables further analyses of production and distribution systems as well as the settlement dynamics of Carnuntum. The results contribute to research on socioeconomic processes, trade networks, and cultural identities in the Roman province.