Visualizing the hidden archaeological heritage within the urban space: anamorphic installations to enhance the historic center of Santa Maria Capua Vetere

The essay presents the methodology and products of the Capua Vetere Digital research project aimed at analyzing and enhancing the archaeological heritage of the city of Santa Maria Capua Vetere, now partially hidden within the modern urban fabric, which over the centuries has encompassed the ancient Capua, the second largest city of the Roman Empire, whose numerous traces are still remaining but unfortunately inaccessible for the most of them. The research produced an extensive GIS database of the archaeological remains in the historic center, which has been used to create interactive maps based on a narrative approach for the valorization. The desire to use the inseparable intertwining of modern buildings and archaeological traces as an element of value for the historical palimpsest that constitutes today's city led us to design a series of anamorphic installations, intended as urban acupuncture operations along a narrative path, to bring to light, first and foremost to the local population, the identity and value of the hidden archaeological heritage. Keywords: anamorphosis, urban acupuncture, GIS, archaeological heritage, digital storytelling