Application of optical techniques in documentation and identification of archaeological rests: the case study of the Roman bronze rest found in Lucentum

In this paper it will be presented a case study of the optical technologies applicated to archaeology. This case study is centered in the main actions executed on an extraordinary rest appeared in the excavations of the Roman forum of Lucentum (Alicante, Spain) in 2005. This rest is a fragment of a bronze sculpture, and is catalogued as a Unicum (that is, a sample that presents some singular elements with no comparison with other samples, in this case of the Roman Art). That sample represents the only part that is conserved so far of that statue. This paper will explain briefly the main 3D digitizing systems and, after that, will focus in the process of identification and documentation of the rest. In particular, it will be widely described the 3D digitizing process of the rest and the post-processing of the information obtained on it, showing the main steps of the work and the results obtained, used subsequently in other processes.