Page 159 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 13(2) (2025)

the different phases, enabling students to ex- geometry, metadata, interpretive narratives, and
plore spatial organisation, building techniques, analytical functions (Niccolucci et al. 2022; Cas-
and environmental relationships (Mørch et al. sar et al. 2025). In archaeological practice, early
2021). Such reconstructions could be linked to digital representations focused on photogram-
curricular topics in history and geography, inte- metric or laser-scanned 3D models of artefacts
grating Osor in broader narratives of Mediterra- and monuments. These models served for docu-
nean and island societies. The pedagogical po- mentation and visualisation but remained isolat-
tential of Minecraft is its capacity to merge play ed from broader interpretive systems. The digital
with structured learning. Teachers can design twin extends this approach by including mod-
tasks that require students to interpret archaeo- els that links spatial geometry with stratigra-
logical data, compare reconstructions with mod- phy, material culture, environmental data, and
ern layouts, and reflect on processes of change historical interpretation (Parrinello and Picchio
over time (Cassone et al. 2019, 28; Mørch et al. 2023). This allows dynamic updating and inter- 159
2021; Steier and Davidsen 2021, 198; Krappala et active connection of the digital replica with the
al. 2024). physical object (Parsinejad et al. 2021, 72).
AR, VR, serious games, and Minecraft Digital twins are understood as infrastruc-
should not be treated as isolated innovations but tures for archaeological knowledge, rather than
as interconnected elements of a digital heritage merely as visual outputs (Cassar et al. 2025).
ecosystem. Each tool is made for different audi- They integrate excavation records, geophysi-
ences and uses: AR enhances on-site experience, cal survey data, environmental reconstructions,
VR enables remote exploration, serious games and architectural hypotheses into a single navi-
support experiential learning, and Minecraft gable environment. Such environments support
fosters collaborative construction of knowledge. public dissemination and scientific analysis (Liu
For Osor, integration means that all these tools et al. 2024). At the architectural scale, digital
use a common data from archaeological research twins of individual monuments allow the mod-
results, spatial models, and interpretation. This elling of construction phases, structural behav-
can be conceptualised as a digital twin of Osor’s iour, and conservation interventions (Hutson et
archaeological landscape, serving as the basis for al. 2023). What distinguishes these applications Make Osor Great Again: Accessible Archaeology Between Island and Cloud
diverse applications. Such a digital twin would from earlier digital heritage tools is their empha-
ensure consistency across platforms and enable sis on process, as digital twins are designed to
updates as new research emerges. be updated as new data becomes available, pre-
serving the research lifecycle within the mod-
Digital Twins in Archaeology el itself. Digital twins have also been adopted as
The concept of the digital twin originates in en- tools for public archaeology, expanding access to
gineering and manufacturing, where it denotes sites that are remote, fragile, or partially inacces-
a dynamic digital replica of a physical system sible. By hosting digital twins on web platforms
that is continuously updated through data ex- or integrating them into AR/VR applications,
change. In contrast to static 3D models, digital heritage institutions can offer immersive expe-
twins are characterised by their capacity to inte- riences without exposing physical remains to
grate heterogeneous data streams, represent tem- mass visitation (Bertoldi 2021, 1444; Parsinejad
poral change, and support simulation and sce- et al. 2021, 72; Banfi et al. 2023, 176). These plat-
nario testing (Liu and Wang 2024, 1019; Kleijn forms integrate multimedia to enhance visitors’
et al. 2024). When applied to cultural heritage experiences and dissemination (Liu et al. 2024).
and archaeology the term is referring to mul- Such uses align with broader trends in open sci-
ti-layered digital representations of archaeologi- ence and open heritage, where data sharing and
cal objects, sites, anfd landscapes that combine public engagement are considered integral to re-