SISTEMI INTEGRATI PER LO STUDIO E LA VALORIZZAZIONE DEI PAESAGGI COSTIERI E SUBACQUEI DELLA PUGLIA. IL PROGETTO MAREA

This paper presents the main results of the M.AR.E.A. project ‒ Integrated Systems for the Study and Enhancement of Coastal and Underwater Sites: Mediterranean, Archaeology, Ethnography, Environment ‒ funded by the European Union–NextGenerationEU within the framework of Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the CHANGES Foundation. The project was developed through a partnership involving the University of Foggia, the University of Salento, and Topografia S.r.l. Adopting a diachronic and multidisciplinary approach, the sea is interpreted not merely as a geographical backdrop, but as a historical agent capable of shaping settlement, economic, cultural, and symbolic processes. Research conducted along the Apulian coast, from the Tremiti Islands to Salento and the Mar Piccolo of Taranto, integrated archaeological investigations, palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, geophysical surveys, topographic and photogrammetric recording, 3D modelling, and GIS. Particular attention was devoted to coastal transformations, ports and landing places, shipwrecks, and maritime sanctuaries. The project also promoted participatory initiatives, coastal and underwater itineraries, and a WebGIS, proposing an integrated model for the protection and sustainable enjoyment of Apulia’s maritime heritage.