Situated on the Danube Limes archaeological site,Viminacium once was the administrative capital of the Roman province of Moesia Superior and an important military camp, established in the 1st century AD. The downfall of the city started in the 4th century, and at the end of the 7th century, the site was abandoned.
The archaeological excavations began in the end of 19th century, and were continued sporadically throughout the 20th century, except for the large- scale rescue excavations conducted in the 1970s and 1980s, that were primarily focused on the areas of the necropolises. The new era in the research of Viminacium came at the beginning of the 21st century, with the new multidisciplinary team of the Institute of Archaeology, introducing new technologies in archaeological excavations.
In order to share obtained knowledge with the wider public but more importantly to protect the site from the ongoing coal exploitation in the strip mine that surrounds Viminacium, a decision was made to open the site for public and visits. Thus, in 2006 Viminacium Archaeological Park was opened as the very first spot on the map of cultural tourism in Serbia, and in 2009, the site was given the highest level of protection granted by Serbian law. In the past 18 years of its existence, each year Viminacium improved its capacities and touristic offer based on emotional design and experiences previous: Domus Scientiarum - research and visitors' center, Limes Park - educational center with facilities that can host 480 youngsters, Adventure Park, Museum for discovered objects, together with variety of workshops such as Roman cuisine, calligraphy, pottery, etc. One of the biggest achievements is the exhibition Itinerarium Romanum Serbiae and Viminacium that so far was established in more than 25 cities throughout Europe, North and LatinAmerica and Africa.
By 2019 the development path of Viminacium has been established and its outlines has been defined. On the base of the previous achievements done in 21st century, it was clear that the future goals need to be oriented towards the digital progress and dialogue and engagement of young generations in knowledge sharing and heritage protection. In the past 20 years, the interdisciplinary team, together with experts from other institutions, started implementing the 3D technologies have now become part of standard documentation that practices in Viminacium, that now has one of the largest digital databases in the field not only in Serbia but the wider region of the Balkans.
Further on, the full benefits of this approach became apparent in the presentation of the site, as well as our educational and scientific efforts. The team know that disseminating the team research and historical knowledge to the broader public and local communities stands as a fundamental aspect of archaeological endeavors. The 3D recording methods and the models and reconstructions that came out of it, allowed the team to fully capture the public attention. Thanks to the development of new technologies and methods we can much more easily the past is brought to the audience. Combined with creative storytelling and other technologies, this proved to be a correct path, one which we plan on continuing in developing the Viminacium.
Undoubtedly digitization allows us new methods of communication with young audiences which in the end is the one that in the future will safeguard and protect our cultural heritage. And since the future of our heritage is in the hands of youth, application of 3D models and digitization in general proves to be a very good educational method for improvement of better understanding and valorization of cultural heritage. Roman heritage in the Balkans project was focused on the use of VR and digital storytelling. As a concrete outcome of the project, an application was developed for Internet users and visitors to archaeological sites. Through the use of VR equipments and 360º views, users can explore various buildings whose reconstructions emerge from recorded ruins. Following the digital narratives, users can test their knowledge through quizzes and explore archaeological artifacts found at these sites. Selected locations are showcased through Virtual Reality digital narratives within an application available online and installed in museums at archaeological sites. In Viminacium VR headset is available as part of the touristic offer.
CoolTour project represents a valuable step in digital communication rather than just digital technologies. We wanted to utilize all available, free digital platforms and tools and to educate people in the field of cultural heritage. Specifically tailored to youth, the CoolTour entailed the development of a digital social platform for young people, through which they would be able to create and share content related to archaeological sites, as well as read a handbook for fostering dialogue with youth using digital technologies, aimed at managers of archaeological sites.
In the realm of cultural heritage dissemination, a new initiative has emerged under the Creative Europe program: Immersium project. Central to this initiative is the development of the IMMERSIUM mobile application, which seamlessly integrates an interactive digital guide through archaeological sites with immersive gaming experiences (https://immersium.eu/).Through the utilization of new technologies such as augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR), 3D reconstruction, and gamification, visitors are transported back in time to explore the rich history of archaeological sites like Viminacium, Stobi, and Emona. The exhibition "Itinerarium Romanum Serbiae and Viminacium" is one of the best examples of promotion of Serbia's cultural heritage in the world, becoming one of the most recognizable brands of our country, representing heritage of 18 Roman emperors born on the territory of Serbia and Viminacium. During last 11 years, the exhibition had its setting at four continents in more than 25 cities around the world, passing on the knowledge that scientists in Serbia have achieved.The exhibition also visited the Colosseum Archaeological Park in 2023, when it was visited by more than 50,000 visitors from all over the world, in just two months.The exhibition consists of 18 heads of emperors born in Serbia and a model of the Roman city of Viminacium and the legionary camp at Viminacium. It was done on the basis of multi-year multidisciplinary research of the ancient city and the legion camp, mostly based on geophysical results research.
Reconstructed 3D models and reconstructions. These models, together with the excavation and research data, allowed us to start creating the reconstructions of the excavated areas, features, structures and discoveries. At the end of 2023 the remains of a very special object - a triumphal gate were discovered. Almost immediately, based on the measurements and known analogies (together with external experts), work on the reconstruction and 3D modeling began. The result was a 3D model which, in the end, was printed.
Viminacium Virtual Tour: Pushing the boundaries further, 2019 witnessed the debut of yet another multimedia marvel: the Viminacium 3D application. This dynamic platform not only showcased the modern and ancient structures of the park but also offered immersive narratives guided by virtual companions, granting visitors a comprehensive 360º view of every facet of the park's landscape and heritage.
Intensive coordinated development of science, technology, and culture at the Institute of Archaeology started in 2003. By 2017, and especially in 2019, it gained full potential, particularly in the realm of international cooperation. Many projects are the result of collaborative international efforts supported through various EU grants: Roman Heritage in the Balkans 2019 and 2021 (Western Balkans Fund), Immersium 2021- 2022 (Creative Europe),Cooltour 2022-2024 (Erasmus+).
In 2019, the Viminacium Virtual Tour was created, available on the park's website, and proved to be a very important tool for communication during the COVID pandemic when the majority of the public was forced to follow cultural content exclusively online.
Finally, 3D modeling and reconstructions have been successfully applied in archaeological research in recent years, with almost every archaeological discovery immediately followed by its reconstruction. Based on the application of new technologies such as ground- penetrating radar and photogrammetry, the ideal reconstruction of the Viminacium city and military camp has been created. Additionally, 18 busts of Roman emperors born on the territory of modern-day Serbia were prepared for an exhibition, which last year was set up in Italy at one of the most renowned world heritage sites - the Archaeological Park Colosseum, which is visited yearly by 7,000,000 tourists from all over the world. The exhibition itself was visited by 50,000 people in just two months.
