Informatica archeologica e archeologia digitale. Le risposte dalla rete

The article opens the special section "30 anni di Archeologia e Calcolatori. Tra memoria e progettualità" edited by Paola Moscati and dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the scholarly journal "Archeologia e Calcolatori". The author illustrates the most recent achievements of archaeological computing, through a systematic survey that starts with the very name of the discipline, as used at national and international levels. The aim is to examine if the distinction made between 'archaeological computing' and 'digital archaeology' can really be helpful in framing the discipline in its theoretical and methodological evolution. From the synthesis made, the dominance of technological aspects on the theoretical and methodological approach clearly emerges. For some time now, technology has governed the three main areas of archaeological practice: field work, laboratory analysis and cultural heritage management and promotion. Two other important aspects are today rapidly gaining ground: 'Communicating archaeological research' and 'European digital infrastructures for archaeology'. Finally, particularly significant is the sector of Digital Heritage or Heritage Science, which today seems to be the focus of all digital archaeology involvements.