The EXCALIBUR consortium held its second consortium meeting on 23–24 April 2026 in Sant’Antioco, Sardinia, bringing partners together at one of the project’s key pilot locations: the Necropolis of Sant’Antioco and the Tomb of the Egyptian. The meeting was organised with the valuable support of project partners, the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape for the metropolitan city of Cagliari and the provinces of Oristano and Southern Sardinia (SA) and the Center for Advanced Studies, Research and Development in Sardinia (CRS4).
The visit offered partners a valuable opportunity to move beyond technical discussions and engage directly with the archaeological site, museum collections and conservation challenges that will inform the development of the EXCALIBUR toolkits.
By combining field observation, expert dialogue and technical planning, the meeting helped the consortium better understand how digital technologies can support the study, preservation, interpretation and public engagement of cultural heritage.
Day 1: Understanding the Site Behind the Technology
The first day of the visit was dedicated to exploring the archaeological and cultural context of Sant’Antioco. Partners visited the Tomb of the Egyptian and the wider necropolis, gaining first-hand insight into the site’s historical importance, physical characteristics and conservation needs.
The programme continued with a visit to the laboratory, where partners examined materials and artefacts linked to the burial context, including the sarcophagus and selected offerings. This helped the consortium better understand the practical work carried out by archaeologists, conservators and heritage professionals when studying and protecting fragile cultural heritage objects.
EXCALIBUR partners explored the Necropolis, the Tomb of the Egyptian, and museum collections, connecting field insights with the project’s digital heritage toolkits.
In the afternoon, the consortium visited the Archaeological Museum of Sant’Antioco, focusing on pottery and artefacts associated with burial rituals. The day concluded with a presentation of the museum’s multimedia installations, interactive games, and virtual and augmented reality applications. These existing digital experiences provided important inspiration for the immersive presentation of the Tomb of the Egyptian that EXCALIBUR aims to support.
Day 2: From Field Insights to EXCALIBUR Toolkits
The second day focused on translating the field visit into concrete technical requirements for Use Case 2. The Sant’Antioco pilot visit played an important role in shaping the development of the EXCALIBUR toolkits, as partners were able to connect the real needs of the site with the project’s digital solutions. By exploring the Tomb of the Egyptian, the wider necropolis, laboratory materials and museum collections, the consortium identified the data and resources needed to support toolkit development, including 3D models, artefact scans, conservation data, excavation reports, object metadata and documentation on burial practices.
These inputs will support several EXCALIBUR technologies, including tools for multi-light image capture, risk mapping, immersive XR visualisation, chatbot interaction, semantic data fusion, bioarchaeological analysis and digital storytelling.
In this way, the visit helped partners move from technical planning to more targeted, site-informed development, ensuring that the EXCALIBUR toolkits respond to real challenges in cultural heritage research, conservation and public engagement.
EXCALIBUR partners turned field insights into action, aligning Use Case 2 discussions and next steps for the development of the project’s digital heritage toolkits.
A Shared Step Toward the Future of Digital Cultural Heritage
The meeting in Sardinia marked an important step for EXCALIBUR, strengthening collaboration across the consortium and laying the foundations for the next phase of work. By connecting archaeological research, conservation practice and immersive technologies, EXCALIBUR is helping shape more accessible, informed and engaging ways to understand and experience cultural heritage.