CaMeRoofs – The Canopy of Heaven under the Microscope
Cataloguing Medieval Roofs (CaMeRoofs) is an MSCA-funded research project hosted at the Archaeological Research Unit (ARU) of the University of Cyprus, investigating medieval church roofs as key architectural, technological, and cultural systems. By combining cutting-edge methodologies with open-access dissemination, CaMeRoofs contributes to advancing European excellence in cultural heritage research. The project establishes a transferable model for the documentation, analysis, and conservation of medieval roofs, supporting both scholarly research and informed heritage management at local, national, and European levels.
Exploring the Roofs of Medieval Churches in the Veneto Region (Italy)
Medieval church roofs are a key yet underexplored component of Europe’s architectural heritage, despite their fundamental role in shaping sacred space, construction technologies and cultural identities. CaMeRoofs – The Canopy of Heaven under a Microscope addresses this gap by advancing a systematic, interdisciplinary and digitally driven investigation of medieval roofing systems.
The project’s main objective is to develop the first open, scalable and standardised digital catalogue of medieval church roofs in Italy, focusing on buildings constructed between the 5th and 15th centuries in the Veneto hinterland. Hosted at the University of Cyprus, within an internationally recognised research environment for medieval studies and digital humanities, CaMeRoofs builds on the state of the art in European research by integrating architectural history, archaeology, dendrochronology, 3D laser-scanning, UAV-based surveys and advanced digital methodologies. This approach moves beyond traditional descriptive studies, enabling structural, typological, chronological and conservation-oriented analyses of roofs as complex architectural systems.
The research plan combines archival and onsite investigations with high-resolution digital documentation, culminating in an open-access geodatabase featuring historical interpretation, 3D visualisations and geospatial mapping. A three-month secondment at the University of Florence will further strengthen expertise in digital architectural survey and data processing, fostering cross-sectoral knowledge transfer and international collaboration.
CaMeRoofs will significantly enhance the fellow’s research profile by delivering advanced interdisciplinary training at the intersection of medieval architecture, archaeology and digital technologies. The project will expand analytical, technical and transferable skills, strengthen international research networks, and position the fellow to lead innovative research on architectural heritage and digital cultural heritage within both academic and non-academic environments.
CaMeRoofs – The Canopy of Heaven under a Microscope. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships (HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01), Grant Agreement No. 101104788 (Start date: 1st April 2024 – End date: 31st March 2026). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Contacts
The CaMeRoofs project is hosted by the Archaeological Research Unit (ARU) of the University of Cyprus. ‘Nice Dream’ Building, 3rd Floor
2 Nikokreontos and Themistokli Dervi street
1066 Nicosia.
E-mail: passuello.angelo@ucy.ac.cy