Geo-referenced Digital Archives for the History of Spectacle: The Experiences of ECADi and DISME

The scientific community has long been concerned about the usefulness of the Scientific Geographical Laboratories within the Italian universities and research institutes, and their contribution in terms of teaching and third mission for all those disciplines where spatial data are integral to research. In 2022, the SAGAS Department in Florence launched the transdisciplinary project Cultural Heritage. Study, Management and Enhancement of the Cultural Heritage of the Florentine Territory (ECADi), which demonstrated how the use of applied geographic tools in the creation of digital archives encourages fruitful collaboration between different disciplines in the humanities. In the case of the History of Spectacles, the georeferencing of heritage-relevant spaces allowed for an original reading of the urban significance of theatrical sites and buildings. It also offered a new perspective on the complex system of references underlying these spaces. Based on these premises, a geo-referenced digital database was created for the PRIN 2022 project Performing Arts and Digital Humanities: A Mapping of the Dissemination of the Italian Model of Spectacle in 18^th Century Europe (DISME). The database significantly supports the investigation of the Italian performance model dissemination in 18^th century Europe by tracing the migration of professionals and the spread of performance practices.