Research Project Overview and Description
The House of Sereno project, led by Susanna McFadden, utilizes immersive technologies to recreate and study the ancient Roman frescoes and architectural spaces of the Villa of Serenos in Egypt’s Dakhleh Oasis. By integrating virtual reality and software development, the initiative provides a digital platform for experiencing and analyzing the site’s complex wall paintings and material dynamics. The project aims to bridge archaeology and digital art history to offer new insights into the ritual and spatial environments of the late antique Mediterranean.
Research Outcome
The project has successfully developed a high-fidelity virtual reality recreation of the House of Sereno, providing an immersive digital platform for the study and preservation of ancient Roman frescoes in Egypt’s Dakhleh Oasis. By integrating VR technology with custom software, the initiative offers new spatial and ritual insights into late antique Mediterranean environments. The research establishes a significant methodological bridge between archaeology and digital art history, with outcomes expected to include peer-reviewed publications and digital heritage exhibitions.
About the researcher
Dr. Susanna McFadden is an Assistant Professor of Art History at the University of Hong Kong, specializing in the art, architecture, and archaeology of the Greco-Roman and late antique Mediterranean. She holds a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA from Dartmouth College. Her research focuses on ancient wall painting, particularly in Rome and Egypt, and she is the primary author and co-editor of the award-winning book The Art of Empire: The Roman Frescoes and Imperial Cult Chamber in Luxor Temple. Dr. McFadden has held fellowships at the American Academy in Rome and the Getty Research Institute, and she has been a member of the excavation team at the late Roman site of Amheida in Egypt since 2005.
Fund Source
Not specified
For enquiries
please contact at atlab@hku.hk