Partners – TEXTaiLES

The Athena Research Center in Information, Communication and Knowledge Technologies is the coordinator of TEXTaiLES and was founded in 2003, taking under its umbrella three existing institutes (established as far back as 1991). It is based in Athens, with its Institutes located in Athens, Patras and Xanthi. ATHENA RC, has played a key role in the development of major existing initiatives offering virtual CH research environment, storage space for data, processing, and platforms, and has extensive experience in processing CH digitised content. Its expertise will enable the consortium to work seamlessly with ECCCH for the development, integration and usage of cloud tools. ATHENA RC has also the experience to attract users by connecting the major stakeholders in the CH ecosystem, developing scientific use cases in collaboration with the thematic communities, engaging the broader CH community and increasing its visibility. According to the ECCCH report the Europeana and Ariadne initiatives in which ATHENA RC participates will play a crucial role in its development contributing to the identification of competences, requirements, and potential integration of existing services as well as in selecting experts who might work on the ECCCH assessment of tools and services.

Sapienza University of Rome, established in 1303, is one of Europe’s oldest and largest universities. Renowned for its excellence in education and research, it offers a wide range of programs across diverse disciplines. Located in Italy’s capital, Sapienza combines historical heritage with innovation, attracting students and scholars from around the globe.

CERTH is Greece’s largest research centre, with expertise in fields such among others, such as Image and Video Analysis, Multimedia Understanding, Virtual and Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence. CERTH will develop a 4D digital twin platform to facilitate the virtual inspection and remote examination of CH textile artefacts, coupled with automatic restoration tools for the digital reconstruction of fragmented or damaged artefacts. Additionally, they will deploy routing and navigation algorithms for ground and airborne vehicles to conduct detailed scans of complex or oversized artefacts.

The University of Warsaw, founded in 1816, is Poland’s largest and most prestigious university. Known for academic excellence and cutting-edge research, it offers diverse programs across humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Situated in Warsaw, the vibrant capital, it fosters international collaboration and cultural exchange, attracting students and scholars worldwide.

Prof. Agata Ulanowska

Agata Ulanowska – habilitated Ph.D., is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Poland and has held the chair of the Department of Aegean and Textile Archaeology since 2023.

Her research interests focus on Aegean archaeology, particularly Minoan Crete, as well as textile, experimental and gender archaeology. She has been awarded two grants from the National Science Centre of Poland, for the projects: “Textile production in Bronze Age Greece – comparative studies of the Aegean weaving techniques” (2015–2017) and “Textiles and Seals. Relations between textile production and seals and sealing practices in Bronze Age Greece” (2018–2022). She has served as Chair of the COST Action CA 19131 “EuroWeb. Europe Through Textiles: Network for an integrated and interdisciplinary Humanities” (2020–2024). Currently, she is the beneficiary and local coordinator of the project “TEXTile digitisAtIon tooLs and mEthodS for cultural heritage (TEXTaiLES)”, HORIZON REA action 101158328 (2024–2027) and the leader of the project “Exploring Textile Imprints on Clay from the 3^rd and the 2^nd Millennia BCE: Advancing Cutting-Edge Research and Documentation Protocols with Case Studies of Diverse Textile Consumption Contexts (ExplorTIC)”, NCN SONATA BIS, 2023/50/E/HS3/00094/ (2024–2027).

Katarzyna Żebrowska

Katarzyna Żebrowska (PhD) is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Poland.

She specializes in the archaeology of prehistoric Sicily and the Aegean region, with a particular focus on Italo-Aegean contacts and funerary architecture, especially in relation to landscape. Her research interests also include textile archaeology, specifically the functionality of textile tools, as well as Aegean seals and sealing practices. She was awarded the PRELUDIUM 11 grant from the National Science Centre of Poland for her research project “Sicilian Textile Tools from the Bronze Age: Examination of Finds and Comparative Studies on Their Functionality” (2017-2019).

Marek Truszkowski

Marek Truszkowski is an archaeologist and a staff member at the Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw. He is a PhD candidate working on a dissertation focused on Teutonic brick architecture. He specializes in digital archaeological documentation techniques, particularly 3D methods such as 3D scanning, photogrammetry, and RTI (Reflectance Transformation Imaging). His work combines traditional research approaches with modern technologies, enabling precise recording and interpretation of archaeological artifacts.

The University of Oulu, established in 1958, is one of Finland’s leading multidisciplinary universities. Located in northern Finland, it excels in Arctic research, sustainable development, and technological innovation. With a strong focus on collaboration and community impact, the university offers diverse programs and fosters global partnerships to address future challenges.

TechnAI, based in Barcelona, Spain, is a for-benefit company whose mission is the democratisation of technology and its application in areas such as culture, arts, social applications, and sustainability by making technology accessible and beneficial to society as a whole. It’s role in TEXTaiLES is the dissemination and communication of the project, the exploitation of its results are well as contribution in software integration.

NUBIS PC has more than 20 years of experience in designing, building, and maintaining multi-stack systems, with a strong academic and industry background. NUBUS PC has been involved in engineering teams that brought research tech to market, as well as conducting research, acknowledged by refereed publications in academic consortia. Their main role in the TEXTaiLES is the integration of the digital tools of the project to the European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage.

The Fraunhofer Society, founded in 1949, is Europe’s largest applied research organization, headquartered in Munich, Germany. It focuses on innovation-driven research in diverse fields, including engineering, life sciences, and information technology. Collaborating with industries and governments, Fraunhofer drives technological advancements, strengthens the economy, and addresses global challenges through applied science. Its role in TEXTaiLES is the development of methods for the analysis, modelling and simulation of the dynamic behaviour of textile artefacts.

ACCELIGENCE Ltd. is specialised on the design, development, system integration and verification of custom-made robotic solutions, with a particular focus on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). It’s main role in TEXTaiLES is the development and adaptation of UAVs with mounted cameras and sensors for digitising large textile objects

The Textile Museum St. Gallen, located in Switzerland, showcases the region’s rich history of textile production and innovation. Renowned for its exquisite embroidery collections, it highlights traditional techniques and modern design. The museum also explores the cultural, artistic, and industrial significance of textiles, serving as a hub for inspiration and education. Their main role in TEXTaiLES is the use of their collection for digitisation and the dissemination and the project results to museum communities.