Reconstructing the Soundscape of the Ancient Hippodrome of Olympia for an Immersive Sonic Experience of the Site Based on Sound Sources Description in Texts

Abstract

This study attempts to reconstruct and auralize the soundscape of the Hippodrome of Olympia in Greece. This UNESCO world-heritage-listed-site is considered the evidence of the Greek hippodromes. Hippodromes used to have several activities from which different combinations of sound sources created the soundscape. To collect sound sources, description in texts of site is sought by implementing methods of the archaeology of soundscape and the suggested criteria of contextual, internal, and comparative certainty for archaeoacoustics studies. The description of these activities facilitates reconstructing and auralizing the soundscape during different phases of events in the hippodrome. The results of the study showed that the information about the activities on the hippodrome, on similar hippodromes of different civilizations, and on similar hippodromes of later eras are rather sufficient to create a comprehensive soundscape of the site. Auralizing the reconstructed soundscape by using current auralization software and techniques promises of immersive experience of ancient sites that enhances understanding the sonic intangible cultural heritage element and the experience of the ancient soundscape. Furthermore, ancient users’ perception of the soundscape can be approached by localizing the sound sources on the site and obtaining the corresponding acoustical properties, providing information of users’ response to the sonic. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.