Digital Reunification and Documentation of Dispersed Artifacts from Thonis-Heracleion: A Metadata Case Study of the Amun Gereb Naos and a Framework for Future Storytelling and Virtual Interpretation

Thonis-Heracleion, a submerged Egyptian port city of major religious and commercial significance, presents unique challenges for archaeological interpretation due to the wide dispersion of its recovered artifacts across museums, warehouses, and storage facilities. This study addresses this problem by proposing an interdisciplinary methodological framework that integrates advanced digital documentation, metadata standards, and narrative-driven storytelling to virtually reunify Amun Gereb Naos. The research applies this framework to selected case studies, with particular focus on the digital documentation and metadata structuring of the Amun-Gereb Naos. Using international standards such as Dublin Core and CIDOC-Conceptual Refrence Model (CRM), the study demonstrates how dispersed artifacts can be systematically recorded and semantically interlinked to restore contextual integrity. A framework for narrative and storytelling integration was developed, outlining how thematic stories—such as trade, ritual practice, and daily life—can be constructed from the documented artifacts. While this study does not implement these narratives in a full digital environment, it establishes the theoretical structure through which digital tools could eventually transform fragmented finds into coherent cultural narratives.”The findings confirm the feasibility of digitally consolidating dispersed underwater heritage through accessible platforms, illustrated by the creation of the Digital Thonis-Heracleion prototype in Omeka.net. This research highlights both methodological strengths and limitations while outlining future directions in immersive visualization, AI-driven interpretation, and co-curated multi-vocal narratives. Ultimately, the study contributes a transferable model for sustainable digital reunification that advances archaeological scholarship, enhances public accessibility, and strengthens the ethical stewardship of submerged cultural heritage.