The San Vitale church, constructed in the sixth century, has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. When sunlight passed through the intricate colored windows, casting its luminance upon the renowned mosaics depicting Christian iconography that adorn the interior walls and ceilings, it engendered an ambiance distinct from the experience we are familiar with today. 

Unfortunately, the stained glass windows have fallen to the ground and nothing remains of the original supporting structure, which could have been made of wood like other churches in Ravenna or, more likely, in plaster like Byzantine churches on the eastern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea.

Recently, archaeologists have recovered the fragments of these stained glass windows. These disks are a unicum in Italy, while similar findings dated back to the sixth century are known in Egypt and the Middle East.

Currently, the original disks are reconstructed entirely by hand in a jigsaw-like fashion, by comparing the color and shape of each fragment to check if they match. This process is notoriously tedious and time-consuming. Therefore, being able to automate this process at least partially would significantly simplify the work of conservators, helping them to document and preserve the historical heritage of the Church of San Vitale.