Search Results (55)

The study at the Sanctuary of Eukleia in Aigai (Vergina, Greece) evaluates the planimetric and vertical accuracy of Digital Surface Model (DSM) generated by a Hesai XT32M2X LiDAR system mounted on UAS WingtraOne GEN II. The paper begins by outlining the evolution of UAS-LiDAR, then describing the acquisition of RGB, multispectral (MS) images and LiDAR data. Twenty-two Check Points (CPs) were measured using an RTK-GNSS receiver, which also served to establish the PPK calibration base point. This is followed by processing the images to generate DSMs and orthophotomosaics, as well as processing the LiDAR point cloud to produce both DSM and DTM products. The DSMs and orthophotomosaics were evaluated by comparing field-measured CP coordinates with those extracted from the products, computing mean values and standard deviations. RGB images yielded DSMs and orthophotomosaics with planimetric accuracy of 1.4 cm (with a standard deviation σ = ±1 cm) in X, 0.9 cm (with σ = ±0.9 cm) in Y and a vertical accuracy of 2.4 cm (with σ = ±1.7 cm). The LiDAR-derived DSM achieved similar planimetric accuracy and an overall vertical accuracy of 7.5 cm (with σ = ±6 cm). LiDAR’s ability to penetrate vegetation enabled near-complete mapping of a densely vegetated streambank, highlighting its clear advantage over images. While high-precision RGB-PPK products can surpass LiDAR in vertical accuracy, UAS-LiDAR remains indispensable for under-canopy terrain mapping. Full article

We investigate the applicability of visual foundation models, a recent advancement in artificial intelligence, for archaeological remote sensing. In contrast to earlier approaches, we employ a strictly zero-shot methodology, testing the hypothesis that such models can perform archaeological feature detection without any fine-tuning or other adaptation for the remote sensing domain. Across five experiments using satellite imagery, aerial LiDAR, and drone video data, we assess the models’ ability to detect archaeological features. Our results demonstrate that such foundation models can achieve detection performance comparable to that of human experts and established automated methods. A key advantage lies in the substantial reduction of required human effort and the elimination of the need for training data. To support reproducibility and future experimentation, we provide open-source scripts and datasets and suggest a novel workflow for remote sensing projects. If current trends persist, foundation models may offer a scalable and accessible alternative to conventional archaeological prospection. Full article

Shielings are seasonal settlements found in upland pastures across Scandinavia and the North Atlantic. New investigations in the county of Møre and Romsdal, Norway, demonstrate the existence of this transhumant system by the Viking Age and Early Middle Ages. Sub-terranean features in these pastoral mountain landscapes have been identified by remote sensing technologies, but non-invasive methods still face challenges in terms of practical applicability and in confirming the presence of archaeological sites. Generally, aerial surveys, such as LiDAR and image-based modelling, excel in documenting visual landscapes and may enhance detection of low-visibility features. Thermography may also detect shallow subsurface features but is limited by solar conditions and vegetation. Magnetic methods face challenges due to the heterogeneous moraine geology. Ground-penetrating radar has yielded better results but is highly impractical and inefficient in these remote and rough landscapes. Systematic soil coring or test-pitting remain the most reliable options for detecting these faint sites, yet non-invasive methods may offer a better understanding of the archaeological contexts—between the initial survey and the final excavation. Altogether, the study highlights the dependency on landscape, soil, and vegetation, emphasising the need to consider each method’s possibilities and limitations based on site environments and conditions. Full article

This paper explores the diverse array of digital tools utilized for data acquisition in archaeology. This abstract outlines the various categories of digital tools commonly employed, including geographic information systems (GISs), global positioning systems (GPSs), remote sensing technologies, 3D scanning and photogrammetry, drones and aerial photography, as well as mobile applications and digital recording systems. Each category is elucidated with examples of their application in archaeological research, emphasizing their roles in site mapping, spatial data collection, artefact documentation, and landscape analysis. Furthermore, it discusses the advancements, challenges, and best practices associated with the integration of digital tools into archaeological fieldwork. It also highlights the potential for future developments in digital technologies to enhance data acquisition capabilities further, ultimately contributing to a deeper understanding of human history and cultural heritage. Full article

This study evaluates the effectiveness of multispectral imaging via Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), in combination with advanced digital image processing techniques, for the detection and mapping of archaeological sites within diverse landscapes. The research focuses on six case studies located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, a region marked by complex vegetation patterns and varying topography. The primary objective is to assess the potential of these non-invasive remote sensing techniques in identifying crop marks associated with buried structures from ancient, fortified settlements. By means of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and vegetation indices, the study aims to pinpoint areas of interest that may indicate the presence of archaeological features, while effectively distinguishing them from modern disturbances or natural terrain variations. The research encountered several challenges, including seasonal variations in crop conditions and recent land-use changes. The methodology successfully identified distinct archaeological features. In some instances, natural vegetation variability, typically seen as an obstacle, enhanced the visibility of crop marks, aiding in the detection of underlying structures. These results offer a cost-effective and scalable option for preliminary archaeological surveys, particularly in refining survey methodologies and guiding future excavation efforts aimed at uncovering and preserving ancient, fortified settlements in the region. Full article

Aerial and remote sensing archaeology are tools for identifying marks on images of archaeological remains covered by soil. In other words, they are archaeological prospection tools that fall into the category of non-destructive research methods. In this paper, a short review of these valuable research tools is carried out, presenting the way marks appear, and also the categories of aerial and remote sensing archaeology, depending on the medium of storage of images and the type of platform of transfer of sensors. The timing of the emergence of each category is determined and examples of relevant surveys are presented. Focusing on the use of an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) with a multispectral sensor (aerial remote sensing archaeology), their partial utilization is revealed for collecting images in areas outside of the visible spectrum, aiming at the identification of covered archaeological remains. To this end, examples of the use of UAS with different sensors are presented and indexes that have been used so far in respective applications are gathered. Aerial remote sensing archaeology took place in two areas of particular interest in Northern Greece. UAS WingtraOne GEN II was used to collect multispectral images. In both study areas, soil and vegetation or crop marks were detected, possibly covered archaeological remains, initially in RGB orthophotomosaics and then more clearly in the index maps, such as the normalized difference vegetation index, simple ratio, brightness index, second brightness index, and anthocyanin reflectance index 2b. Full article

The decade of research concentrating on the area of Eastern Slavonia revealed an abundance of large and complex Middle and Late Neolithic sites. It changed profoundly how we perceive Middle and Late Neolithic settlements, including space, size and organization. The vast majority of these sites were detected through aerial reconnaissance and satellite image analysis. The observation of the sites was followed by intensive field surveys, which confirmed their attribution to the Middle and Late Neolithic period by surface finds. On those confirmed sites in the vicinity of Đakovo, Croatia, a magnetic survey was conducted on five sites, and the results confirmed the presence of large-scale Middle and Late Neolithic settlements with complex spatial organization and enclosure(s). The most complex remains so far are the sites Gorjani, Kremenjača and Topole, which we present in this paper, where one or two settlements remain covering an area of 70 hectares which is currently in the process of formal protection as a cultural landscape by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia. The special focus of this paper is the application of remote sensing in the detection, archaeological confirmation and protection of the site of Gorjani Topole. Full article

The Italian territory of Sardinia Island has an enormous cultural and identity heritage from the Pre-Nuragic and Nuragic periods, with archaeological evidence of more than 7000 sites. However, many other undiscovered remnants of these ancient times are believed to be present. In this context, it can be helpful to analyze data from different types of sensors on a single information technology platform, to better identify and perimeter hidden archaeological structures. The main objective of the study is to define a methodology that through the processing, analysis, and comparison of data obtained using different non-invasive survey techniques could help to identify and document archaeological sites not yet or only partially investigated. The non-invasive techniques include satellite, unmanned aerial vehicle, and geophysical surveys that have been applied at the nuraghe Nanni Arrù, one of the most important finds in recent times. The complexity of this ancient megalithic edifice and its surroundings represents an ideal use case. The surveys showed some anomalies in the areas south–east and north–east of the excavated portion of the Nanni Arrù site. The comparison between data obtained with the different survey techniques used in the study suggests that in areas where anomalies have been confirmed by multiple data types, buried structures may be present. To confirm this hypothesis, further studies are believed necessary, for example, additional geophysical surveys in the excavated part of the site. Full article

Anthropogenic and environmental processes present unique challenges for preserving cultural heritage in North Africa. Large parts of this region are characterised by unfavourable arid and semi-arid conditions and rapid changes to the landscapes caused by heightened regional development (e.g., urban expansion, road building, agricultural intensification, and socio-political conflicts). As a result, we are facing a fast-paced disappearance of heritage sites in regions that are still poorly understood. Following this, the utilisation of Earth observation data through aerial photographs and satellite imagery has emerged as an unmatched tool in the exploration of endangered archaeological heritage. Drawing on this context, this paper underscores the critical significance of incorporating digital research methods, such as remote sensing, GIS, or cartographic analysis, to ensure the evaluation and (digital) preservation of the historical sites along these vulnerable areas. Furthermore, our study seeks to provide new insights into data management and dissemination, fostering open research practices within North African archaeological research. Full article

Archaeological landscapes can be obscured by environmental factors, rendering conventional visual interpretation of optical data problematic. The absence of evidence can lead to seemingly empty locations and isolated monuments. This, in turn, influences the cultural–historical interpretation of archaeological sites. Here, we assess the potential of integrating thermal and magnetic remote sensing methods in the detection and mapping of buried archaeological structures. The area of interest in an alluvial plain in Tuva Republic makes the application of standard methods like optical remote sensing and field walking impractical, as natural vegetation features effectively hide anthropogenic structures. We combined drone-based aerial thermography and airborne and ground-based magnetometry to establish an approach to reliably identifying stone structures concealed within alluvial soils. The data integration led to the discovery of nine buried archaeological structures in proximity to an Early Iron Age royal tomb, shedding light on ritual land use continuity patterns. Full article

Geospatial technologies have become an essential component of archaeological research, aiding in the identification, mapping, and analysis of archaeological sites. Several journals have published existing narratives on the development and impact of geospatial technologies in the study of archaeology and cultural heritage. However, this has not been supported by a systematic review of articles and papers, where meticulously collected evidence is methodically analysed. This article systematically reviews the trends in the use of geospatial technologies in archaeology and cultural heritage through the search for keywords or terms associated with geospatial technologies used in the two fields on the Scopus database from 1990 to 2022. Bibliometric analysis using the Scopus Analyze tool and analysis of bibliometric networks using VOSviewer visualisations reveals how modern archaeological studies are now a significant discipline of spatial sciences and how the discipline enjoys the tools of geomatic engineering for establishing temporal and spatial controls on the material being studied and observing patterns in the archaeological records. The key concepts or themes or distinct knowledge domains that shape research in the use of geospatial technologies in archaeology and cultural heritage, according to the Scopus database (1990–2022), are cultural heritage, archaeology, geographic information systems, remote sensing, virtual reality, and spatial analysis. Augmented reality, 3D scanning, 3D modelling, 3D reconstruction, lidar, digital elevation modelling, artificial intelligence, spatiotemporal analysis, ground penetrating radar, optical radar, aerial photography, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are some of the geospatial technology tools and research themes that are less explored or less interconnected concepts that have potential gaps in research or underexplored topics that might be worth investigating in archaeology and cultural heritage. Full article

This paper presents a unique case of the application of remote sensing methods in archaeological survey devoted to ancient pre-Roman Imperial roads in the Southern Levant. The results of our preparatory remote sensing research and subsequent fieldwork in Jordan and Israel between 22 February and 23 March 2023, within the framework of the research project entitled “Travel and Mobility in Hellenistic and Early Roman Palestine”, are reported and discussed. Part of this project is a large-scale, systematic research attempt to discover additional ancient pre-Roman roads and to suggest a working methodology for future research. The methodology is supposed to combine remote sensing research and archaeological survey. The project’s first fieldwork achieved several goals. First, the modern methods enabled us to provide a high-resolution capture of the detected features and artifacts, including the courses of ancient roads and the locations of road-related archaeological sites. Altogether, 105 road remains, 62 archaeological sites, and 14 pottery findings were identified; what is more, 11 GPS (Global Positioning System) tracks of ancient roads were registered. Second, we suggested necessary revisions to the previous state of research and reported new findings. For instance, newly discovered rock art evidence found along Glueck’s Road confirms the continuity of the use of this road long into late antiquity and early Islam. Third, some methodological conclusions were reached. For example, a multi-source approach to identifying ancient roads including the use of archival cartographic sources, archival and modern satellite and aerial imagery, and the databases of archaeological sites is still necessary. However, there can be no doubt that spatial analyses and remote sensing studies must be accompanied by archaeological fieldwork, which is absolutely necessary for determining the dating of the roads (by dating the settlement and pottery) and a detailed identification of the road courses (particularly through the discovery of road-related infrastructure). Full article

The identification and delineation, through aerial photography, of the archaeological structures that present temporal resolution, as well as their characterization based on high-resolution LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)-derived DEMs (Digital Elevation Models) are modern techniques widely used in the archaeological prospecting of various landscapes. In this study, we present an application of Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) and aerial photography (AP) techniques, used in order to compute geomorphometric indices specific to the ashmound structures of Late Bronze Age (LBA) archaeological sites that are visible on the soil surface. The necessity of determining the ashmounds’ geoarchaeological description stems from the fact that despite the majority of archaeologists weighing in on the subject, there is still no accepted explanation regarding their initial functionality. Thus, we believe that the GIS-based high-resolution characterization of 200 ashmound features identified in 21 Noua Culture (NC) archaeological sites will contribute to a better understanding of the ashmounds’ functionality and evolution in the heterogeneous landscape of the study area (NE Romania). Therefore, various shape indices, such as the area (A), perimeter (P), length (L), form factor (RF), circularity ratio (RC), and elongation ratio (RE) were computed for microlevel characterizations of the visible ashmounds’ structures. Additionally, LiDAR-derived DEMs with a 0.5 m resolution were used to generate more surface characteristics such as the slope (S) and hypsometric indices (HI). The outcomes indicate that the ashmounds have relatively diverse shapes (an RF range from 0.37 to 0.77; a RC range from 0.79 to 0.99; a RE range from 0.68 to 0.99), and the micro-relief slightly varies from positive to negative landforms (HI range from 0.34 to 0.61) depending on the erosion intensity (S range from 1.17° to 19.69°) and anthropogenic impact (e.g., current land use and agriculture type). Furthermore, each morphometric parameter is an indicator for surface processes, aiding in the identification of the geomorphologic and surface-erosion aspects that affect the archaeological remains, contributing to the assessment of the conservation status of the ashmound structures within the current landscape configuration. In this regard, this article presents and discusses the remote sensing (RS) techniques used, as well as the morphometric data obtained, exploring the implications of our findings for a better characterization of the NC in Romania. Full article

During the past few decades, remote sensing has been established as an innovative, effective and cost-efficient option for the provision of high-quality information concerning infrastructure to governments or decision makers in order to update their plans and/or take actions towards the mitigation of the infrastructure risk. Meanwhile, climate change has emerged as a serious global challenge and hence there is an urgent need to develop reliable and cost-efficient infrastructure monitoring solutions. In this framework, the current study conducts a comprehensive review concerning the use of different remote-sensing sensors for the monitoring of multiple types of infrastructure including roads and railways, dams, bridges, archaeological sites and buildings. The aim of this contribution is to identify the best practices and processing methodologies for the comprehensive monitoring of critical national infrastructure falling under the research project named “PROION”. In light of this, the review summarizes the wide variety of approaches that have been utilized for the monitoring of infrastructure and are based on the collection of remote-sensing data, acquired using the global navigation satellite system (GNSS), synthetic aperture radar (SAR), light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) sensors. Moreover, great emphasis is given to the contribution of the state-of-the-art soft computing methods throughout infrastructure monitoring aiming to increase the automation of the procedure. The statistical analysis of the reviewing publications revealed that SARs and LiDARs are the prevalent remote-sensing sensors used in infrastructure monitoring concepts, while regarding the type of infrastructure, research is orientated onto transportation networks (road and railway) and bridges. Added to this, deep learning-, fuzzy logic- and expert-based approaches have gained ground in the field of infrastructure monitoring over the past few years. Full article

The province of Jaén (Andalusia, Spain), despite being declared the European territory with the largest number of defensive constructions (castles, fortifications, etc.), has few conservation plans, with many remains included on the Red List of Spanish Heritage lying abandoned. This poses a challenge for landscape conservation and the optimal use of the province’s tourism potential. In this paper, we present the early implementation of an ongoing methodological approach designed to alleviate this situation. It takes advantage of data from the Sentinel 2A and 2B satellites, HBIM, RPAS, GIS, and fieldwork that will be applied across five archaeological case studies. It was tested for the first time in the village of Magaña. Three main objectives and phases of this methodological approach were designed: 1. Preparation of an environmental risk chart with which to answer such questions as “How have climate change, anthropic alterations and environmental characteristics affected the state of conservation of certain heritage sites?” 2. Preparation of HBIM models to foster monitorisation and conservation policies for the main archaeological remains and improving their protection based on digital and technological tools. 3. Building a smart tourism app for mobile devices aimed at promoting smart tourism by digitalising and virtualising tourist itineraries and archaeological remains. Finally, public administrations will be apprised of the need to implement a conservation policy for cultural assets and their surroundings in a simple, quick, and cost-effective manner. Full article