Digital geoarchaeology: new techniques for interdisciplinary human-environmental research

✍ Scribed by Siart, Christoph(Editor);Forbriger, Markus(Editor);Bubenzer, Olaf(Editor)

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 2017;2018
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 272
• Series: Natural science in archaeology
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This book focusses on new technologies and multi-method research designs in the field of modern archaeology, which increasingly crosses academic boundaries to investigate past human-environmental relationships and to reconstruct palaeolandscapes. It aims at establishing the concept of Digital Geoarcheology as a novel approach of interdisciplinary collaboration situated at the scientific interface between classical studies, geosciences and computer sciences. Among others, the book includes topics such as geographic information systems, spatiotemporal analysis, remote sensing applications, laser scanning, digital elevation models, geophysical prospecting, data fusion and 3D visualisation, categorized in four major sections. Each section is introduced by a general thematic overview and followed by case studies, which vividly illustrate the broad spectrum of potential applications and new research designs. Mutual fields of work and common technologies are identified and discussed from different scholarly perspectives. By stimulating knowledge transfer and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, Digital Geoarchaeology helps generate valuable synergies and contributes to a better understanding of ancient landscapes along with their forming processes.

✦ Table of Contents

Preface......Page 6
Contents......Page 9
List of Contributors......Page 11
1: Digital Geoarchaeology: Bridging the Gap Between Archaeology, Geosciences and Computer Sciences......Page 14
1.1 Introducing the Concept of Digital Geoarchaeology......Page 15
References......Page 19
Part I: Spatial Analysis and Geographical Information Systems......Page 21
2.1 Introduction......Page 22
2.2 The Position of GIS in Archaeological Research......Page 23
2.3.1 Site Location Analysis......Page 24
2.3.2 Example: Long-Term Settlement Pattern Dynamics in the South of France......Page 25
2.3.3 Modelling Movement and Transport......Page 26
2.3.4 Example: Modelling Transport and Movement in the Dutch Roman Limes......Page 28
2.3.5 Visibility Analysis......Page 29
2.3.6 Example: Studying Visibility and Movement in the Sierra Morena......Page 30
2.4 Moving into New Territories......Page 31
References......Page 33
3: Methods and Perspectives of Geoarchaelogical Site Catchment Analysis: Identification of Palaeoclimate Indicators in the Ode.........Page 37
3.1 Introduction......Page 38
3.2 Methods of Site Catchment Analyses......Page 39
3.2.1 Concentric Zones......Page 41
3.2.3 Thiessen Polygons......Page 42
3.3 Case Study: A GIS-Based Site Catchment Analysis of the Settlements from the Early Iron Age to the Early Middle Ages in the.........Page 44
3.3.1 Methodological Approach......Page 45
3.3.2 Evaluation of Climate Indicators from Geofactors of the Site Catchment Analysis......Page 46
3.3.3 Palaeoclimate Development Around the Oder......Page 51
References......Page 53
4: Point Pattern Analysis as Tool for Digital Geoarchaeology: A Case Study of Megalithic Graves in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany......Page 55
4.1.1 Why Are Spatial Data Special?......Page 56
4.1.2.1 Natural Characteristics of the Study Area......Page 58
4.1.2.2 Megalithic Graves of Funnel Beaker Societies......Page 59
4.2.1 Point Pattern Analyses......Page 60
4.2.1.1 Density-Based Approach: Kernel Density Estimation......Page 61
4.2.1.2 Distance-Based Approach: G, F, K, and L Function......Page 62
4.2.1.3 Data Influenced by First- and/or Second-Order Effects......Page 63
4.2.2.3 Geomorphons......Page 64
4.3.2 Distance-Based Analyses of Megalithic Graves......Page 65
4.3.3 Geomorphometric Parameters......Page 66
4.4.1 Density-Based Analysis of Megaliths......Page 67
4.4.2 Distance-Based Analyses of Megaliths......Page 70
4.4.3 Geomorphometric Parameters......Page 71
4.5 Conclusions......Page 72
References......Page 73
5.1 Introduction......Page 75
5.2 Approaches to Visibility Analysis in Three-Dimensional Built-Up Spaces......Page 77
5.3 Managing Uncertainty and Error: Probable Viewsheds......Page 80
5.4 Introducing Fuzziness: Ease of Viewing and Visual Acuity in Built Environments......Page 82
5.5 Other Theoretical Issues on Visual Perception......Page 87
References......Page 88
6: Understanding by the Lines We Map: Material Boundaries and the Social Interpretation of Archaeological Built Space......Page 91
6.1 Introduction......Page 92
6.2.1 Boundaries in Archaeological Survey Maps......Page 93
6.2.2 Reading Lines on Maps......Page 94
6.2.3 Documenting the Physical Information that Matters......Page 95
6.2.4 Complementing Lines that Stop......Page 96
6.2.5 Conjecturing Entities......Page 97
6.3.1 Interpretive Data......Page 98
6.3.2 Material Boundaries......Page 99
6.3.3 Material Presence......Page 100
6.3.4 Material Boundaries as Agential Intra-actions......Page 101
6.3.5 Human Centrism in Interpretive Research......Page 102
6.4.1 The Inhabitant´s Perspective......Page 103
6.4.2 Synchronicity......Page 105
6.4.3 What Is Social Interpretation of Material Boundaries?......Page 106
6.5.1 The Challenge of Interpretive GIS......Page 107
6.5.2 Towards Interpretive Data Structures......Page 108
6.5.3 The Interpretive Advantages of GIS......Page 110
References......Page 112
Part II: Remote Sensing and Digital Image Analysis......Page 116
7.1 Introduction......Page 117
7.2.1 Aerial Archaeology......Page 118
7.2.2 Earth Observation Remote Sensing......Page 119
7.3.1 High to Low Altitude Platforms......Page 120
7.3.2 Active vs. Passive Sensors......Page 121
7.4.1 Recent Trends......Page 122
7.4.2 Case Study: Archaeological Object Detection in the Silvretta Alps......Page 123
7.5 A Look Ahead......Page 125
References......Page 127
8: Paleoenvironmental Research in the Semiarid Lake Manyara Area, Northern Tanzania: A Synopsis......Page 131
8.1 Introduction and Study Area......Page 132
8.2 Morphotectonics and Their Interpretation......Page 133
8.3 Delineation of the Manyara Beds......Page 135
8.4 The Paleo-shorelines of Lake Manyara......Page 136
8.5 Lithosphere and Surface Soil Mapping......Page 137
8.6 Archeological Settings and Site Prediction......Page 140
References......Page 143
9: In Search of the Optimal Path to Cross the Desert: Geoarchaeology Traces Old Trans-Saharan Routes......Page 147
9.2.1 Geological and Geomorphological Conditions......Page 148
9.2.2 History and Course of the Darb el-Tawil Route......Page 149
9.3.1 Remote Sensing......Page 151
9.3.2 Digital Elevation Data......Page 152
9.4 Results......Page 153
References......Page 155
10.1 Introduction......Page 157
10.2.1 Hardware Overview......Page 158
10.2.2 Commercial Systems......Page 159
10.2.2.1 senseFly´s eBee......Page 160
10.2.2.3 DJI......Page 161
10.2.3.1 Paparazzi Project......Page 162
10.3.1 Free-to-Use or Open-Source Software......Page 163
10.3.3 Method......Page 164
10.4 Combined Approach......Page 165
10.5.1 Lorsch Abbey, Germany......Page 166
10.5.2 Ancient City of Troezen, Greece......Page 167
10.6 Outlook......Page 168
References......Page 170
Part III: Laser Scanning Applications......Page 172
11: Introduction to LiDAR in Geoarchaeology from a Technological Perspective......Page 173
11.2 How It Works: Principles of Capturing 3D Geodata with LiDAR......Page 174
11.3 Advantages and Drawbacks of LiDAR......Page 176
11.4 A Typical Workflow for LiDAR Data Capturing and Processing......Page 178
11.5 Working on Different Scales: Selected Case Studies of LiDAR Applied in Geoarchaeology......Page 182
11.6 Conclusions: Bridging Methods and Scales......Page 184
References......Page 185
12: 3D Laser Scanning for Geoarchaelogical Documentation and Analysis......Page 189
12.2.1 Field Campaign Preparation......Page 190
12.2.2.3 Registration......Page 192
12.2.3.1 Registration......Page 194
12.2.4 Analysis......Page 196
12.3 Possible Analysis and Results......Page 198
12.4 Conclusion and Outlook......Page 201
References......Page 202
13: Visual Detection and Interpretation of Cultural Remnants on the Königstuhl Hillside in Heidelberg Using Airborne and Terre.........Page 206
13.1 Introduction......Page 207
13.1.1 State of the Art......Page 208
13.2 Methods......Page 209
13.3.1 Contextualizing the Scanned Structures......Page 211
13.4 Technical Conclusion......Page 214
References......Page 216
Part IV: Geophysical Methods and Data Fusion......Page 218
14: An Introduction to Geophysical and Geochemical Methods in Digital Geoarchaeology......Page 219
14.2.1 Ground-Penetrating Radar......Page 220
14.2.2 Electromagnetic Induction Methods......Page 223
14.2.3 Electrical Resistance Techniques......Page 224
14.2.4 Magnetic Methods......Page 225
14.2.5 Acoustic Procedures......Page 227
14.2.6 Other Geophysical and Geochemical Techniques......Page 228
14.3 Examples for Principal Applications......Page 230
References......Page 238
15: A Geoarchaeological Approach for the Localization of the Prehistoric Harbor of Akrotiri, Thera......Page 241
15.1 Introduction......Page 242
15.2 Pre-Minoan Paleotopography and Archaeological Significance......Page 243
15.4.1 Drilling......Page 244
15.4.2 Geological Interpretations......Page 245
15.4.3 Geochemical Analyses......Page 248
15.4.4 Geophysical Prospection......Page 249
15.5 Discussion and Concluding Remarks......Page 251
References......Page 254
16.1 Introduction......Page 256
16.2.1 Methods......Page 258
16.2.2 Results and Interpretation......Page 259
16.3 Case Study 2: Kritsa-Latô (East Crete, Greece)......Page 260
16.3.2 Results and Interpretation......Page 261
16.4 Case Study 3: Kroustas (East Crete, Greece)......Page 263
16.4.2 Results and Interpretation......Page 264
16.5.2 Methodological Synopsis......Page 266
References......Page 268
Index......Page 270