Abstract
Abstract. Aerial photography was, for decades, an invaluable tool for archaeological prospection, in spite of the limitation of this method to deforested areas. The airborne laser scanning (ALS) method can be nowadays used to map complex areas and suitable complement earlier findings. This article describes visualization and image processing methods that can be applied on digital terrain models (DTMs) to highlight objects hidden in the landscape. Thanks to the analysis of visualized DTM it is possible to understand the landscape evolution including the differentiation between natural processes and human interventions. Different visualization methods were applied on a case study area. A system of parallel tracks hidden in a forest and its surroundings – part of old route called "Devil's Furrow" near the town of Sázava was chosen. The whole area around well known part of Devil's Furrow has not been prospected systematically yet. The data from the airborne laser scanning acquired by the Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre was used. The average density of the point cloud was approximately 1 point/m2 The goal of the project was to visualize the utmost smallest terrain discontinuities, e.g. tracks and erosion furrows, which some were not wholly preserved. Generally we were interested in objects that are clearly not visible in DTMs displayed in the form of shaded relief. Some of the typical visualization methods were tested (shaded relief, aspect and slope image). To get better results we applied image-processing methods that were successfully used on aerial photographs or hyperspectral images in the past. The usage of different visualization techniques on one site allowed us to verify the natural character of the southern part of Devil’s Furrow and find formations up to now hidden in the forests.
Highlights
Airborne Laser Scanning in ArchaeologyFor decades, an invaluable tool for archaeological prospection
1.1 Airborne Laser Scanning in ArchaeologyAerial photography was, for decades, an invaluable tool for archaeological prospection
The greatest advantage of the airborne laser scanning (ALS) technique compared to aerial photography lies in its potential to discover objects covered in high dense vegetation via to laser beams, which are able to penetrate even a dense vegetation
Summary
For decades, an invaluable tool for archaeological prospection. Many and many valuable historical sites were found and mapped using aerial photography; the application of this tool is limited to deforested areas. The increasing use of airborne laser scanning (ALS) data for heritage landscape assessment (Cowley, 2011; English Heritage, 2011) is connected to the rapidly growing availability of these datasets during the past decade. The greatest advantage of the ALS technique compared to aerial photography lies in its potential to discover objects covered in high dense vegetation via to laser beams, which are able to penetrate even a dense vegetation. ALS data often serves for DTM generation. The DTM based on ALS has to be visualized in appropriate way to highlight topographic changes frequently caused by human activity.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
