Abstract
Abstract. In this work it is performed a comparison of two methods for obtaining digital elevation models (DEMs) and orthoimages of medium-sized archaeological sites (500-5000 m2). The photogrammetric methods analyzed consist in the use of a light aerial platform applying the normal case of photogrammetry (vertical photographs and regular blocks), and the second one is based on a network of oblique photographs, taken from a telescopic mast, using a DEM obtained from a terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) survey. The main goal is to analyze the more efficient method for these studies taking into account variables such the working time, the accuracy obtained in the final products, the visual analysis of final orthoimages, etc. This study has been applied to the same archaeological site in two different epochs. The image acquisition was performed before and after a conservation intervention at the archaeological site. The results have shown similar characteristics for both products (DEMs and orthoimages) and accuracies but the density of DEMs and the visual analysis of orthoimages have shown differences that allows us to select the more adequate method taking into account the characteristics of each case. Thus the DEMs obtained using the TLS survey has shown more density of points while the visual analysis of orthoimages has shown a better behaviour (radiometrically and visually) in the case of vertical photographs.
Highlights
IntroductionThe realization of photogrammetric surveys of archaeological sites has been performed and applied by different methods to a great quantity of archaeological sites (with different characteristics) along the latest decades
The realization of photogrammetric surveys of archaeological sites has been performed and applied by different methods to a great quantity of archaeological sites along the latest decades
The field work comprised a terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) survey to obtain the digital elevation models (DEMs) of the site (Figure 5)
Summary
The realization of photogrammetric surveys of archaeological sites has been performed and applied by different methods to a great quantity of archaeological sites (with different characteristics) along the latest decades. The use of balloons and blimps (Altan et al, 2004; Bitelli and Girelli, 2004), kites and helikites (Verhoeven et al, 2009), masts (Georgopoulos et al, 1999) and paragliders and ultralights (Faustmann and Palmer, 2005) as platforms for acquiring the photographs have been used for heritage documentation and they suppose a low cost alternative with respect to those low height flights. In this way there are several works which analyze some projects developed with these techniques
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