Abstract
Conducting archaeological site surveys is time consuming, and large sites may have many small features or structures that are difficult to locate and interpret. Vegetation cover and dense forest hide small structures, like cairns, while at the same time forest cover can cause problems for LiDAR tools. In this case study, drone-based ALS (airborne laser scanning) was tested as an archaeological site survey tool. The research site was complex and located partially in a forested area, which made it possible to evaluate how forest cover affects data. The survey methods used were rather simple: visual analysis, point density calculations in the forest area, and, for site interpretation purposes, digitizing observations and viewshed analysis. Using straightforward methods allowed us to evaluate the minimum time and skills needed for this type of survey. Drone-based ALS provided good results and increased knowledge of the site and its structures. Estimates of the number of cairns interpreted as graves more than doubled as a result of the high-accuracy ALS data. Based on the results of this study, drone-based ALS could be a suitable high-accuracy survey method for large archaeological sites. However, forest cover affects the accuracy, and more research is needed.
Highlights
Based on several earlier studies, LiDAR has become an important tool for many archaeologists, especially when combined with archaeological surveys
In Finland, research concerning the use of airborne laser scanning (ALS) in archaeology has been conducted in the last decade [2,3,4], and it has become an important tool for many archaeologists and authorities working with cultural heritage management sites
The results data for theevaluation high-accuracy survey werewith good.site
Summary
Based on several earlier studies, LiDAR has become an important tool for many archaeologists, especially when combined with archaeological surveys. Risbøl et al summarized its technological developments and adaptations in the Fenno-Scandinavian area during the last 15 years [1] They concluded that drone-based airborne laser scanning (ALS) will expand the field of research in the future. The National Land Survey of Finland (NLS) performed laser scanning in Finland in 2008–2019, and the point density of their data was, at minimum, 0.5 points per square metre [5]. Their laser scanning data sets, as well as digital elevation model (DEM) data sets derived from the ALS data, are openly available on the NLS website [6]. The first archaeological survey results with the new improved NLS data sets were introduced in February 2021 at a Finnish Heritage Agency
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