Detection of archaeological crop marks by using satellite QuickBird multispectral imagery

Air Photo Interpretation for Archaeologists

Airborne and spaceborne remote sensing for archaeological and cultural heritage applications: A review of the century (1907–2017)

Spatial technology is integral to how archaeologists collect, store, analyze, and represent information in digital data sets. Recent advances have improved our ability to look for and identify archaeological remains and have increased the size and complexity of our data sets. In this review we outline trends in visualization, data management, archaeological prospecting, modeling, and spatial analysis, as well as key advances in hardware and software. Due to developments in education, information technology, and landscape archaeology, the implementation of spatial technology has begun to move beyond superficial applications and is no longer limited to environmental deterministic approaches. In the future, spatial technology will increasingly change archaeology in ways that will enable us to become better practitioners, scholars, and stewards.

New Developments in the Use of Spatial Technology in Archaeology

Detection of exposed and subsurface archaeological remains using multi-sensor remote sensing

The abilities of three satellite remote sensed image products (low spatial resolution LANDSAT Thematic Mapper (TM); medium resolution SPOT Panchromatic; high resolution KVR-1000) to detect archaeological features in the environs of the Iron Age hillfort at Figsbury Ring, Wiltshire, have been evaluated. Given prior knowledge of their locations, relatively large features together and those possessing a strong linear nature could be detected on the LANDSAT TM multispectral and SPOT Panchromatic image products. Near-infrared TM imagery showed promise for the detection of smaller features as a result of differences in vegetation cover, but was constrained by its low spatial resolution. High resolution Russian KVR-1000 imagery was found to be capable of detecting both upstanding and ploughed-out archaeological features without the need for prior knowledge of ground truth.



It is concluded that satellite imagery, although not a substitute for conventional aerial photography, represents a complementary source of information when prospecting for archaeological features. In a regional context, low resolution multispectral imagery can be used for the prospection for areas of high archaeological potential through the use of image processing and modelling techniques and, together with medium resolution imagery can be used to prepare base maps of regions for which up to date mapping is not available. High-resolution imagery, together with conventional aerial photographs, can be used subsequently to detect and map archaeological features. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Satellite remote sensing and archaeology: a comparative study of satellite imagery of the environs of Figsbury Ring, Wiltshire

Recently declassified intelligence satellite photographs acquired in the 1960s and early 1970s by the CORONA programme have been found to be an important source of low-cost, relatively high resolution, overhead photography that can be used in the prospection for archaeological features. Hitherto, the material has been used primarily to detect archaeological features in the arid regions of Asia Minor and the Middle East either in relief or through changes in soil tone resulting from the presence of former human habitation. In this paper the authors describe, for the first time, the detection of archaeological crop marks on CORONA KH-4B photography of southern England indicating that there could be a wider utility of the CORONA archive for archaeological prospection in temperate regions. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Martin J. F. Fowler

Papers

Satellite remote sensing and archaeology: a comparative study of satellite imagery of the environs of Figsbury Ring, Wiltshire

Detection of archaeological crop marks on declassified CORONA KH-4B intelligence satellite photography of Southern England