4.3 Site Mapping and Documentation
3 min read•july 22, 2024
Archaeologists use cutting-edge tools to map and document sites. Total stations, , and create precise 3D models and measurements. These methods preserve crucial info about artifact locations and site layout before excavation alters everything.
Site documentation is vital for piecing together past human activities. Detailed plans and profiles show how artifacts and features relate spatially and chronologically. Digital tech like and 3D modeling revolutionize how archaeologists analyze and share their findings.
Site Mapping Methods and Technologies
Methods of site mapping
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- electronic surveying instrument measures angles and distances
- Consists of electronic theodolite integrated with electronic distance meter (EDM)
- Allows precise mapping of archaeological features and artifacts
- Data directly recorded and exported to computer software for processing
- Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite-based navigation system provides location and time information
- Handheld GPS receivers record coordinates of archaeological features and artifacts
- (DGPS) offers higher accuracy by correcting GPS signals using reference station
- GPS data integrated with GIS software for spatial analysis and visualization
- Photogrammetry technique uses photographs to create accurate 3D models and measurements
- Overlapping aerial or ground-based photographs taken of archaeological site
- Specialized software processes images to generate 3D point clouds, (DEMs), and
- Provides high-resolution, photorealistic documentation of archaeological features and landscapes
Importance of site documentation
- Preservation of archaeological information as sites often destroyed or altered during excavation
- Accurate documentation ensures original context and relationships between features and artifacts recorded for future reference and analysis
- Detailed site documentation allows reconstruction of past human activities and
- Spatial relationships between features and artifacts provide insights into site function, chronology, and social organization
- Standardized documentation methods enable comparisons between different sites and regions
- Consistent data collection facilitates integration of information from multiple sources and development of broader archaeological interpretations
- Site documentation crucial for effective management and protection of archaeological resources
- Accurate records inform decisions related to site conservation, restoration, and public outreach
Site Documentation Techniques and Interpretation
Creation of site plans
- Site plans horizontal representation of archaeological site, showing of features and artifacts
- Created using surveying equipment (total station, GPS) or photogrammetry
- Include scale, north arrow, legend, and key elevations
- Used to understand site layout, organization, and relationships between features
- Profiles and sections vertical representation of archaeological site, showing and relationships between layers
- Created by drawing exposed faces of excavation units or trenches
- Include scale, elevations, and descriptions of soil layers and features
- Used to understand site formation processes, chronology, and changes over time
- Interpretation combines horizontal and vertical information to reconstruct past human activities and site development
- Identify patterns, associations, and anomalies in spatial distribution of features and artifacts
- Integrate stratigraphic information to establish relative and absolute chronologies
- Collaborate with specialists (geomorphologists, archaeobotanists) to interpret site formation processes and paleoenvironments
Digital technologies in archaeology
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) computer-based tools for capturing, storing, analyzing, and displaying spatial data
- Integrate various types of archaeological data (site plans, artifact distributions, environmental information)
- Enable complex spatial analyses (viewshed analysis, least-cost path analysis, predictive modeling)
- Facilitate creation of interactive maps and visualizations for research and public outreach
- 3D modeling and visualization technologies (photogrammetry, laser scanning) allow creation of detailed 3D models of archaeological features and artifacts
- 3D models used for documentation, analysis, and visualization purposes
- Virtual and augmented reality applications enhance public engagement and understanding of archaeological sites
- Database management systems store, organize, and query archaeological data
- Relational databases integrate spatial and attribute data
- Facilitate data sharing, standardization, and long-term preservation
- techniques (satellite imagery, aerial photography, geophysical prospection) provide non-invasive methods for site detection and mapping
- Remote sensing data guides excavation strategies and contributes to landscape-scale archaeological analyses
Key Terms to Review (15)
Context Sheets: Context sheets are detailed documents that provide essential information about specific artifacts, features, or contexts discovered during archaeological excavations. They play a crucial role in site mapping and documentation by capturing data such as the location, stratigraphy, associations, and the circumstances surrounding the discovery of each item. This helps in understanding the broader context of the archaeological site and contributes to accurate interpretation and analysis of the findings.
Differential GPS: Differential GPS (DGPS) is an enhancement to the standard Global Positioning System that provides improved location accuracy. By using a network of fixed ground-based reference stations that communicate with GPS satellites, DGPS corrects the signals received by GPS receivers, reducing errors caused by atmospheric interference and satellite positioning. This technology is crucial for precise site mapping and documentation in various fields, including archaeology, where accurate geolocation is essential for understanding site layouts and artifact distribution.
Digital Elevation Models: Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are 3D representations of terrain surfaces, created from elevation data. They play a crucial role in site mapping and documentation by providing accurate topographic information that helps archaeologists analyze and interpret landscape features, assess site visibility, and plan excavations effectively.
Field Notes: Field notes are detailed records made by archaeologists during their fieldwork, capturing observations, measurements, and contextual information about the excavation process. These notes serve as a crucial tool for documenting findings and help create a reliable account of the excavation's methodology and results. They also play a significant role in site mapping and documentation, ensuring that every detail is preserved for analysis and interpretation later on.
GIS: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are powerful tools used for capturing, storing, analyzing, and managing spatial and geographic data. They allow archaeologists to create detailed maps and visualizations of archaeological sites, understand spatial relationships among artifacts, and analyze patterns over time and space. By integrating various data types, GIS plays a crucial role in site mapping, theoretical perspectives, evolution of methods, and quantitative analysis of artifacts.
GPS: Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system that provides accurate location and time information anywhere on Earth. This technology is crucial for archaeological survey techniques and site mapping, allowing archaeologists to precisely document the locations of artifacts, features, and entire sites in real-time, enhancing their ability to analyze spatial relationships within archaeological contexts.
Horizontal excavation: Horizontal excavation is a method used in archaeology that involves digging a site in a horizontal plane to uncover artifacts and features spread across a wide area, rather than focusing on depth. This approach allows archaeologists to understand the layout of a site and how different layers and artifacts relate to each other spatially. By employing this technique, researchers can effectively map out the relationships between various elements at a site, contributing significantly to understanding the historical context of the findings.
Orthomosaics: Orthomosaics are high-resolution, geometrically corrected images created by stitching together multiple aerial photographs. This technique allows for accurate spatial representation of archaeological sites and landscapes, making it easier to document and analyze them in detail. By correcting for distortions and aligning the images, orthomosaics provide a reliable visual record that supports effective mapping and documentation efforts in archaeology.
Photogrammetry: Photogrammetry is the technique of obtaining accurate measurements and 3D models of objects or landscapes from photographs. This method captures detailed spatial information, making it invaluable for recording archaeological sites, creating maps, and aiding in preservation efforts. By analyzing multiple images taken from different angles, photogrammetry allows archaeologists to document artifacts and structures in a precise and comprehensive manner, enhancing both mapping and conservation strategies.
Remote Sensing: Remote sensing refers to the collection of data about an area or object from a distance, typically using satellite or aerial imagery. This technique is essential in archaeology for identifying and mapping archaeological sites without physical excavation, allowing researchers to analyze large areas quickly and efficiently while minimizing environmental disturbance.
Site Formation Processes: Site formation processes refer to the series of natural and cultural events that lead to the creation, alteration, and preservation of archaeological sites over time. Understanding these processes is crucial for interpreting how artifacts, features, and ecofacts come to be situated in their current context, which informs excavation methods, mapping strategies, and the overall analysis of archaeological materials.
Spatial Distribution: Spatial distribution refers to the arrangement or pattern of objects, artifacts, or features across a given area. This concept is crucial in understanding how different elements are organized within a landscape, allowing archaeologists to identify patterns that may indicate human behavior, resource use, or social organization. By examining spatial distribution, researchers can better reconstruct past environments and subsistence strategies, as well as map sites effectively for documentation.
Stratigraphy: Stratigraphy is the study of rock layers (strata) and layering (stratification), which is essential in understanding the chronological sequence of archaeological deposits. By examining the arrangement and distribution of layers, archaeologists can establish a timeline for human activity, uncover cultural practices, and understand environmental changes over time.
Total Station: A total station is an advanced surveying instrument that combines the functions of a theodolite for measuring angles and an electronic distance meter (EDM) for measuring distances. This tool allows archaeologists to accurately capture the three-dimensional coordinates of points on a site, facilitating precise mapping and documentation of archaeological features and artifacts.
William M. D. A. Willey: William M. D. A. Willey was an influential American archaeologist known for his pioneering work in site mapping and documentation, particularly in relation to the archaeological study of the southeastern United States. He emphasized the importance of systematic excavation and meticulous documentation, which greatly contributed to the methodologies used in modern archaeology for site analysis.