The Digital Age: Advances to Underwater Archaeological Survey Techniques

DOCUMENT Citation Only Brett Seymour.

Recent advances in 3-D modeling technologies have entered the field of Archeology. The Submerged Resources Center (SRC) of the National Park Service has begun using this technology in the field of Underwater Archeology. Using the Autodesk program ReCap and underwater digital photography SRC photographers have been able to create 3-D models of discreet features and more recently of whole sites. This paper will introduce the technology of 3-D point clouds and compare the final products of the 3-D...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Patricia G Markert. Benjamin Skolnik. Stefan F. Woehlke.

In recent years, companies such as FARO and CyArk have begun incorporating 3D laser scanners into field-ready packages.  Archaeologists have successfully employed these new 3D laser-scanning techniques to record sites such as Mount Rushmore and Merv in modern-day Turkmenistan.  Despite the potential benefits of using this technology, which produces quickly scanned, high-resolution images of topography and features, several limitations have slowed it from entering the archaeologist’s standard...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Piotr T Bojakowski. Katie Bojakowski. Perry Naughton. Michael Bianco. Antonella Wilby.

Excavated and recorded in 1989-1990, the two 19th-century submerged barges of the Emerald Bay require continuous attention and monitoring. Located along the south-west shoreline of the Lake Tahoe, California, the barges are of a considerable archaeological, historical, and recreational significance in the area. As they are also part of the interpreted shipwreck site within the California State Parks system, the goal of this 2014 survey was to perform a non-disturbance assessment of the site to...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Massimiliano Secci. Massimiliano Secci.

Since their invention computers have affected, influenced and often eased several processes in archaeological research. Photogrammetry has long being exploited in underwater archaeology for recording in situ underwater cultural heritage. Moreover, the opportunities offered by computer vision are now being tested and fully exploited by archaeologists and heritage researchers. The present paper discloses the results of a test produced with two softwares combining Structure from Motion and Image...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Sarah A. Grady. Laura Cripps.

Smithsonian citizen scientists have surveyed several 18th and 19th century sites using conventional archaeological methods along with a metal detector as a non-invasive way to explore site structure. Metal detecting is a cost-effective, preliminary method of survey and can be used to aid in identifying and delineating site locations. This paper will discuss our survey findings in relation to a 17th century site, where subsequent magnetometer survey and excavations confirmed our initial...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Massimiliano Secci.

Remote sensing techniques and tools are becoming central in Italian underwater archaeology. Government agencies, universities and research centers have been both applying remote sensing potentials to research and developing new tools and procedures. Many university’s fellowships around the country have been focusing on developing know-how in this field. Italian underwater archaeology remote sensing  is nowadays still in its infancy. Nonetheless, National and EU strategies and funding schemes as...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Leah G. Colombo. John A. Gifford.

The National Park Service has recognized a need to identify submerged inundated prehistoric archaeological sites within the Florida Bay region of Everglades National Park (EVER) in order to further develop knowledge of its available cultural resources. Numerous archaeological sites have been found in terrestrial regions of EVER; however very little in known about buried, inundated, or submerged sites. Working in conjunction with RSMAS, a project was developed to identify the parameters necessary...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Alicia Caporaso.

An intriguing mystery has presented itself in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM): the discovery of several 19th century shipwrecks apparently bare of portable artifacts. Improved technology has, in the past decade, allowed for cheaper and safer production of oil in the deep waters of the GOM. Under the direction of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, companies are required to conduct high-resolution geophysical surveys of their leases in advance of bottom disturbance. This has resulted in the discovery...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Brandi Carrier. John Bright. William Hoffman. Dave Conlin.

Between March, 2013, and October, 2014, the National Park Service Submerged Resources Center and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s Office of Renewable Energy Programs collaborated on a marine magnetic research and testing initiative resulting in the development of a custom ArcGIS python toolbox for visualizing and assessing marine magnetic survey data used to identify submerged cultural material. These tools, and the mathematical models driving them, were applied in numerous survey...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Michael C. Murray.

Since the beginning of underwater archaeology, the effective recording of sites has always been a challenge. This study will compare the ULS-200 underwater laser scanning device to other traditional archaeological recording methods, seek to quantify the average amount of time it takes to conduct a scan underwater and evaluate its accuracy in resolving an image at different turbidities and ranges. Within its ideal range, the expected outcome is that while it will take an equal or longer amount of...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Christopher T. Begley. Anne E. Wright.

A prototype underwater 3D imaging technology is discussed that is both inexpensive and creates accurate, high resolution 3D data. We focus on the connection between this technology and archaeological ethics and economics. First, we discuss a cutting edge, low cost, highly portable and user-friendly 3D imaging system using structured light, which has generated very high resolution images in both terrestrial and underwater contexts. Next, we compare it to other low-cost 3D techniques. Finally, we...