Mapping Abydos: Bridging the Gap Between Legacy Data and Modern GPS Survey Methods in Egypt
Author(s): Alexander Makovics; Dr. Matthew Adams; Mark Gonzales
Year: 2015
Summary
The Greater-Abydos Mapping Project began with the goal of creating a highly accurate, integrated GIS system for the entire 35km² site. This included incorporating all topographic and modern features, the translation and importation of previously utilized site coordinate systems, and all known archaeological data, including legacy data from historic excavations which started in the 1920s.
Constraints in past cartographic and surveying methods, compounded by the scale of the Abydos site, over time caused a fracturing of spatial geodetic control. Different projects, working in separate locations, created independent reference grids that could not accurately be related to each other, and were often based upon easily damaged or destroyed survey monuments.
GPS reference stations in Egypt are non-existent, inaccessible, or lack the required accuracy for establishing geodetic control monuments for baselines using post-processed GPS data. Utilizing very precise (RTK) GPS data collection was impossible without creating a local reference station.
In conjunction with static GPS data collection, the project established an accurate base station monument, allowing for previous project grid coordinate systems to be readily translated into the new site-wide spatial control system, and all legacy data to be imported into GIS, allowing for continuity of ongoing excavations and mapping.
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Cite this Record
Mapping Abydos: Bridging the Gap Between Legacy Data and Modern GPS Survey Methods in Egypt. Alexander Makovics, Mark Gonzales, Dr. Matthew Adams. Presented at The 80th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, San Francisco, California. 2015 ( tDAR id: 398209)
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Keywords
General
Egypt
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GIS Data
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GPS survey
Geographic Keywords
AFRICA
Spatial Coverage
min long: -18.809; min lat: -38.823 ; max long: 53.262; max lat: 38.823 ;