Using Photogrammetry to Complement and Visualize the Paleolithic Excavation of the Arma Veirana Cave in Italy

Summary

Archaeological excavations are increasingly using digital surveying techniques for better documentation and visualization. Using high resolution imaging systems and UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems), photographic surveys were completed of the interior and exterior of the Arma Veirana Cave in Liguria, Italy. The aim is to contextualize the excavation within its environment for accurately geo-referencing the excavation trenches and to better understand how Neanderthals lived with respect to their environment. Artifact locations were documented using a total station, and a photogrammetric model was created at multiple excavation depths to help correlate the position and orientation of the artifacts. Exterior modelling of the terrain served for probabilistic analysis of the movement and hunting areas of the Neanderthals. Combining photogrammetry with total station measurements provides large point clouds which represent the environment with providing higher geometric samples in addition to a photorealistic model.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage