UAVs, Photogrammetry, and Mortuary Landscapes: A Study of Napatan Cemeteries

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2019: General Sessions" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This paper discusses the broad implications and applications of UAV or drone surveys to archaeological data sets, through a detailed case study in Nubian archaeology. The author employs drones to map and model Napatan royal necropolises, dating to the 8th century B.C.E. and located in modern day Sudan, using photogrammetry. The primary research objective of this study is to better understand the diachronic spatial development of necropolises on a landscape scale, within the context of complex and multifarious contact between Napatan and ancient Egyptian cultures. The author argues that physical changes, in terms of the organization of tombs, temples, and other modifications to the natural landscape, are the result of political interactions and negotiations of identity. Regarding the implications of the methodologies involved, drones provide an efficient means of gathering a massive amount of photography and data on a much greater landscape scale than traditional forms of mapping and photography. Furthermore, the capability of drone photography to form the basis of photogrammetric models has implications for the preservation and presentation of cultural heritage. Using drone photography, models of these sites can be shared on open access platforms that allow the public to experience the cultural heritage of Sudan.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 26142