Reconstructing excavations ? Photogrammetry on 1980's Photos
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 25/08/2019

Two sites, both investigated by the CRC 806 „our way to Europe“ are bearing archaeological context information from past excavations. In 2011 consecutive excavations were conducted at the site Madamagh (Jordan) by two different teams. Since the 1950s the site is known to yield stratigraphical issues regarding the identification and description of geological and archaeological layers. In order to test the in situ location of the archaeological material from past excavations, a geostatistical method for an intra site analysis had to be developed. At first methodological workflow categories were created to reclassify the layer packages. Hereby included information was extracted from the total station measurement data and the archaeological documentation including remarks, profile drawings, photos and layer descriptions. In a subsequent analytical process various congruent geological layers were merged by statistical comparison. Additionally, cultural layers were joined by single find parameters. A Photogrammetric 3D Model of the profile documentation helped to evaluate the results. The other site is located at Dibrës Region (Nezir Cave, Albania) within a karstic system. In order to obtain a complete scene of all excavations conducted at the site, documentation of the CRC 806 (2012 to 2015) and the Albanian campaigns (1970 to 1980s) had to be compared. By interlinking stratigraphical information between the trenches, we are now trying to build a referenced Photogrammetry Model from 1980’s and 2015th campaign Photos and drawings. The operative focus of the talk is on the discussion of the methodological outcomes and issues at both case studies.

(Thomas Wolter)