Close range photogrammetry for field documentation of the ongoing excavations
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 20/10/2019

In 2016 at the CAA conference in Oslo we presented the methodological guidelines for the use of close range photogrammetry for ongoing documentation of the progress of archaeological work. This was the result of the tests carried out during excavations in Paphos (Cyprus), where technologies such as TLS, UAV or close-range (terrestrial) photogrammetry were used. Since 2016, during three excavation campaigns, close-range photogrammetry has become the main tool for obtaining graphical data during large scale and wide-ranging research. Over 300 models have been made, using almost 18,000 pictures for trenches. At the same time, a database was created using ArcGIS software which serves as a repository for all the data collected during excavation (from field and office work). In our presentation we would like to point out the changes in the management of fieldwork, which causes a wide introduction of photogrammetric documentation. We want to indicate positive features such as the uniformity of data acquired and the one software used for storing and analysing data. At the same time we pay attention to problems not only related to maintaining high quality accuracy, texture or point clouds details but also on aspects related to human factor, organization of work, software support or hardware availability. All that really influences the organization of work during excavations.

Full Title: Close range photogrammetry for field documentation of the ongoing excavations - experiences from Paphos Agora Project

(Łukasz Miszk, Wojciech Ostrowski, Weronika Winiarska)