Archaeology Imagery, especially aerial photography, can capture fragments of what life was like long before the camera was invented. The landscape often shows subtle clues as to what people centuries ago did and what they left behind. Historical imagery can record obvious protruding cultural features, subtle indicators laying just below the surface of the ground, or identify potential cultural site locations based on general landscape relationships. The cultural remnants of the Pueblo people of the American southwest have been studied using aerial photographs since the 1930s. Many of these ruins are obvious structures and are easily identifiable on film.
Aerial photography provides a non-destructive method of studying ruins.
The science of photogrammetry provides a mechanism for precise measurements and mapping of these ruins, used independently or in concert with more intrusive methods of study. When aerial photographs are taken at regular intervals during ground studies or excavations, invaluable information can be preserved on film and utilized to recreate and accurately map the site, thereby eliminating the need for extensive ground measurements. Historical imagery can also aid in identifying potential sites for discovery of new ruins. Communities develop where certain essential elements can be found in close proximity. An excellent example of historical imagery aiding archaeological investigation can be found in the discovery of the ancient city of Ubar in present day Oman.