LiDAR for Landscape Archaeology

Australia's coastal zone contains a diverse range of cultural heritage places. They are, however, negatively impacted by a multitude of natural and cultural factors. Currently there are few robust site monitoring programmes that focus on identifying the causes and directions of change in the coastal zone and the impacts that these changes have on heritage places. With case studies from Queensland, we outline and evaluate a number of potential approaches to coastal monitoring. They range from localised but inexpensive combinations of anecdotal observations coupled with geoindicators, to the use of more recent and sophisticated technologies such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) remote sensing. We also propose there is a need to establish cooperative information data sharing arrangements in Australia for coastal monitoring studies.

This paper assesses the application of a consumer-grade unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) solution for the imagebased three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of a buried Medieval landscape at Monnikerede, a deserted former outport of Bruges, with the archaeological aim to achieve a better characterization of the (micro)topography and ultimately a better understanding of the site. The UAV survey resulted in a highly detailed and accurate 3D model of the terrain, allowing a thorough topographic analysis of the complex archaeological landscape. Application of algorithms to produce an enhanced visualization of the topographic variability led to a sequence of derivatives each highlighting the topography in a different way. Additionally a decorrelation stretch was applied on the collected imagery, thereby generating enhanced orthophotos producing another view on the archaeological landscape. Integrating the (enhanced) orthophoto(s) with the digital surface model (DSM) and derivatives to conduct a thorough analysis of the archaeological landscape resulted in the detection and identification of new archaeological features and the formulation of new insights in the layout of this important Medieval outport.

This article seeks to present the results of the geophysical survey of medieval Cistercian monasteries
in Slovakia. The GPR and magnetometric survey of the former monastery in Spišský Štiavnik yielded new
spatial data, on the basis of which it was possible to identify the individual parts of the monastery complex,
including its economic hinterland. The other site investigated was Opatová, which is now part of Lučenec.
The study of historical sources involves a discussion about the existence of a monastery and its order affiliation.
There is now a cemetery on the site, which significantly limits research activities. Nevertheless, a GPR
survey was carried out in accessible places and it probably detected remains of masonry.

In the paper, preliminary results of archaeological research in the Tribeč Mountains are introduced, based on new data
acquired by airborne laser scanning and their verification in the field. Thanks to this research, the view on the number
and distribution of relics of anthropogenic activities in this area in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages has changed
substantially. In addition to previously known hillforts, other structures were also newly identified, such as fortifications
and new fortification elements, areas formed by numerous artificial terraces, as well as mounds and roads.

[Rezultati lidarskega skeniranja in arheološkega pregleda izbranih območij med rekama Krko in Cetino v letih od 2019 do 2021] Hrvaška znanstvena fundacija od konca leta 2018 financira znanstvenoraziskovalni projekt "Razumevanje rimskih meja: primer vzhodnega Jadrana". Namen projekta je ugotoviti morebitne arheološke sledi rimskih vojaških utrdb v zaledju rimskih kolonij Jader in Salona, to je na območju med rekama Krko in Cetino. Na 71,5 km dolgem in ozkem prostoru smo za identifikacijo morebitnih rimskih vojaških taborov in/ali objektov izbrali metodološki pristop, ki temelji na sedmih raziskovalnih fazah v štirih letih. V prispevku predstavljamo nepričakovane rezultate. Z lidarskim skeniranjem smo odkrili več doslej neznanih struktur, podobnih rimskim vojaškim taborom, in to na krajih, kjer jih nismo pričakovali. Nova najdišča in njihovo okolico smo sistematično pregledali, da bi ugotovili njihov arheološki potencial in pridobili osnovne podatke.

The paper details the application of Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) or LiDAR data and processing techniques within QGIS software to create high-resolution digital terrain models (DTMs) of the "Ulaka Hillfort" site. Through various visualization methods, I have identified and interpreted numerous previously unknown or poorly documented features, including over 90 potential building depressions, ancient streets and the continuous hillfort rampart, significantly expanding on earlier fieldwork by Walter Schmid. Furthermore, the analysis situates the Ulaka settlement within the broader Late Iron Age and Roman military landscape of southern Slovenia, referencing surrounding Roman camps and potential siegeworks that relate to historical conflicts in the region.

Archaeologists have increasingly embraced public and community engagement, recognizing that multi-vocal approaches, decolonization, and community participation are crucial in a global context. One of the most effective methods is fostering public involvement in research. However, studies often focus on the social, economic, and political outcomes of archaeology while underutilizing digital tools beyond dissemination, missing opportunities for co-creation, narrative building, and multivocality. Our research, part of the CHANGES-CREST project, explores the integration of community participation with mobile GIS technologies, remote sensing and Artificial Intelligence. The project aims to co-design sustainable cultural heritage tourism, develop community-based heritage practices, apply digital solutions for heritage promotion, and support decolonization processes. Two test sites in the Veneto Region have been implemented as case studies. The Venetian Lagoon has a rich archaeological record dating back to the protohistoric period to recent times but faces preservation challenges due to climate change, tourism, and migration. The Asiago Plateau presents significant archaeological phases from Prehistory to the Cold War; this peripheral region experiences tensions between development and conservation. Methodologically, we employ free mobile GIS platforms, remote sensing data (satellite images, cartography, aerial photos), Artificial Intelligence analysis and local knowledge by involving communities in sharing experiences and topographical points of interest. Participants identify culturally significant locations, associating narratives with material evidence, personal experiences and local history. Public meetings and focus groups serve as discussion forums, while archaeologists and citizens collaborate in field surveys, mapping the local heritage and creating AI models for the automatic recognition of the archaeological landscape. Mobile GIS also aids in planning future research activities, preservation and valorization of cultural heritage. By sharing GIS tools on local communities personal devices, users gain autonomy in heritage mapping and conservation. These digital tools have engaged younger and tech-savvy participants and, the use of drones fostering new perspectives on landscape analysis. Technology and landscape knowledge have emerged as shared languages between archaeologists and communities, facilitating knowledge exchange and aiding decolonization efforts. Simplifying data and establishing digital 'fixed points' in landscape reconstruction helps to renarrate complex histories and support decolonisation. Making archaeological language accessible and openly acknowledging interpretative uncertainties promotes inclusivity over rigid academic narratives. Both case studies demonstrate that digital and community archaeology should be seen as an interconnected system of theories, tools, and practices. Free mobile GIS, in particular, empowers communities to engage actively with their heritage, fostering a contemporary and inclusive archaeological approach.

The Material Culture Macroecology is a novel framework for analyzing human societies through their material remains. Rooted in archaeology, this approach integrates theories from systems science, complexity science, sociophysics, econophysics, and evolutionary theory to treat society as a dynamically evolving system. Drawing on empirical research in the Maya city of Tikal, including the distribution of architectural compounds and artifacts, it demonstrates how continuous size distributions and statistical regularities can reveal underlying social structures. By bridging ancient and contemporary contexts, the macroecology of material culture provides a unified methodology for comparative research across time and space, moving beyond descriptive archaeology to generate higher-order, quantitatively grounded insights into societal dynamics. This approach positions material culture not merely as evidence of the past, but as a medium through which societies reproduce, self-organize, and evolve.

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.

Au cours des deux derniers siècles, les statistiques forestières nous indiquent que la forêt a presque doublé de surface en France, regagnant d’immenses terroirs agricoles abandonnés. Or, les recherches en cours en écologie forestière montrent l’impact majeur de cette mutation sur le fonctionnement actuel des écosystèmes forestiers. La fertilité des sols et des peuplements forestiers, la biodiversité sont modifiées de façon pérenne par l’agriculture ancienne. De nombreuses espèces herbacées forestières ne peuvent recoloniser les forêts récentes, et restent cantonnées aux forêts anciennes. Les gestionnaires de l’environnement ont donc besoin de données spatialisées précises sur l’ancienneté de l’état boisé des forêts actuelles. Les cartes anciennes apportent une information précieuse sur le milieu naturel et l’occupation du sol, même si tel n’était pas leur objectif premier. Ainsi, pour la Lorraine, les cartes des Naudin, des Cassini et de l’État-Major rendent compte de l’évolution d...

As known Close range photogrammetry represents one of the most techniques to create precise 3D model. Metric camera, digital camera, and Laser scanning can be exploited for the photogrammetry with variety level of cost that may be high. In this study, the cost level is taken in to consideration to achieve balance between the cost and the obtained accuracy. This study aims to detect potential of low cost tools for creating 3D model in terms of obtained accuracy and details and comparing it with corresponding studies. Smart phone camera is the most available for everyone; this gave the motivation for use in this study. In addition, Google Earth was used to integrate the 3D model produced from all sides including the roof. Then, two different types of the mobile camera were used in addition to the DSLR camera (Digital Single Lens Reflex) for comparison and analysis purposes. Thus, this research gave flexibility in work and low cost resulting from replacement the metric camera with the smart camera and the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with Google Earth data. Mechanism of the work can be summarized in four steps. Firstly, photogrammetry planning to determine suitable baselines from object and location of targets that measured using GPS and Total station devices. Secondly, collect images using close range photogrammetry technique. Thirdly, processing step to create the 3D model and integrated with Google Earth images using the Agi Photoscan software. Finally, Comparative and evaluation stage to derive the accuracy and quality of the model obtained from this study using statistical analysis method. Regarding this Study, University of Baghdad, central library was selected as the case study. The results of this paper show that the low cost 3D model resulted from integrating phone and Google Earth images gave suitable result with mean accuracy level reached to about less than 5 meters compared with DSLR camera result, this may be used for several applications such as culture heritage and architecture documentation.

The increasing reliance on non-invasive archaeological techniques, such as geophysical (Gaffney
& Gater, 2003), ALS/LiDAR (Opitz & Cowley, 2013), and remote sensing surveys, has produced an
abundance of complex datasets. These data sources offer significant potential for understanding
archaeological sites before excavation, but their scale and complexity often require advanced
tools for interpretation. This paper introduces a computational tool, Anomalyzer, as part of the
broader, in-house developed, Py2DGeoBatch framework. Designed to support archaeological
interpretation, Anomalyzer applies statistical analysis and anomaly detection techniques to
identify features of interest, thereby aiding excavation planning and contributing to the
implementation of geophysical data into archaeological workflows.

More than one third of the area of Baden-Württemberg, south-western Germany, are today covered by forest. Forest cover has, however, significantly changed over the past millennium. In the Black Forest, for example, historical maps show than some areas which are now almost completely forested had only around 30% forest cover in the late 18th century. In many regions, former field systems and networks of hollow ways can be recognized in visualisations based on airborne lidar data. Data quality constraints of the first (finished 2008) state-wide lidar survey, however, limited the detectability of most deserted settlements from the medieval and early modern periods: buildings constructed of timber and loam usually leave almost no remains in the surface relief after their demise. The data based on the second state-wide lidar survey (finished 2022) now reveal in many cases house footprints, structural remains or cellar depressions in addition to a much better visibility of the field systems associated with the settlements. The poster will present examples for medieval as well as early modern deserted settlements and highlight the massive land use changes which can be reconstructed from historical maps and airborne lidar data.

The Site of National Remembrance in Łambinowice, Poland, is a complex of former prisonerofwar (PoW) and resettlement camps that functioned in the vicinity of the village from the time of the FrancoPrussian War of 1870-1871 until 1946. This article focuses on the material remains and landscape transformations related to the functioning of Stalag 318/ VIII F (344) Lamsdorf. The authors present the applied methodology of the "Science for society, society for science at the Site of National Remembrance in Łambinowice" project, in which available archival sources and obtained archaeological data complement each other. Owing to this holistic approach it was possible to conduct a more complete inventory and mapping of what has remained of Stalag 318/VIII F (344) Lamsdorf in the present day.

Projekt je zaměřen na komplexní dokumentaci veřejných pohřebišť na Frýdlantsku a má transdisciplinární charakter. Primárním úkolem je vytvořit elektronickou (textovou a fotografickou) databázi pohřebišť a jednotlivých hrobových míst v bývalém okrese Frýdlant v současném Libereckém kraji. Projekt realizují studující historie a geografie za spolupráce státních institucí a kompetentních odborníků. Kromě měst Frýdlant (ze čtyř veřejných pohřebišť se zachovalo jediné z roku 1878), Hejnice (ze dvou, resp. tří veřejných pohřebišť se zachovalo jediné), Nové Město pod Smrkem a Raspenava se jedná o obce Arnoltice, Bílý Potok, Bulovka, Dětřichov, Dolní Oldříš, Ferdinandov, Habartice, Heřmanice, Horní Řasnice, Jindřichovice pod Smrkem, Krásný Les, Kunratice, Lázně Libverda, Ludvíkov pod Smrkem, Pertoltice, Srbská, Ves, Višňová. Tento záměr navazuje na jiné občanské kulturněspolečenské aktivity v rámci existujícího Mikroregionu Frýdlantsko (http://www.frydlantsko.cz), resp. na projekty MASif – M...

Watercourses have long influenced human habitation, serving as both facilitators of exchange and obstacles to movement. This study investigates the influence of rivers on settlement formation during the Bronze and Iron Ages in the Prigorje region through an interdisciplinary approach that synthesizes archaeological, historical, and palaeoenvironmental data. By integrating geoarchaeological evidence, hydrological reconstructions, and archaeological sites pattern analysis, this research examines how rivers f unctioned as trade routes, boundaries,and sources of sustenance. Historical hydrology provides insights into past water levels and flood dynamics, while archaeological data reveal direct and indirect traces of human interaction with fluvial landscapes. The positioning of settlements, shifts in habitation patterns, and the material culture associated with riverine environments reflect both opportunities and constraints imposed by these watercourses. This study also considers how different cultural, and environmental contexts shaped social interactions along waterways. Rivers acted as unifying corridors facilitating movement and exchange, while in other cases, they reinforced divisions, particularly in frontier regions. Advances in remote sensing, GIS modeling, and LiDAR analyses enhance the investigation ofsettlement dynamics, allowing for a micro-regional approach to understanding human adaptation to changing fluvial conditions. In floodplains, LiDAR-derived digital elevation models (DEMs) can be converted into relative elevation models (REMs) to better visualize river features that are difficult to discern using aerial imagery or lower-resolution DEMs. REMs are particularly useful in identifying past river channel migrations, vividly displaying features such as meander scars, terraces, and oxbow lakes. Such information is invaluable for studying channel migration, flood history, and broader environmental, cultural, and engineering assessments. This research examines the interaction between human activities and natural processes, providing a deeper understanding of how rivers have influenced past human landscapes. The findings enhance broader discussions about the long-term relationship between societies and their water environments, emphasizing the resilience and adaptability of prehistoric communities.

In order to evaluate if the LiDAR data available over the Spanish territory allow the reconnaissance of Chalcolithics features such as settlements, watchtowers, graves, roads, mines or fields; La Zarcita in Santa Bárbara de Casa (Huelva), a widely surveyed area by renowned archaeologists as Obermaier, the Leisner, Cerdán or Piñón Varela, has been used as a testing area. Applying this new data source, in combination with the methods of landscape archaeology and spatial analysis techniques through GIS, it is possible to evaluate if the LiDAR data allow the identifi cation of built  structures, in order to mappingtheir locations and the virtual reconstruction of a prehistoric landscape at a local scale. Likewise, this evaluation can be  xtrapolated to an initial survey of settlement in other periods such as the Bronze or Iron Age.

The presented poster showcases a research project on regional charcoal production concerning its consumption in ironworks. The production peak is linked to the late modern period and the first century of the industrial era. The research adopts an interdisciplinary approach, combining archaeological and historical methods. The foundation of the study is the evaluation of a digital terrain model and the accompanying localization of relics in the field, sampling of selected relics, species determination, metal detector prospection, and archival research.

In the current phase of the research, a clear link is evident between charcoal production and a specific area of the former estate, whose owners, the noble Salm family, were operators of iron production. The research focuses on the immediate vicinity of a specific ironworks near the village of Jedovnice, located in the central part of the Drahany Highlands. Archival sources allow the tradition of professional charcoal burners to be localized to the village of Senetářov, which lies at the heart of regional charcoal production. The charcoal tradition is not well known to the public in the region, and an important part of the project is the communication of the outputs to the local communities through articles in local newspapers.

This article draws on economist Hassan Zaoual's theory of sites, which posits that each territory inextricably interweaves a material reality with a symbolic and emotional dimension. Transposed to the landscape, this theory opens up a wide range of places to discover, the result of multiple arrangements at multiple scales. While being a site, a territory is in turn populated by multiple sites, which allow the visitor to embrace its subtleties and the local authorities to construct a diffuse tourist offering, without a mass effect. We then speak of a "mosaic site" and "situated tourism."

This is the problematic framing text, written in advance of the 2019 edition of the Entretiens de Bibracte, which is the annual conference of the eponymous territory labeled Grand site de France by the State. It attempts to put into perspective and dialogue three notions/concepts: the "Terrestre" of Bruno Latour (key speaker of the 2019 Entretiens), the "common" as seen by Étienne Le Roy (key speaker of the 2017 Entretiens) and the "landscape" as analyzed by Jean-Marc Besse. Il shows the richness of a combination of theoretical and empirical approaches and the importance of mobilizing scientific knowledge and local experience.

This paper focuses on the potential of an integrated approach using aerial LiDAR, aerial and terrestrial photogrammetry, terrestrial laser scanning, and archaeological survey to detect the presence and configuration of lost medieval settlements under canopy. This approach was applied to the site of Altanum (Calabria, Italy), on the hill of Sant’Eusebio, completely covered by vegetation. Altanum was a large fortified settlement characterised by a long occupation, especially during the Byzantine and Norman-Swabian periods. The activity began by carrying out a LiDAR survey of the whole hill. The acquired LiDAR data were processed and filtered in order to obtain a DFM (Digital Feature Model) useful for the identification of features of archaeological interest. Several enhancement techniques were performed on DFM to increase the visibility of archaeological features. The features thus identified were subsequently surveyed through the use of terrestrial and aerial photogrammetry integrate...

This study examines plot divisions and units of measurement in regular medieval new towns in Central Europe, with a particular focus on historical Silesia. By applying the cosine quantogram method alongside GIS-referenced cartographic sources and modular analysis, the research reconstructs the spatial organization of urban layouts. The results reveal the diversity of measurement systems used in town planning. By integrating historical records with digital approaches, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of medieval metrological practices and demonstrates the method's effectiveness in reconstructing spatial structures and its potential for broader applications in historical urbanism. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

A Geographical Information System was implemented to support geophysical prospection aimed to "detect probable archaeological remains" underneath a highway under construction in central Portugal close to the coastline (A8-Caldas da Rainha/Marinha Grande). In this situation, the "archaeological remains" may be former shore settlements-including port facilities like warehouses or piers-and/or vessels, since the area was a lagoon until historical times. Developed from the onset of the project, the GIS helped the fieldwork, allowed data management and processing and supported the interpretation of the results. The GIS integrated cartography, topography and project plans to provide background terrain description. Geophysical and mechanical drilling data have been the subsoil "information" sources.

Hidden in an apple orchard are the remains of the once mighty Ljungsgård Castle, a moated site dating back to the early 14th century. It was built and owned by members of the Danish high nobility like the Krognos and Bille families but was put to the torch during a peasant uprising in 1525. The castle was then rebuilt, but less than fifty years later replaced by a modern Renaissance manor at Billesholm a few km away from the original site. All available building materials (brick, dressed stone and timber) were transported to the new location. Afterwards very little remained of the old buildings and over the years the original site was lost and forgotten. During a minor excavation on a neighbouring property in 2022 a minor road was found, paved with medieval bricks. When studied closely, the cadastral maps from the 18th and early 19th centuries revealed that these land parcels had originally been called “Ljungsgårds Trädgård” (Ljungsgårds Garden). This led to a control of the available LiDAR-data where an already registered ancient monument was given a new interpretation. What was noted as “possible site of a destroyed barrow” turned out to be a platform, 60x60 m, surrounded by what must have been a dry moat and earthworks. The reason behind this mistake was easy to understand, as the whole field with the moated site is used as an apple orchard nowadays. The rows of trees are hiding and obscuring what is left of Ljungsgård completely when seen from ground level. Here LiDAR made an important contribution in revealing the long-lost castle! And now, in 2025, with funding for further research secured, a GPR mapping is planned to be the first phase of an archaeological project focussing on the stronghold of Claus Bille (1490-1558), knight and member of the Danish Privy Council!

The flood of archaeological remote sensing data in present times calls for digital solutions which can reduce the time and cost required to manually analyse these vast amounts of data. In recent times, Deep Learning techniques based on Covolutional Neural Networks for automated detection of archaeological objects, are fast gaining traction due to the potential they hold. However, much of these studies remain restricted to detection of discrete objects with uniform morphologies. Thus, there lies a gap in the use of these methodologies for mapping of larger archaeological systems, which can contribute immensely to landscape archaeology, and our knowledge of human cultural activity in the past. This thesis attempts to make this shift by using a CNN-based instance segmentation methodology to detect individual plots of large Celtic Field systems. It was implemented on LiDAR data from the Veluwe region in the Netherlands, using the Mask R-CNN model. The results show that the methodology has the ability to not only detect field plots present in the landscape, but also outline their exact shape. These results when embedded in a wider framework can contribute greatly to archaeological prospection and our understanding of the archaeological landscape in the Veluwe.

A Geographical Information System was implemented to support geophysical prospection aimed to "detect probable archaeological remains" underneath a highway under construction in central Portugal close to the coastline (A8-Caldas da Rainha/Marinha Grande). In this situation, the "archaeological remains" may be former shore settlements-including port facilities like warehouses or piers-and/or vessels, since the area was a lagoon until historical times. Developed from the onset of the project, the GIS helped the fieldwork, allowed data management and processing and supported the interpretation of the results. The GIS integrated cartography, topography and project plans to provide background terrain description. Geophysical and mechanical drilling data have been the subsoil "information" sources. The project development involved ArcView3.2a with Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst extensions and ArcInfo 7.2.1. Accessory software included MicroStation 95, Idrisi2.007 and MicroSoft Office 97.

Desde 1870, Argentina y Paraguay comenzaron a poblar la desembocadura del río
Pilcomayo, territorio ocupado inicialmente por comunidades originarias. La Ley Avellaneda
(1876) promovió concesiones de tierras, generando disputas entre diversos actores. Distintas
expediciones facilitaron la fundación de colonias, como la de Colonia Laguna Blanca en 1914,
atrayendo pobladores criollos y fortaleciendo relaciones con las comunidades qom y pilagá. La
creación del Parque Nacional Río Pilcomayo (PNRP) en 1951 marcaría una nueva etapa de
conflictos en la ocupación del área.
En este trabajo se analiza el consumo de los habitantes criollos del PNRP durante el
periodo entre guerras a través del material vítreo hallado en dos sitios. Se investiga su uso en
almacenamiento, generación de calor, funciones decorativas o estructurales y dispersión en el
espacio, considerando la expansión territorial, el desplazamiento indígena y la llegada de
colonos.

This article examines the world experience of applying information modeling (BIM) technologies to capital construction projects, accumulated at the turn of 2020, using the example of railway infrastructure. The article shows that in all the significant successes of using BIM in large infrastructure projects, the influence of the state, both legislative and scientific forces, is great. The participation of the state is explained by the fact that BIM is a technology of a new technological order based on the digitalization of the economy, and the possibilities of competition and development of states are determined by their ability to keep up with the technological race. The first part of the article is devoted to the analysis of public-private partnerships in the development of BIM technology on the example of large infrastructure projects. The second part of the article is focused on the analysis of the achieved level of development of BIM technology. It is concluded that BIM is a ne...

The article examines a fortified position from World War I, discovered in Kleboniškis Forest, where narrow-gauge railway carts were repurposed as observation posts by reinforcing them with concrete. These cart-observation posts were designed to protect the observer from enemy fire and shrapnel. The subject of the study is classified as field fortification, which was developed during World War I in response to the changing conditions of the battlefield. The article discusses the history of these carts, their connection to the narrow-gauge railway system of Kaunas Fortress and raises the question of whether this fortified position was constructed by the soldiers of Russian or German Empire. There is also speculation regarding the possibility that the carts were moved from their original construction site. The article also analyzes an interwar inventory, which recorded 14 surviving observation posts. In the final section, the current situation and condition of the site, as observed in 2023–2024, is presented.

In Southeast Europe, recent years have witnessed a notable shift in scholarly focus related to prehistoric tell sites, expanding to encompass both their immediate surroundings and broader contexts. This shift has coincided with, and to a large extent has been generated by, significant methodological advancements in an array of non-invasive methods, including particularly magnetic prospection. This paper presents the methodology and results of an integrated set of non-destructive investigations conducted at Battonya-Parázs-tanya, a Middle/Late Neolithic settlement located in the southeastern part of the Great Hungarian Plain. In addition to various map sources, magnetometry, LiDAR, thermal and multispectral imaging, and surface survey were utilized at this tell-centered settlement complex to locate old excavation blocks and gain insights into settlement size, layout, and land use. Our data indicates that Battonya-Parázs-tanya spanned approximately 110 ha, with two primary ditches surrounding the tell and indications of a possible third enclosure, suggesting significant human alterations to the local landscape. This study underscores the importance of integrating multiple non-invasive techniques to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the organizational complexities of and variations in large Neolithic settlements, thereby shedding light on socio-cultural dynamics that shaped them.

Anthropology has long sought to understand how social groups—from
households to nation-states—contend with and adapt to changing environments. Contributing to this goal, archaeology has for two decades been especially interested in resilience as a framework for understanding social-ecological systems in antiquity. However, while recent scholarship outside archaeology has come to regard social-ecological systems at any scale as shaped by the interaction of both larger- and smaller-scale processes, most archaeological research on the subject has retained the discipline’s traditional focus on “sites” and “regions” and has struggled to systematically articulate multiple scales of analysis in models of social and environmental stability or transformation.

In this dissertation I seek to explain the resilience—or, more concretely, persistence—of one ancient Maya polity called El Achiotal in northwestern Guatemala, during a period of interlocking social and environmental change known as the Protoclassic (100 BC – AD 400), with reference to the communities that constituted it and the larger political and demographic dynamics that entrained it. I present data and analysis focusing on each of three socio-spatial scales: (1) monumental architecture in El Achiotal’s epicenter (2) the settlements that together constituted the Achiotal polity, and (3) the Maya Lowlands macroregion within which the polity was enveloped. 

My results indicate that the Achiotal polity persisted during the Protoclassic by transforming its governing institutions to accommodate an unsettled geopolitical and demographic landscape. The demographic situation in El Achiotal’s hinterlands resembles that of the macroregion: relative stability in population magnitude, but with substantial short-range variation in whether communities or regions gained or lost population or otherwise saw transformation to existing lifeways. The Achiotal polity, meanwhile, was embroiled in the political realignments that this demographic reshuffling touched off. The polity’s subordination to a hegemonic power, and the novel local-scale political practices that this subordination engendered, may have insulated El Achiotal from the effects of population decline or displacement and helped to underwrite its survival during a time when many other polities in the region collapsed.

Die Bauforschung zur antiken Höhensiedlung Zamina und weiterer befestigter Gradine in ihrer Umgebung wurde durch ein Forschungsstipendium des DAI gefördert. Sie ist eingebunden in das deutsch-kroatische Forschungsprojekt der RGK »Vom Karstgebirge bis ins Meer. Eisenzeitliche bis spätantike Formen der Besiedlung, Raumerschließung und -nutzung am Vrana-See (Zadar) in Kroatien«. Im Oktober 2021 erfolgte eine gemeinsame dreiwöchigeBauaufnahme-
Kampagne verschiedener Projektbeteiligter, die vom Handaufmaß bis zum 3D-LiDAR-Scan reichte. Die bauforscherischen Untersuchungen machen  deutlich, wie die Interdependenzen der regionalen naturräumlichen, anthropogenen und wirtschaftlichen Rahmenbedingungen die Siedlungsmorphologie bestimmt haben.

Relief inversion effect is a perceptual phenomenon that leads to an inverted perception of convex and concave shapes. This perceptual inversion occurs in scenes where the shading/shadows act as the main depth cue. In visuospatial displays, such as shaded relief maps, the positioning of the shadows in the northern slopes, thus when light source placed broadly in south, mislead the cognitive system based on the 'light from above prior' assumption (Mamassian and Goutcher 2001). Thus, assuming the light must come from above, our mind creates an illusion, and we perceive the landforms incorrectly. To judge the 3D spatial relationships in terrain representations correctly, the relief inversion effect must be avoided. Cartographic convention against this effect is to place the light source at northwest (NW), whereas a recent study demonstrated that north-north-west (NNW), or even north yields more precise results . Since this finding goes against decades of convention, to establish its validity further, we attempted replicating the results with a different sample in South Africa. In this paper, we present our findings, which broadly confirm that the NNW (or also N) is better than NW against the relief inversion effect.

Postupy při vyhledávání, odhalování a identifikaci hrobů a pamětních míst TOMASZ BORKOWSKI Polský Ústav národní paměti (Instytut Pamięci Narodowej, IPN) je jednou z klíčových institucí zabývajících se vyšetřováním zločinů spáchaných totalitními režimy na území dnešního Polska. Výraznou roli v něm hraje tým archeologů, kteří se podíleli na identifikaci obětí například na hřbitově Powązki ve Varšavě, v hromadných hrobech ve Starém Grodkówě nebo na vojenském cvičišti Brus.

Příspěvek se zabývá srovnáním běžně dostupných metod s metodami méně obvyklými, které lze využít při dokumentaci místa dopravní nehody. Přesné a kvalitní provedení dokumentace místa dopravní nehody, zejména ve formě plánku, je jedním z důležitých údajů pro následnou analýzu nehodového děje. V příspěvku jsou porovnány metody zaměření pomocí měřicího kolečka, totální geodetickou stanicí, GNSS stanicí, rektifikací fotografie a 3D scannerem.

The paper is devoted to the role of man-made landforms in landscape design as a means of solving a range of environmental problems. This paper gives a characteristic of man-made landforms. The use of artificial forms of relief as a means that allows evoking bright emotions in the viewer is actualized. Such objects as Mill Creek Canyon (USA), Heart of Reeds (Great Britain), Devil’s Lake (USA), Buitenschot (Holland), Landform Ueda (England) and Crawick Multiverse (Scotland), created by famous artists and designers were considered in the course of the analysis. In their landscape organization manmade landforms play the leading role, the use of which has opened up the possibility of solving a number of environmental problems. As a result, it was established that the formation of compositions from earthen embankments allows overcoming problems of regulating water balance of territories, contributing to protection from excessive noise loads, as well as becoming a tool for rehabilitation o...

Geophysical methods are widely used as noninvasive tools for archaeological prospection. In a first step is usually applied basic prospection of vast areas, when data are evaluated only in qualitative way. Sometimes is performed second step, during which take place more detailed multidimensional or combined surveys in order to image archeological monuments complexly, allowing quantitative interpretation. Hence, we used a unique and novel combination of multidimensional electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) on the Early Middle Ages stronghold fortifications at Vinor ˇ(Czechia) to achieve such interpretation. The joint results of 2D/3D/4D (time-lapse) surveys allowed us to precisely characterize individual construction components of the fortifications, including a ditch and rampart enhanced by a front wall with a berm. The ERT results recovered the fortification dimensions and the volume of building material used. The surveyed fortification section was verified by excavations directly after the ERT measurements. A comparison of the excavated section with geophysics proved that ERT was able to infer all the important fortification characteristics. In addition, illustrative picture of the resistivity manifestations of the basic components of this very typical fortification construction were obtained. The results show that multidimensional ERT provide access to quantitative interpretation allowing to explain archaeological structures behind investigated anomalies. In result, sites containing cultural heritage can be leaved intact, excavations can be substituted in surprisingly large extent, while unprecedented amount of archaeological information is still retrieved.

Airborne laser scanning (ALS), that is, the use of laser scanning devices from airborne platforms to record surface topography, is a technique used for archaeological prospection that has evolved from being a new technology to common practice in the course of the past decade . Data recorded through the employment of remote-sensing techniques find numerous applications for public use. Among them are government spatial databases created and developed to foresee, monitor and prevent potential environmental and natural disasters in high-risk areas (e.g., flood plains). Such were the intentions of the ISOK (IT System of the Country's protection against Extreme Hazards) programme, which included initially, among others, ALS and the creation of DTM and DSM models of river sub-basin areas for more than 204,000 km 2 of the territory of poland (over 65% of the total area of the country). This processed and visualised data is available free to the public as a WMTS layer in poland's national geoportal (Geoportal.gov.pl) administered by the Head Office of Geodesy and Cartography (GUGiK). Data for particular areas, provided in .LAS and its derivatives, i.e., ASCII formats, can be purchased for further enhancement. The potential for prospection of landscapes, including remote and forested areas, is inestimable. The area covered by ALS contains numerous islands, mountain ranges, bogs and forests. The lattermost are of utmost importance where ALS data is concerned, because about a third of the territory of poland is densely forested , making regular fieldwalking (the fundamental prospection technique applied in poland) in search of known and new archaeological resources a challenge over large parts of the country. The possibility of exploring these areas provides a new dimension for national heritage management in poland as far as earthworks are concerned (Kiarszys and Szalast 2014; Banaszek 2014). In recent years, the emphasis on making use of ISOK data has been placed mainly on case studies of particular areas, geographical units, mostly forested (example in Banaszek 2014), or detection of specific types of archaeological features within a cultural landscape (see przybył 2014). The use of ALS data has become relatively common in site or landscape field projects

A case study of non-invasive archeological methods application is presented on an example of former fortified camp from the Thirty Years War. The landscape near Kosarzyn, in lubuskie province has drawn human attention for hundredths of years as it is the place where Odra and Nysa Łużycka rivers meet. In the past it was a transport hub for products from the east and south towards north and back. In this article we present only a short period of its history.