Archaeological landscape in central northern Istria (Croatia) revealed by airborne LiDAR: from prehistoric sites to Roman centuriation

Bernardini, Federico; Vinci, G.

doi:10.1007/s12520-020-01070-w

Cited by 12 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…On the contrary, the two features here analysed were unknown before the recent publication of the results of the ALS survey [23], as well as two other protohistoric fortified structures located in their surroundings. Feature 9 is an irregular fortification (about 130 × 60 m in size) located immediately west of site 10 and at the edge of the scarp of a deep narrow valley placed between them (Figure 1, feature 9).…”

Section: Geographic Geological and Archaeological Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 82%

“…The overall area is rich in archaeological features consisting of prehistoric, protohistoric and Roman sites ( [23] and references therein). Close to the two investigated structures, the main evidence in the area is represented by the Laganiši cave, occupied for a long period spanning from Neolithic to the Roman times (around 5000 BC-4th century AD), which was investigated in recent years ( [28]; Figure 1, Laganiši).…”

Section: Geographic Geological and Archaeological Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This included the acquisition, processing and analysis of high-definition ALS data combined with the examination of aerial photographs, historical cadastral maps and repeated fieldwork surface surveys. The investigations, carried out over about 30 square km, allowed us to identify and describe several unreported prehistoric, protohistoric and Roman sites and to obtain detailed topographic information about the already known ones [23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Integrating Airborne Laser Scanning and 3D Ground-Penetrating Radar for the Investigation of Protohistoric Structures in Croatian Istria

et al. 2021

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We present the investigation of two rather ephemeral archaeological sites located in the municipality of Oprtalj/Portole (Croatian Istria) by means of integrated archaeological, geophysical and remote sensing techniques. The results obtained confirm the first interpretation of these contexts; a protohistoric burial mound and a small hillfort, respectively. We further obtained detailed information about both deposits through 2D and 3D remote sensing and geophysical studies that produced maps, volumes, profiles and cross-sections. At the first site, the volume reconstruction of both the inner stone core and the superimposed earth of the putative stone mound also allowed us to estimate the labour necessary to erect the structure. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the integrated approach can be valuable not only to acquire novel data about the archaeological deposits but also to calibrate future investigations and to plan effective measures for heritage management, monitoring and valorization.

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Section: Geographic Geological and Archaeological Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 82%

Section: Geographic Geological and Archaeological Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Integrating Airborne Laser Scanning and 3D Ground-Penetrating Radar for the Investigation of Protohistoric Structures in Croatian Istria

et al. 2021

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“…For example, in Norway, LiDAR has been implemented (in some cases even working with the use of semi-automatic detection techniques, thanks to the use of CultSearcher software) in arctic and subarctic areas with excellent results; a total of 1186 pieces of archaeological evidence has been discovered so far [20] (p. 17). In the Istrian Peninsula, both in Croatia and Slovenia, hillforts dating from the Bronze and Iron Ages have been found [21] (p. 6) [22] (pp. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12].…”

Section: Lidar a Tool Tailored To The Inaccessibility Of The Terrainmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revealing Archaeological Sites under Mediterranean Forest Canopy Using LiDAR: El Viandar Castle (husum) in El Hoyo (Belmez-Córdoba, Spain)

Checa

Moreno-Escribano

Gasparini

et al. 2021

Drones

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Light detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology is a valuable tool for archaeological prospection in areas covered by dense vegetation. Its capacity to penetrate dense forest environments enables it to detect archaeological remains scattered over orographically complex areas. LiDAR-derived digital terrain models (DTMs) have made an exceptional contribution towards identifying topographic landscapes of archaeological interest. In this study, we focus on an area of intense historic settlement from the Chalcolithic to the Middle Ages, which today is completely covered by Mediterranean forest. Due to the dense canopy, and the fact that it is a protected area on private land, it has never been analyzed. To reveal the settlement, we primarily used a series of LiDAR mapping surveys to gather data and analyzed other open access remote sensing resources from the National Geographic Institute of Spain (IGN). The IGN LiDAR data proved to be of particular interest. These resources enabled us to detect an ancient fortress (El Viandar Castle) and its surrounding settlement. LiDAR, in conjunction with other products, was fundamental in identifying the site. Equally, the mapping surveys enabled us to analyze the limits and scope of the IGN airborne LiDAR and other free access remote sensing products. Our background in this research demonstrates that low-cost products applied to LiDAR research in archaeology have major limitations when it is necessary to have a high level of spatial resolution in order to define the layout and the main components of an archaeological site.

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“…First and foremost, LiDAR has become an essential part of archaeological prospection as a tool for detecting archaeological features [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. The free availability of LiDAR data in Slovenia since 2015 [11], for example, has led to the discovery of numerous archaeological sites and features-such as prehistoric settlements, prehistoric and Roman field systems, Roman military camps, and Late Antique settlements [12][13][14][15][16][17][18]particularly in densely forested areas. Moreover, LiDAR data allows each site or feature to be observed at different scales [19][20][21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Airborne LiDAR Data to the Archaeology of Agrarian Land Use: The Case Study of the Early Medieval Microregion of Bled (Slovenia)

Lozić

2021

Remote Sensing

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The use of topographic airborne LiDAR data has become an essential part of archaeological prospection, particularly as a tool for detecting archaeological features in the landscape. However, its use for landscape reconstruction and understanding archaeological sites in their environmental context is still underutilised. To this end, we took an innovative approach to using LiDAR data as a means of discovering, documenting, and interpreting agricultural land use systems by looking for significant environmental variation within a microregion. We combined information from LiDAR-derived DEM derivatives with archaeological, geological, and soil data. We introduced two methodological innovations. The first is the modified wetness index, which combines the LiDAR-derived precision with the accuracy of the effective field capacity of the soil to obtain a very realistic predictor of soil quality. The second is the modified landform classification, a combination of topographic position index and visual geomorphological analysis, which amalgamates two of the most important predictive variables for the distribution of plant species. Our approach is demonstrated by a case study focusing on early medieval settlements in the context of agricultural land use in the subalpine microregion of Bled (Slovenia). It revealed that early medieval settlers were drawn to light soils with high water retention capacity. Such soils were particularly suitable for the cultivation of barley, which is known to have been one of the most important staple crops of the period, especially in colder climate such as subalpine. Soils with lower water retention capacity were not colonized until the eleventh century, which may signify the transition at that time to a higher level of agricultural organisation and wheat as a staple cereal food.

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Archaeological landscape in central northern Istria (Croatia) revealed by airborne LiDAR: from prehistoric sites to Roman centuriation

Cited by 12 publications

References 10 publications

Integrating Airborne Laser Scanning and 3D Ground-Penetrating Radar for the Investigation of Protohistoric Structures in Croatian Istria

Integrating Airborne Laser Scanning and 3D Ground-Penetrating Radar for the Investigation of Protohistoric Structures in Croatian Istria

Revealing Archaeological Sites under Mediterranean Forest Canopy Using LiDAR: El Viandar Castle (husum) in El Hoyo (Belmez-Córdoba, Spain)

Application of Airborne LiDAR Data to the Archaeology of Agrarian Land Use: The Case Study of the Early Medieval Microregion of Bled (Slovenia)

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