Combining Remote Sensing Approaches for Detecting Marks of Archaeological and Demolished Constructions in Cahokia’s Grand Plaza, Southwestern Illinois

Abstract

Remote sensing data are increasingly being used in digital archaeology for the potential non-invasive detection of archaeological remains. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the capability of standalone (LiDAR and aerial photogrammetry) and integration/fusion remote sensing approaches in improving the prospecting and interpretation of archaeological remains in Cahokia’s Grand Plaza. Cahokia Mounds is an ancient area; it was the largest settlement of the Mississippian culture located in southwestern Illinois, USA. There are a limited number of studies combining LiDAR and aerial photogrammetry to extract archaeological features. This article, therefore, combines LiDAR with photogrammetric data to create new datasets and investigate whether the new data can enhance the detection of archaeological/ demolished structures in comparison to the standalone approaches. The investigations are implemented based on the hillshade, gradient, and sky view factor visual analysis techniques, which have various merits in revealing topographic features. The outcomes of this research illustrate that combining data derived from different sources can not only confirm the detection of remains but can also reveal more remains than standalone approaches. This study demonstrates that the use of combination remote sensing approaches provides archaeologists with another powerful tool for site analysis.

A Critical Review of Remote Sensing Approaches and Deep Learning Techniques in Archaeology

“…To fill the knowledge gaps, our recent study (2023) led by Kadhim et al [ 19 ] demonstrated a detailed workflow to investigate the potential of applying standalone, integration, and fusion approaches in detecting and recording archaeological remains of Cahokia’s Grand Plaza, Southwestern Illinois, based on aerial photogrammetry and LiDAR data. We argue that there is a high possibility that this investigation could make considerable further contributions to archaeological practice.…”

“…Previous studies have referred to combination, integration, fusion, and blending/merging terms as interchangeable terms. The research led by Kadhim et al [ 19 ] referred to the fusion approach as a combination of 2D images with digital models (DSM/DTM) to create a fused model. In contrast, the term integration denotes a combination of raster images (2.5D image) derived from two different sources (LiDAR and photogrammetry).…”

A New Technology for Documentation Cultural Heritage with Fast, Practical, and Cost-Effective Methods IPAD Pro LiDAR and Data Fusion

“…Therefore, it is essential to carefully consider the effectiveness of research methods in obtaining 3D digital data. With the advancement of technology, photogrammetry, and LiDAR techniques have been widely accepted in documentation studies as they can create a digital model that closely resembles physical geometry (Luhmann et al, 2020;Kadhim et al, 2023).…”

“…Additionally, due to the large size of most heritage structures, complete data cannot be obtained using a single method. Experts in the eld argue that complete 3D data can be obtained by using multiple data collection techniques, also known as data integration, to avoid incomplete data (Chatzistamatis et al, 2018;Luhmann et al, 2019;Luhmann et al, 2020;Palčák et al, 2022;Kadhim et al, 2023).…”

“…Additionally, the 3D models created with photogrammetry are disadvantaged due to their lower sensitivity (Luhmann et al, 2020). In a separate study, Kadhim et al (2023) combined data from an archaeological site using UAV and Airborne LiDAR methods. The study's results indicate that combining data from various sources can con rm the detection of remains and reveal more remains than independent approaches (Kadhim et al, 2023).…”