Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry in Archaeology: The Case Study of Mardaki Monastery

Abstract

The use of remote sensing and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s), in archaeology is a very valuable resource. With the aid of UAV’s in the field of archaeology, our ability to identify areas of cultural heritage has dramatically increased. The use of UAV’s, also known as drones, has allowed for a perspective that cannot be achieved by traditional land surveys and excavations. The use of drones and photogrammetry combined with geographical information systems (GIS) allows for the creation of detailed maps and 3-D renderings of archaeological sites. My survey took place at the monastery of Mardaki. With the advancement in UAV and camera technologies it is now relatively cheap and easy to be able to map a site or object. Digital cameras allow for more pictures to be captured at a time and are available to be view in real time; this of course cannot be accomplished with a traditional film camera. Traditional cameras require film which is expensive, heavy, and requires a large space to be stored. After, the film is exposed it then must be processed in a darkroom; a procedure that is expensive, laborious, and time consuming. With the elimination of this obstacle, many more pictures can be captured at a relatively low cost. This combined with more robust computer processing capabilities, creates an environment where pictures are easy and cheap to obtain and can be processed at a much faster pace than ever before. The advancement of UAV technology has allowed for cheaper, more reliable, and easier to pilot aircraft. With this advancement the cost of each individual flight has decreased dramatically over the last few decades. In the past, in order to preform photogrammetry, a helicopter and expensive cameras were needed; and at a great expense. Because of the expenditure there was little interest in the field. The more the technology advances the cheaper it becomes. The immerging field of digital archaeology is a consequence of these advancements in technology.