Elsevier

Journal of Cultural Heritage

Volume 16, Issue 2, March–April 2015, Pages 192-201
Journal of Cultural Heritage

Original article
Combining Structure-from-Motion with high and intermediate resolution satellite images to document threats to archaeological heritage in arid environments

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2014.04.003Get rights and content

Abstract

For millennia, humans have lived in regions which have been and/or are today characterised by arid environmental conditions. Many archaeological sites are therefore located in deserts where they are subjected to specific conditions regarding their preservation, vulnerability, visibility and accessibility. The aim of this paper is to show how data from high and intermediate resolution satellite sensors and ground-based multi-image photogrammetry (Structure-from-Motion) can be combined to document damage to spatially extensive archaeological heritage in arid environments. In this approach, high-resolution satellite images (QuickBird) are used to locate archaeological sites and to verify the type of disturbance. Multiple sequential intermediate resolution satellite images (Landsat 7 ETM+) are used to document the spatial extent and temporal development of surface disturbances at the site and in the surrounding area. Structure-from-Motion (SfM) is used to document damage to a small segment of the archaeological site by creating a very high resolution DEM and orthophoto which are used for detailed damage assessment. The approach is exemplified using damage by off-road vehicles to a large Nasca period geoglyph in the coastal desert of southern Peru. It can be applied to document threats to spatially extensive archaeological sites in arid environments, such as large-scale looting, agricultural expansion or urban and industrial sprawl.

Section snippets

Research aims

The aim of this research is to develop a multi-scale and multi-temporal approach for the detection and documentation of threats and damage to spatially extensive archaeological sites in arid environments. Archaeological sites in arid environments are particularly suitable for the application of remote sensing methods due to sparse or absent vegetation cover. However, no single method is able to provide data for analysis at very high spatial resolution, high temporal resolution and large area

Structure-from-Motion

Structure-from-Motion (SfM) is a multi-image photogrammetric technique which allows the creation of high-resolution 3D data sets from sets of digital images. Benefiting from rapid increases in the computing power of regular PCs and readily available software, SfM is increasingly being applied in archaeology to document objects and sites [18].

The section of the geoglyph which appeared most affected by off-road vehicles during fieldwork in December 2012 was documented by pole photography. Using

SfM-based geoglyph characterisation and assessment of damage

Contrary to the majority of the geoglyphs in the World Heritage area near Nazca which were created by piling up continuous stone banks along the outlines of the features, the geoglyph studied here was created by aligning a large number of small stone piles. In the 138 m long and 12 m wide segment recorded by SfM (Fig. 5), there are 127 stone piles which make up the western (67 piles) and eastern (60 piles) lines of the geoglyph. Despite extensive damage which had occurred by the time of SfM image

Conclusions

The approach presented in this paper combines the benefits of remote sensing data and analyses at very different spatial and temporal resolution. While single method approaches face constraints regarding spatial resolution, temporal resolution or area coverage, this combined approach allows to:

  • locate archaeological heritage in single-period high resolution satellite images;

  • detect and quantify disturbances at high temporal resolution of a few weeks using multiple sequential intermediate

Acknowledgements

I wish to thank J. Isla Cuadrado (ANDES – Centro de Investigación para la Arqueología y el Desarrollo, Peru) and J. Astuhuaman Blanco (PAP, Peru) for their hospitality and the logistical support during the fieldwork. The paper benefited from the helpful comments made by two anonymous reviewers and a final read-through by K. Barton (LGS, Ireland).

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