Integrated Close Range Remote Sensing Techniques for Detecting, Documenting, and Interpreting Lost Medieval Settlements under Canopy: The Case of Altanum (RC, Italy)

Abstract

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 integrated with laser scanning to document the visible buildings. The most significant result of the study was to create a single GIS platform with the integration of all data in order to delineate the whole settlement layout, as well as to produce 2D and 3D datasets useful for the for knowledge and protection of the identified remains.

Assessing Human Settlement Sprawl in Mexico via Remote Sensing and Deep Learning

“…In contrast to focused studies that examine niche aspects of human settlements like ancient sites [29], [30], rural areas [31], and informal settlements [32], [33], this paper presents a comprehensive analysis of human settlement dynamics across Mexico. By covering a country with diverse settlement scenarios, this study offers an inclusive and varied understanding of settlement patterns, developing strategies applicable to various countries with different geographical contexts.…”

“…Osorio et al [29] utilize remote sensing techniques like lidar and photogrammetry to reveal significant ancient landscape changes in prehispanic settlements in Colombia, challenging the notion of these areas being pristine. Abate et al [30] also use similar technologies for analyzing medieval settlements in Italy, focusing on producing detailed 3D and 2D data to uncover and interpret hidden sites. Aamir et al [31] apply the U-net architecture, a deep learning framework, for segmenting rural settlements in Morocco, demonstrating its utility in land management.…”

A Semi-Automatic-Based Approach to the Extraction of Underwater Archaeological Features from Ultra-High-Resolution Bathymetric Data: The Case of the Submerged Baia Archaeological Park

“…To compute the SVF, two essential parameters are required: a fixed light source, akin to Hillshade, and a distance from the light source to the target pixel, similar to the concept of the search radius in openness analysis. The output raster provides values ranging from zero, indicating the complete obstruction of sky visibility, to one, signifying an entirely open sky visibility [63,80,81].…”

An Integrated Geophysical and Unmanned Aerial Systems Surveys for Multi-Sensory, Multi-Scale and Multi-Resolution Cave Detection: The Gravaglione Site (Canale di Pirro Polje, Apulia)

“…Each image, in fact, contains all of the information necessary to reproduce the geometry (point cloud and mesh) and color (texture) of the photographed object [58,59]. Photogrammetry aims to obtain metrically accurate, precise, and geometrically reliable information based on the principle of collinearity [60], correlating the coordinates in the sensor plane (2D) with those of the three-dimensional object (3D) [60,61].…”