Evolution of surveying practices in archaeology: a technical overview to introduce new management possibilities for Cultural Heritage data
Résumé
Especially in archaeology, a mission of the surveyor is to acquire and to work on data generated by an experimentation field, i.e. to
locate natural elements or human constructions, and to represent them (analogically or digitally). Surveying work has always been
part of field archaeology, because the knowledge and expertise of the surveyor can be as useful for the prospecting stage as for the
excavation. However surveying practices carried out in archaeology could change, and the surveyor could be proved helpful for the
use of excavated data too. The purpose of this paper is to summarize how topographical techniques are used by the archaeologists,
and to present the evolution and potential of computer developments, especially regarding data management. Historically, a number
of cartographic tasks in archaeology was taking care of by the surveyor, e.g. cartography of excavation fields, absolute positioning of
distinct sites, aerial prospecting, study of old maps and archive images, levelling, etc. Today, the archaeologist makes more and more
the field surveys himself, however the role of the surveyor could change in the future. He will be able to help the archaeologist in his
data exploitation work as well. The new expertises of the surveyor, e.g. Databases and Geographic Information System (GIS), allow
him to handle different kinds of data efficiently. These knowledge should be interesting for the archaeologist, both in simplifying
data management and in developing novel techniques for presenting the resources. Moreover, to have an overview of all data
available could lead to innovative analyses, based for instance on interactive 3D models linked with databases or on modelling of
historical evolutions. Then, the surveyor competences are extending and will permit him to offer the archaeologist new possibilities
for the utilisation of all types of documents allowing to approach the Human Past.
locate natural elements or human constructions, and to represent them (analogically or digitally). Surveying work has always been
part of field archaeology, because the knowledge and expertise of the surveyor can be as useful for the prospecting stage as for the
excavation. However surveying practices carried out in archaeology could change, and the surveyor could be proved helpful for the
use of excavated data too. The purpose of this paper is to summarize how topographical techniques are used by the archaeologists,
and to present the evolution and potential of computer developments, especially regarding data management. Historically, a number
of cartographic tasks in archaeology was taking care of by the surveyor, e.g. cartography of excavation fields, absolute positioning of
distinct sites, aerial prospecting, study of old maps and archive images, levelling, etc. Today, the archaeologist makes more and more
the field surveys himself, however the role of the surveyor could change in the future. He will be able to help the archaeologist in his
data exploitation work as well. The new expertises of the surveyor, e.g. Databases and Geographic Information System (GIS), allow
him to handle different kinds of data efficiently. These knowledge should be interesting for the archaeologist, both in simplifying
data management and in developing novel techniques for presenting the resources. Moreover, to have an overview of all data
available could lead to innovative analyses, based for instance on interactive 3D models linked with databases or on modelling of
historical evolutions. Then, the surveyor competences are extending and will permit him to offer the archaeologist new possibilities
for the utilisation of all types of documents allowing to approach the Human Past.
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