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Archaeological Prospecting in Woodland Using LiDAR

UK Forest Comm - The wooded slopes and hills surrounding the gorge, combined with the areas world famous industrial heritage made Ironbridge an obvious location for the potential benefits of LiDAR, with its ability to map the landscape beneath the canopy. Results from the survey did not disappoint, with wooded areas revealing many sites of former industrial activity, including bell pits, quarries, building remains and charcoal hearths. However, in some wooded areas, the effectiveness of the survey was reduced due to the high abundance of holly which led to many gaps in the terrain model. Surprisingly perhaps, is the fact that this lack of a good terrain model in many places is being used to help to target areas where some active holly control would be desirable. Outside of wooded areas, the survey produced a 3-Dimensional map with sufficient detail to show former agricultural processes in some fields, the rails of an inclined plane and even the railings of the iron bridge itself. Read More