Aerial Photographic Interpretation Research Papers (original) (raw)

Airborne remote sensing encompasses applications using a range of airborne/satellite sensors for detecting and understanding sites and landscapes without making direct physical contact. These noninvasive and non-destructive approaches... more

Airborne remote sensing encompasses applications using a range of airborne/satellite sensors for detecting and understanding sites and landscapes without making direct physical contact. These noninvasive and non-destructive approaches underpin primary reconnaissance survey in many environments. The main data sources are described, with discussion of applications, scale, and future developments.

The Villa of the Emperor Domitian near the promontory of Circeo on the shore of the coastal lake of Paola, is a monumental complex of the greatest importance which today is located in a 45.96 hectare natural reserve in the Parco... more

The Villa of the Emperor Domitian near the promontory of Circeo on the shore of the coastal lake of Paola, is a monumental complex of the greatest importance which today is located in a 45.96 hectare natural reserve in the Parco Nazionale del Circeo.
This area from the 18th century up to 1939 was rented for agricultural purposes to private citizens. Since 1940, it has been devoted to pine seed cultivation, which, along with clandestine excavations of the 18th century, has lead to a significant reduction in the visibility of the surviving archaeological remains.
Thanks to the discovery of air photos in the archives of the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici del Lazio and of the ICCD - Aerofototeca di Stato, taken before the plantation of the pines, the acquisition of valuable information about the structures of this villa, which are no longer visible due to the thickness of the trees, is now possible.
Information offered by this archive was not limited to the survey phase, but, through the restitution of the archaeological traces, it has contributed a great deal to the realization of a general archaeological cartography, an essential tool in order to continue investigations of the site.

This essay addresses an issue that arose from the combined capabilities of aerial warfare and reconnaissance photography between the World Wars: the emergence of a modern art of camouflage and its evolution into an organized discursive... more

This essay addresses an issue that arose from the combined capabilities of aerial warfare and reconnaissance photography between the World Wars: the emergence of a modern art of camouflage and its evolution into an organized discursive field. As the instrumental applications of aerial vision became inextricably bound up with the means of destruction from the sky, the logic and logistics of total war turned cities into mass targets. Hence, urban space became the theatre of ever more advanced systems of disguise, concealment, and misdirection. The essay situates the development of theories and methods of camouflage within a broader discourse that burgeoned, in various disciplines, during the interwar period. Particular attention is paid to the specialized literature that was published in Britain, in connection with new measures of civil protection, between the late 1910s and the early 1940s. How cities, in particular, were subjected to temporary morphological transformation is discussed in the light of the some of the most noteworthy examples of urban disguise undertaken during the conflict. The links between a modern discipline of camouflage and contemporary developments in the fields of design, architecture, and planning suggest the unexpected relevance of the “art of disguise” to the history of urban space and its representations in the age of total war.

This book is an abridged version of my Ph.D. thesis. It aims to explore and evaluate the present potential of aerial and satellite imagery for archaeological research. Given the enormous volume of information collected by aerial survey... more

This book is an abridged version of my Ph.D. thesis. It aims to explore and evaluate the present potential of aerial and satellite imagery for archaeological research. Given the enormous volume of information collected by aerial survey during the past decades and the recent introduction of new powerful sensors (both airborne and spaceborne), the incoming impact of this approach on the academic research and cultural heritage management is inevitably immense. It is argued that the cumulative process of data gathering and synthesis should result in the production of interpretative maps that may serve different purposes, in accordance with the pre-set rules governing their preparation. Two landscape transects from the Czech Republic are treated in the book and their archaeological potential inferred from the interpretation of aerial photographs is mapped in GIS and published as web map services.

La pratica della conservazione di alimenti e bevande costituisce una problematica che da sempre l’uomo ha dovuto affrontare per potersi garantire adeguate fonti di sostentamento durante l’intero ciclo delle stagioni e i periodi di... more

La pratica della conservazione di alimenti e bevande costituisce una problematica che da sempre l’uomo ha dovuto affrontare per potersi garantire adeguate fonti di sostentamento durante l’intero ciclo delle stagioni e i periodi di carestia. Fin dall’antichità sono stati elaborati sistemi atti a riporre gli alimenti in vista della loro conservazione e consumazione in un momento successivo. Dalla realizzazione di appositi recipienti atti a contenere il cibo, l’attenzione si è estesa poi anche ai locali dove riporre tali contenitori. I luoghi destinati alla conservazione degli alimenti così pure delle cisterne, dei pozzi e in generale degli spazi ipogei porta, nel corso dei secoli, ad affinare e a differenziare i sistemi costruttivi, i materiali impiegati e gli accorgimenti relativi al mantenimento del microclima per dare luogo a soluzioni architettoniche costruttive più specifiche rispetto ai semplici locali parzialmente o totalmente interrati destinati al deposito e alla conservazione di derrate alimentari. Un interessante caso di indagine ai fini della presente ricerca è costituito dai luoghi della conservazione situati nel complesso monumentale di Colle Ameno a Sasso Marconi, in provincia di Bologna.

A review is given of the techniques that are available to extract relevant information from multi-temporal aerial photographs for use in the monitoring stage of landslide assessments. It is shown that aerial photograph interpretation... more

A review is given of the techniques that are available to extract relevant information from multi-temporal aerial photographs for use in the monitoring stage of landslide assessments. It is shown that aerial photograph interpretation reveals qualitative information on surface characteristics, which is helpful in detecting landslide features and inferring the mechanisms involved. Photogrammetrically derived products can be used to quantify these processes, providing distinctive advantages. Comparison of digital elevation models (DEMs) from different times provides detailed information on changes in surface topography, whereas orthophotos can be used to measure horizontal displacements. The various factors influencing the quality of the products are also identified. Examples from a case study on the Mam Tor landslide are used to illustrate the benefits of the different approaches.

The starting point for this contribution is that an aerial perspective should play an important role in landscape archaeology, the significance of that role depending on context and the questions being asked. This is not to adopt a... more

The starting point for this contribution is that an aerial perspective should play an important role in landscape archaeology, the significance of that role depending on context and the questions being asked. This is not to adopt a competitive position where different perspectives and sources of information and understanding are ‘better’ or ‘worse’, because that would be to miss the point about the inherently holistic philosophy of landscape archaeology, but rather to ask what are the uses of aerial photographs and remote sensed data in a problem-orientated approach to landscape. Central to the successful use of any source of information is the clear definition of objectives (research design) and an explicit understanding of how different sources may contribute to understanding the history (or histories) of the landscape (for example). This chapter aims to provide the reader with a commentary on aerial photographs and aerial reconnaissance for landscape studies, not as a prescriptive technical ‘manual’ but to encourage the application of this perspective and sources in ways that are appropriate to context.

Co-edited by Karène Sanchez Summerer and Sary Zananiri, with contributions by Salim Tamari, Abigail Jacobson, Inger Marie Okkenhaug, Norig Neveu and Karène Sanchez Summerer, Issam Nassar, Rona Sela, Rachel A. Lev, Sary Zananiri, Yazan... more

Co-edited by Karène Sanchez Summerer and Sary Zananiri, with contributions by Salim Tamari, Abigail Jacobson, Inger Marie Okkenhaug, Norig Neveu and Karène Sanchez Summerer, Issam Nassar, Rona Sela, Rachel A. Lev, Sary Zananiri, Yazan Kopty, Stephen Sheehi, Nadi abusaada, Özge Calafato and Aude Aylin de Tapia.

The collaboration between Giacomo Boni and Maurizio Mario Moris, the Captain of Genio Militare Italiano led, in 1899, to the first European application of aerial photography to archaeological research, with the photogrammetric relief of... more

The collaboration between Giacomo Boni and Maurizio Mario Moris, the Captain of Genio Militare Italiano led, in 1899, to the first European application of aerial photography to archaeological research, with the photogrammetric relief of the Roman Forum.
The cross-analysis of the unpublished data kept in Roman archives and the newspapers edited at the turn of the XIX and XX century threw light on a crucial chapter of Roman Forum and Palatine topography. The research carried to the identification of a corpus
consisting of 123 pictures from 74 shots, that we can attribute to six major rises, occurred between 1899 and 1909. This first civil application of a science originally born in the military field generated a connection between military and archaeological science for the knowledge and protection of archaeological heritage, reaching a level of excellence internationally recognized and applicated.

Keywords (english/german) celtic square enclosures (Viereckschanzen, Keltenschanzen) ditch and rampart (Graben und Wall) late iron age (Späte Eisenzeit) archaeological survey (archäologische Feldbegehungen) prehistoric and... more

Keywords (english/german)
celtic square enclosures (Viereckschanzen, Keltenschanzen)
ditch and rampart (Graben und Wall)
late iron age (Späte Eisenzeit)
archaeological survey (archäologische Feldbegehungen)
prehistoric and historic changes in landuse (Änderungen in der prähistorischen und historischen Landnutzung)
aerial archaeology (Luftbildarchäologie)
soil science (Bodenkunde)
airborne laser scanning (ALS, Digitale Geländemodelle)

Tijekom dvije kratke istraživačke kampanje 2013. i 2014. godine, u kojima su sudjelovali djelatnici Arheološkog muzeja Zadar i Odjela za arheologiju Filozofskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Ljublja-ni, otkriveni su dijelovi velike utvrde na... more

Tijekom dvije kratke istraživačke kampanje 2013. i 2014. godine, u kojima su sudjelovali djelatnici Arheološkog muzeja Zadar i Odjela za arheologiju Filozofskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Ljublja-ni, otkriveni su dijelovi velike utvrde na otočiću Veliki Sikavac kod Vlašića na otoku Pagu. Radi se o pravokutnoj građevini polože-noj na strmoj padini otočića i definiranoj zidovima širokim 1,80 metara. Na kutovima utvrde te na sredini sjeveroistočnog i jugo-zapadnog perimetralnog zida smješteno je šest istaknutih kula. Istraživanjem unutrašnjeg platoa ustanovljeno je pedesetak pro-stora namijenjenih smještaju posade, skladištima i radionicama. Na temelju građevinskih karakteristika i na osnovi keramičkog materijala potvrdilo se da čitav sklop pripada bizantskoj utvrdi kao jednoj u nisu sličnih utvrda izgrađenih na našem priobalju i otocima tijekom Justinijanove rekonkviste u 6. stoljeću. Ispod utvrde smješteni su ostaci manje jednobrodne crkvi-ce, loše sačuvane, koja se, za sada, stavlja u okvire srednjeg vije-ka. Sudeći po minimalnom ostacima iza apside crkvice vjeruje se da je naslijedila neki raniji objekt koji se nalazio na istom mjestu. Nalaza manjih ulomaka glazirane keramike iz druge pol 15. i prve polovice 16. st. upućuju na zaključak da se život na otočiću odvi-jao sve do ranih stoljeća novog vijeka. Za petnaestak izduženih i udubljenih nakupina kamena na padini ispod utvrde pretpostavlja se da pripadaju nekim manjim stambenim objektima. Donose se i zračni snimci ostalih bizantskih utvrda s otoka Paga kao i utvrda u velebitskom Podgorju. Ključne riječi: Veliki Sikavac, otok Pag, bizantska utvrda During two short excavation campaigns in 2013 and 2014, carried out by the employees of Archaeological Museum Zadar and Department of Archaeology of the Faculty of Arts of the University in Ljubljana, parts of a large fortification were discovered on the islet of Veliki Sikavac off Vlašić on the island of Pag. It is a square structure located on the islet's steep slope and defined by walls 1.80m wide. Six prominent towers can be seen in the forti-fication's corners and in the middle sections of the northeastern and southwestern perimeter walls. The excavations on the inner plateau resulted in the discovery of approx. fifty spatial units that had been used as garrison quarters, warehouses and workshops. Based on the architectural features and pottery found, it was confirmed that the complex was a Byzantine fortification – one of numerous similar fortifications built on Croatian coast and islands during Justinian's reconquest in the 6 th century. Remains of a small single-naved church, poorly preserved, can be found underneath the fortification. For the time being, the church is dated to Middle Ages. The scarce remains found behind its apse make us believe it was built on the site of an earlier structure. The finds of small fragments of glazed pottery from the second half of the 15 th century and first half of the 16 th century indicate that the islet was inhabited until the early Modern Age. As for the fifteen or so elongated and recessed stone piles found on the slope underneath the fortification, it is believed they are the remnants of small dwellings. The paper also includes aerial photographs of other Byzan-tine fortifications on the island of Pag and of those in Podgorje – the region at the foot of Velebit Mountain opposite the island.

Aerial archaeology allows to observe the world through space and understand the landscape between natural and anthropic. Based on the understanding of aerial archaeology and the concept of photo interpretation, it is shown here how the... more

Aerial archaeology allows to observe the world through space and understand the landscape between natural and anthropic. Based on the understanding of aerial archaeology and the concept of photo interpretation, it is shown here how the dolmens present themselves in the vertical images, to understand how these places are inserted in the natural environment, taking as a case study the existing monuments in the areas of Mora and Arraiolos – Portugal. Thus, through the images made available in softwares such as Google Earth and BING,
the monuments of these two regions were visualised to acknowledge their location and how they are perceived through this exploration method.

Aerial reconnaissance continues to be a vital tool for landscape-oriented archaeological research. Although a variety of remote sensing platforms operate within the earth's atmosphere, the majority of aerial archaeological information is... more

Aerial reconnaissance continues to be a vital tool for landscape-oriented archaeological research. Although a variety of remote sensing platforms operate within the earth's atmosphere, the majority of aerial archaeological information is still derived from oblique photographs collected during observer-directed reconnaissance flights, a prospection approach which has dominated archaeological aerial survey for the past century. The resulting highly biased imagery is generally catalogued in sub-optimal (spatial) databases, if at all, after which a small selection of images is orthorectified and interpreted. For decades, this has been the standard approach. Although many innovations, including digital cameras, inertial units, photogrammetry and computer vision algorithms, geographic(al) information systems and computing power have emerged, their potential has not yet been fully exploited in order to re-invent and highly optimise this crucial branch of landscape archaeology. The authors argue that a fundamental change is needed to transform the way aerial archaeologists approach data acquisition and image processing. By addressing the very core concepts of geographically biased aerial archaeological photographs and proposing new imaging technologies, data handling methods and processing procedures, this paper gives a personal opinion on how the methodological components of aerial archaeology, and specifically aerial archaeological photography, should evolve during the next decade if developing a more reliable record of our past is to be our central aim. In this paper, a possible practical solution is illustrated by outlining a turnkey aerial prospection system for total coverage survey together with a semi-automated back-end pipeline that takes care of photograph correction and image enhancement as well as the management and interpretative mapping of the resulting data products. In this way, the proposed system addresses one of many bias issues in archaeological research: the bias we impart to the visual record as a result of selective coverage. While the total coverage approach outlined here may not altogether eliminate survey bias, it can vastly increase the amount of useful information captured during a single reconnaissance flight while mitigating the discriminating effects of observer-based, on-the-fly target selection. Furthermore, the information contained in this paper should make it clear that with current technology it is feasible to do so. This can radically alter the basis for aerial prospection and move landscape archaeology forward, beyond the inherently biased patterns that are currently created by airborne archaeological prospection.

This survey involved the interpretation, transcription and recording of all significant archaeological features seen on aerial photographs at and in the immediate environs of the ‘henge enclosure’ known as Mount Pleasant on the outskirts... more

This survey involved the interpretation, transcription and recording of all significant archaeological features seen on aerial photographs at and in the immediate environs of the ‘henge enclosure’ known as Mount Pleasant on the outskirts of Dorchester, Dorset.
The survey followed observation of previously unrecognised features visible on photographs taken in 2003, as part of English Heritage’s annual aerial reconnaissance programme. Assessment of historic photographs in the National Monuments Record (now English Heritage Archive) collection at Swindon demonstrated that many of these ‘new’ features had been photographed before, but that despite the significance of the site, and the amount of work undertaken in the vicinity over the years, no systematic analysis of the aerial photographic evidence had ever been undertaken.
Among the key features discussed are additional entrances into the henge enclosure, evidence for external ditches, enlarged or heightened banks, and a possible approach to the River Frome, along with a number of previously unrecognised ring ditches outside the enclosure.

Using Montarice in central Adriatic Italy as a case study, this paper focuses on the extraction of the spectral (i.e., plant colour) and geometrical (i.e., plant height) components of a crop canopy from archived aerial photographs,... more

Using Montarice in central Adriatic Italy as a case study, this paper focuses on the extraction of the spectral (i.e., plant colour) and geometrical (i.e., plant height) components of a crop canopy from archived aerial photographs, treating both parameters as proxies for archaeological prospection. After the creation of orthophotographs and a canopy height model using image-based modelling, new archaeological information is extracted from this vegetation model by applying relief-enhancing visualisation techniques. Through interpretation of the resulting data, a combination of the co-registered spectral and geometrical vegetation dimensions clearly add new depth to interpretative mapping, which is typically based solely on colour differences in orthophotographs.

The Aerofototeca Nazionale (AFN) in Rome holds 883,005 aerial photographs of Italy dating to 1943-1945, many of them showing the traces left by aerial bombing. The often massive scale of the bombing has... more

The Aerofototeca Nazionale (AFN) in Rome holds 883,005 aerial photographs of Italy dating to 1943-1945, many of them showing the traces left by aerial bombing. The often massive scale of the bombing has left a lasting legacy across the landscape in the problems of dealing with Unexploded Ordnance (UXO), which continues to be felt on a nearly daily basis. While the AFN collection is a powerful record of the landscapes of wartime Italy, its great potential for plotting of UXO hazard maps remains under-developed. This paper outlines the scale of the UXO problem, and the current provisions of the law and practice, illustrating the continuing lethal legacy of World War II in present-day Italy.
Keywords: World War II, unexploded ordnance, Italy, lethal legacy

Fotointerpretazione archeologica e fotorestituzione dei voli storici riguardanti Pisa ed il suo territorio.

The author illustrates a research project aimed at making an important contribution to the topographical knowledge of the urban area inside the city walls of Roman Telesia, located near Benevento (S. Salvatore Telesino). The urban survey... more

The author illustrates a research project aimed at making an important contribution to the topographical knowledge of the urban area inside the city walls of Roman Telesia, located near Benevento (S. Salvatore Telesino). The urban survey has involved topographical and archaeological research and a selected coverage of the western area of the city, near Porta Volturno, using satellite images and low altitude aerial photography. A Geographical Infor-mation System, based on the integration of aerial data, maps and the digitization of several negative cropmarks, has allowed the author to develop a database for the visualization and comprehension of the complex ancient site of Telesia and to interpret the urban planning of the Roman city.

Between 2016 and 2018, The Chase Through Time project explored the rich history of Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). All across the Chase, previous generations left their mark on the land. Much is hidden in woodland... more

Between 2016 and 2018, The Chase Through Time project explored the rich history of Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). All across the Chase, previous generations left their mark on the land. Much is hidden in woodland and heath, including one of the best-preserved First World War landscapes in England. As part of the Great War centenary initiative: Home Front Legacy, Historic England undertook an archaeological survey in partnership with Staffordshire County Council, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The HLF support included funding for high-resolution airborne laser scanning (lidar). This allowed us to see beneath the trees, revealing a range of archaeological features dating from prehistory onwards. Other sources included historic aerial photographs, which recorded archaeological remains and the changing landscape over the last 70 years. As well as the First World War, other major archaeological themes from the project included extensive medieval and later coal mining, post medieval land division associated with the early management of the Chase, and the localised concentration of prehistoric burnt mounds. An important strand to this project was the involvement of volunteers. Historic England shared skills, provided training and promoted the use of non-invasive analytical survey techniques with people interested in exploring the history of the Chase. Archaeological records were input directly into Staffordshire County Council’s Historic Environment Record (HER) ensuring they could be used immediately. Overall, 565 archaeological sites were mapped, of which 436 were new to the record. The lidar and results of the project are freely available via an online map hosted and maintained by Historic England. The project results will aid management of Cannock Chase, help to develop future projects and will contribute to a lasting legacy of archaeological investigation of this area by heritage professionals and volunteers.

Neolithic settlements (6th/5th millennium BC) encircled by moats were widespread throughout Europe, including eastern Croatia, on which there is an extensive bibliography. Excavations conducted over the last several years have confirmed... more

Neolithic settlements (6th/5th millennium BC) encircled by moats were widespread throughout Europe, including eastern Croatia, on which there is an extensive bibliography. Excavations conducted over the last several years have confirmed the existence of thus far unrecorded methods for the formation and organization of such settlements in eastern Croatia – twin settlements. This new type of settlement was ascertained by means of remote sensing from aircraft and by means of drones, in combination with a series of satellite and aerial vertical photographs,
while the results of field surveys of the sites so discovered have confirmed that they were generally multi-layered, long-term and attributed to the Sopot culture, so that they may be generally dated to the 5th millennium BC.

This paper demonstrates the value of historical aerial photographs for assessing long-term landslide evolution. The study focused on two case histories, the Mam Tor and East Pentwyn landslides. In both case histories we explored the... more

This paper demonstrates the value of historical aerial photographs for assessing long-term landslide evolution. The study focused on two case histories, the Mam Tor and East Pentwyn landslides. In both case histories we explored the variety of data that could be derived relatively easily using an ordinary PC desktop, commercially available software and commonly available photographic material. The techniques to unlock qualitative and quantitative data captured in the photographic archive were based on the principles of aerial photo-interpretation and photogrammetry. The products created comprised geomorphological maps, automatically derived digital elevation models (DEMs), displacement vectors and animations. The measured horizontal displacements of the Mam Tor landslide ranged from 0.09 to 0.74 m a−1 between 1953 and 1999, which was verified by independent survey data. Moreover, the observed displacement patterns were consistent with photo-interpreted geomorphological information. The photogrammetric measurements from the East Pentwyn landslide (horizontal displacements up to 6 m a−1 between 1971 and 1973) also showed a striking resemblance to independent data. In both case histories, the vertical accuracy was insufficient for detecting significant elevation changes. Nevertheless, DEMs proved to be a powerful tool for visualization. Overall, the results in this study validated the techniques used and strongly encourage the use of historical photographic material in landslide studies.

Landslide inventory maps (LIMs) show where landslides have occurred in an area, and provide information useful to different types of landslide studies, including susceptibility and hazard modelling and validation, risk assessment ,... more

Landslide inventory maps (LIMs) show where landslides have occurred in an area, and provide information useful to different types of landslide studies, including susceptibility and hazard modelling and validation, risk assessment , erosion analyses, and to evaluate relationships between landslides and geological settings. Despite recent technological advancements, visual interpretation of aerial photographs (API) remains the most common method to prepare LIMs. In this work, we present a new semi-automatic procedure that makes use of GIS technology for the digitization of landslide data obtained through API. To test the procedure , and to compare it to a consolidated landslide mapping method, we prepared two LIMs starting from the same set of landslide API data, which were digitized (a) manually adopting a consolidated visual transfer method, and (b) adopting our new semi-automatic procedure. Results indicate that the new semi-automatic procedure (a) increases the interpreter's overall efficiency by a factor of 2, (b) reduces significantly the subjectivity introduced by the visual (manual) transfer of the landslide information to the digital database, resulting in more accurate LIMs. With the new procedure, the landslide positional error decreases with increasing landslide size, following a power-law. We expect that our work will help adopt standards for transferring landslide information from the aerial photographs to a digital landslide map, contributing to the production of accurate landslide maps.

The observation of the differential growth of vegetation during particular periods (drought) and in areas where the composition of the soil is sandy or gravelly may detect buried archaeological structures. More specifically at Casalmoro... more

The observation of the differential growth of vegetation during particular periods (drought) and in areas where the composition of the soil is sandy or gravelly may detect buried archaeological structures. More specifically at Casalmoro the luzerne round patches suggest the presence on a wide area of pits and ditches while at Remedello Sotto, in the area adjacent the famous copper age cemetery , various round ditches and other archaeological structures were identified. At Dossone (Casalmoro) and Volongo (Castelnuovo d'Asola) damp marks from Google Maps, clearly mark the extension of Bronze Age settlements.

The perception of an urban grid as a living memory of a past cultural identity is not only an issue of the modern period. The case of the Etruscan city of Veii and its transformation into Municipium Augustum Veiens after centuries of... more

The perception of an urban grid as a living memory of a past cultural identity is not only an issue of the modern period. The case of the Etruscan city of Veii and its transformation into Municipium Augustum Veiens after centuries of obliteration clearly shows the imperial intention of preserving memories of the past by embodying them into a new urban project: two of the most meaningful elements of a city, the walls and the streets, were retained in order to fit
Augustan cultural politics. Two kinds of archaeological evidence lead us to this conclusion. First, the archaeological excavation campaigns of the Ancient Topography chair at the Sapienza allow us to reconstruct how the original road network was improved despite the new landscape of the city. And second, the epigraphic documents reveal an Augustan sacerdotal group that maintained the meaning of the Etruscan walls with their rites; the distinction between intramuranei and extramuranei is unique in the imperial urban panorama. The Roman city required no defensive system at that time, and certainly not of that extent: the Municipium Augustum Veiens occupied a far smaller area than that of the Etruscan city, and did not need improvement of the inner road network. The sacredness of the defensive line, institutionalized by the rites of an imperial association, and the huge project of street restoration lead us to comprehension of the Augustan masterwork, which reflected a new political and social order while avoiding the obliteration of monuments and keeping their memory alive through the inclusion of the ancient plan in the new one. Again, thanks to the methods of aerial topography we can still read these traces, despite the changes that the urban grid of the ancient city of Veii went through
in recent centuries, yielding what today appears simply as a suggestive rural landscape.

This paper explores the complex issue of the archaeological interpretation of aerial data, including satellite images, multispectral/hyperspectral and traditional photographs. In addressing how archaeological interpretation works, the... more

This paper explores the complex issue of the archaeological interpretation of aerial data, including satellite images, multispectral/hyperspectral and traditional photographs. In addressing how archaeological interpretation works, the role of experience, intuition and ‘pattern recognition’ will be discussed, suggesting methodologies appropriate to particular contexts. It is argued that interpretation of aerial images is a specialist skill, improved by experience and that methods of auto-extraction, often applied to unsuitable images, are a poor substitute for this.

The research hereby presented on the history of Aerial Photography of the site of Ostia (Rome) has been carried out in the framework of the activities of the Ostia Marina Project, archaeological mission of the University of Bologna,... more

The research hereby presented on the history of Aerial Photography of the site of Ostia (Rome) has been carried out in the framework of the activities of the Ostia Marina Project, archaeological mission of the University of Bologna, active by ten years in Ostia 1. T his paper aims to analyze the development of aerial photography in Ostia, with a particular focus for the importance of such material for the study of the evolution of the archaeological area, of its surroundings and of its landscape. During an extensive research in the funds of the Aerofototeca Nazionale of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage 2 , fifteen photos have been identified, covering a time range from 1911 to 1983.