Airborne laser scanning of historical wood charcoal production sites - A new tool of kiln site anthracology at the landscape level

• Autores: Thomas Ludemann
• Localización: Saguntum: Papeles del Laboratorio de Arqueología de Valencia-Extra, ISSN 2253-7295, ISSN-e 2254-0512, Nº. Extra 13, 2012 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Wood and charcoal evidence for human and natural history), págs. 247-252
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • We have tested if airborne laser scanning data are useful to find historical wood charcoal production sites in the field, especially in forested areas with a dense tree canopy. Therefore we have evaluated digital elevation models (hillshades) based on these data, (1) consi- dering potential kiln site structures at an 1-km2-testplot and verifying them in the field, (2) testing the visibility of a large number of kiln sites already localized and (3) systematically recording potential kiln site structures at the hillshade images for a large pilot area. Thousands of such sites are recognizable by airborne laser scanning and very high kiln site densities could be established. Exact information could be provided on their geographical positions and distribution patterns. Airborne laser scanning is a valuable tool for kiln site anthracology, fa- cilitating the field work considerably, increasing the efficiency and precision of the site records and highlighting the high historical signifi- cance of wood charcoal production. Moreover, it underlines the outstanding scientific potential of anthracological kiln site studies. The large number of analysable sites provides a unique chance to obtain new information on the historical forests and the human impact therein with fine spatial resolution at the landscape level.