Sites From Space?

[Polly]

Just reading about your computer generated archaeological models, Tim, and wondered what you thought of the recent work done on identifying potential sites eg. In Egypt, from satellite images?

[Timbo]

 Morning Pauline,

Remote sensing as it's known is quite an important aspect of modern archaeology. Satellite imagery, aerial photography and LIDAR, like the images I popped up in some of the threads in the archaeology section here, are incredibly valuable techniques. Having worked with ICMOS , whose primary role is to 'promote the application of theory, methodology and scientific techniques to the conservation of the architectural and archaeological heritage',  I'm all for any tools that this modern age can throw at your average beer swilling archaeologist. BUT...

...and it is a big but (too much time boating and not enough digging)...there is a developing tendency towards academic laziness and inappropriate commercialisation of archaeology. Take the work of Sarah Parcak the so called 'Space Archaeologist'. Some sterling work has been done identifying potential and extant archaeology in Egypt and South America, and then she goes and 'contaminates the trench' by 'gameifying' (her word) satellite imagery so that the paying general public can access the data and 'win' the chance of taking part in the digs. Give me strength!

I blame Time Team for the demise of the 'working archaeologist'. At a lecture, I gave earlier this year I asked for a show of hands among the audience to indicate who among them was considering a career in archaeology. Out of some two hundred people, there were five or six hands raised. I then asked how many of the audience had managed to secure a place on a dig. Around seventy-five percent but not the five who wanted to become full-time archaeologists. Interested amateurs take up much of the work (for free) that professional archaeologists used to be paid for. They now 'raffle off' places on archaeological teams, selection based on chance, not academic merit.

Over recent years I've noticed a trend amongst some of my colleagues who have become 'archaeological consultants', to earn a crust, to prepare what is known as a 'desk based archaeological survey'. Talking with Ben Gunn about this trend recently he has now adapted the term to mean 'cheap, slipshod or half-arsed'. The desk based archaeological survey means a degree level, possibly post grad, archaeologist has looked at maps both ancient and modern of an area, read the books by local history buffs and in some very rare occasions has walked over a site, and then prepared a report for use by local authorities or developers to be used in local planning. Increasingly satellite imagery is being used to do this but, sitting behind a desk is not, and never will be as good as 'boots on the ground' archaeology.

An example close to my home was for an area in close proximity to Sweyne Forkbeard's Danish Camp, later a Norman Castle, medieval field systems and medieval gypsum pits. The area is covered by a woodland nature reserve and playing fields. According to a local desk based archaeologist, it is impossible to date the woodland. However a walk in the woods shows the medieval field system entering the woodland boundaries and the woodland is planted with specific species of tree in specific areas. The ash trees the give away, being only young trees where the oaks and beech are mature. Gives us a date of around 1715 when the area was enclosed. But I digress.

The main drawback of Sarah Parcak's approach and the ready availability of satellite imagery is the looting of archaeological sites, by the likes of ISIS and American collectors and your global tourists. Nothing can denude an archaeological monument quicker than a bus load of Yanks!  To prove a point the leader of an excavation team wanted us to remove some 'rubble' from a modern building on the site before we could begin an excavation. We would have to break up sections of stone and barrow them down a steep hill into a skip well over a mile away. However, our glorious leader instead got us to stack the stone blocks just by the entrance to coach park. Sure enough by the end of the day, twenty odd coach loads of American Tourists had not only broken up stone blocks but had carted the rubble away and secreted it in their hand luggage flying chunks of modern concrete stone facade and rubble all the way back home.

So on the whole Pauline, I'm a big fan of modern technology but it needs to be tempered with good old fashioned proper boots, shovel and trowel archaeology.

Sorry for the rant!

[Polly]

No that's a great answer Tim. I thought Time Team had been a driver for enrolment on university archaeology courses as much as anything else.but you would know of course. 

It's an issue really, because, while I am keenly interested I'd be unlikely to join a dig, so the world of archaeology only opens for me 'as seen on TV' or  visiting a museum/historical site or through these posts. 

I always thought that Mick Aston's driving passion was to give ordinary people an understanding of their past. He hated the pop and slick stuff and indeed left when it turned more in that direction.

[TheQ]

I worked a few summers (paid) as a schoolboy, on Ludgershall castle excavation, unfortunately I never did get to go to university to become an archaeologist which is what in would have liked. There were six places allocated out of the many  archaeologist / archaeology students at the excavation for  interested locals.

I still read vast amounts of history books but my joints tell me I won't be assisting in any more excavations.

The American rubble thieves have a lot to do with you not being able to get near Stonehenge, on which I used to play.

[MauriceMynah]

When I was cruising passed St. Bennet's last week I'm sure I saw a couple of people with metal detectors. Are they allowed to do that?

Oh, and Mr Q sir, were you never told not to play on building sites?

[Polly]

You have to wonder about the stupidity/selfishness of raiding historical sites!

As for offering sites as prizes as Timbo described, words fail me!

[TheQ]

8 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

When I was cruising passed St. Bennet's last week I'm sure I saw a couple of people with metal detectors. Are they allowed to do that?

Oh, and Mr Q sir, were you never told not to play on building sites?

Oh they stopped building on it, about when Richard the turd lost interest.