A review of trends within archaeological remote sensing in alluvial environments

Archaeological remote sensing encompasses a broad range of techniques from conventional aerial photography, passive and active airborne and satellite remote sensing to ground-based geophysical surveys. The aim of this paper is to review the present trends in the application of remote sensing within alluvial geoarchaeology. A number of broad themes emerge reflecting a hierarchy based on the view of alluvial environments within the earth sciences, ranging from catchment-wide analysis through to study of geomophologically homogeneous river reaches and individual sites, sometimes associated with clearly defined geomorphological events. This framework places cultural activity firmly within its containing and constraining natural landscapes. Beyond scale, the influence of emerging technologies may be seen in the development of new remote sensing techniques, powerful computer hardwares and softwares and the steady technology-driven move from reporting by two-dimensional static maps to three-dimensional interactive and immersive visualization. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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