| Unit name | Air Photographic Survey |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ARCH20041 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Gardiner |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Anthropology and Archaeology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This Unit will introduce students to the methodologies and techniques used in interpreting air photographs and will look at its application in archaeology. Throughout the twentieth century the techniques and the scope of air photography has made great advances and as a result there is a large body of data available to the archaeologist. The value of air photographs for archaeological research has been recognised, but accurate interpretation requires an understanding of the whole landscape. Archaeological sites are not always identifiable from earthworks alone and the contribution air photography can make in the identification of sites and as an aid to interpretation is unquestioned. The themes to be examined will include the formation of crop and soil marks; the problems in interpretation; regional patterns within Britain; how to plot and prepare plots for publication. Students will have the opportunity of applying the techniques to studying and interpreting an air photograph of their own.
