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Using Geospatial Imaging Techniques to Reveal and Share the Secrets of Stonehenge
Abstract
Stonehenge is perhaps the most famous prehistoric monument in the world. Begun as a simple earthwork enclosure, it was built in several stages with the unique lintelled stone circle being erected in the Neolithic period around 2,500 BC. Today Stonehenge, together with Avebury and other associated sites, forms the heart of a World Heritage Site (WHS) with a unique and dense concentration of outstanding prehistoric monuments. In 2011 English Heritage embarked on a new survey of the monument using a range of geospatial imaging techniques. Undertaken by the Greenhatch Group, a commercial survey company based near Derby, they used a combination of laser scanning and photogrammetric approaches to generate the scale and detailed level of outputs required by English Heritage. This paper will describe the background to this project and its context within previous survey activities at the site. It will explain the data acquisition technology and processes undertaken on site, the datasets derived from post-processin...
The present chapter investigates the emerging paradigm of cultural heritage experience, as shaped by the continuous advances in information technologies. Recent years have seen the growing digitisation of cultural heritage, leveraged by innovative information technologies (imaging technologies, multimedia, virtual reality etc.). Advanced digitisation, and digital preservation and accessibility have been instrumental in transforming conservation and scientific research methods in the field of cultural heritage, as well as people’s experience of cultural heritage assets, relics, and monuments. Digitisation and immersion technologies are already in use in the context of cultural tourism in museums and on location. At the same time, a manifold of new applications and services can be generated from the adoption and adaptation of relevant technologies already applied in other sectors (e.g. 2D/3D digital scanning technologies applied in the construction industry). The present chapter will provide a thorough review of relevant digital technologies and existing work in the field, highlighting important research efforts and achievements; and will discuss the current challenges and promising avenues for future work. Following a literature review methodology, our research will provide a critical appraisal of carefully selected work from recent scientific literature and contribute to the systematisation of the current knowledge in the field towards the identification of key challenges and the extraction of new insights in terms of potential for practical applications and future research directions in the area.
Recent years have seen the growing digitisation of cultural heritage, leveraged by innovative information technologies (imaging technologies, multimedia, virtual reality etc.). Advanced digitisation technologies have been instrumental in transforming conservation and scientific research methods regarding cultural heritage, as well as people’s experience of cultural heritage relics, monuments and events, thus paving the way for novel consumer services.
For centuries the ruins of Stonehenge have proved to be both a source of fascination and mystery for the many visitors to this World Heritage Site. The monument itself sets a puzzle that even to this day has not been solved, although there have been numerous theories suggested as to its construction. There is little accurate survey data currently available on the stones themselves, against which these many theories could be tested. The Photogrammetric Unit of English Heritage was therefore requested, in 1993, to commence a project to digitally map all the external faces of all the stones that form the visible remains of this internationally important monument. Photogrammetry was the chosen survey technique and this paper outlines the work of the Unit in using the latest digital photogrammetric equipment to generate a basic three dimensional model of Stonehenge.
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