From 2D to 3D : a photogrammetric revolution in archaeology?

Abstract

In recent years there has been a rapid development of digital photogrammetric software solutions. Archaeologists started to take note of this through the first decade in the new millennium and have started to explore the possibilities of digital photogrammetry as a tool for recording spatial data. This thesis investigates the possibilities of modern digital photogrammetry as a methodology for topographical field documentation in archaeology. The methodology is compared to what has become the main tool for topographical documentation in Norwegian rescue archaeology, the total station. Using self-developed methods for evaluating the data I have been able to determine the quality of each methodology in terms of resolution and time spent recording. This evaluation shows that digital photogrammetry is by far the better choice for recording topographical data at an archaeological excavation. I have also shown some possible applications for this kind of data in both visualizing and analyzing the data.