One of the initiatives identified by the Heritage Council’s Strategic Plan 2007-2013 is that archaeological research issues and practice in the widest sense should be more overtly and consistently identified and from time to time reviewed. These research issues should also engage more with what both specialists and local communities find interesting about the past. To contribute to this the Heritage Council commissioned Mr. George Lambrick to examine aerial archaeology in Ireland. Aerial Archaeology is the practice of using aircraft (or in some cases satellites) to provide a high-level view of the landscape based on conventional photography and a range of remote sensing technologies. That review is presented here.
Author(s): George Lambrick
Publisher: The Heritage Council
Year: 2008
Language: English
Pages: 122
City: Kilkenny
Foreword 10
Preface 11
Acknowledgements 12
Summary and Recommendations 13
1. Background 21
1.1 What is Aerial Archaeology and How is it Used? 21
1.2 A brief history of aerial archaeology in Ireland 22
2. Principal Sources of Air Photography in Ireland 26
2.1 Guides to Air Photographic Collections 26
2.2 Public Archival Material 26
2.3 World War II aerial photography 32
2.4 Collections held by Universities and other Research Institutions 33
2.5 Private Collections 36
2.6 Commercial Collections 38
3. Methodological Issues in Capturing and Handling Aerial Imaging Data 41
3.1 Aerial Imagery: Using the Spectrum 41
3.2 Aerial Platforms 42
3.3 Conventional Photography: Geographical Limitations and Potential 45
3.4 Conventional Photography: Different Scales and Approaches 50
3.5 Lidar 54
3.6 Satellite and Airborne Colour Infrared Imagery 57
3.7 Other Remote Sensing Techniques 59
3.8 Digitisation, Image Processing, Mapping, Classification, and GIS
3.9 Integration with other Types of Archaeological Survey 64
3.10 Current practicalities of data handling 65
4. Roles in Research, Conservation and Educational Access 67
4.1 Understanding the Archaeological Resource 67
4.2 Roles in supporting archaeological research 76
4.3 Reconnaissance and assessment of areas earmarked for development 85
4.4 Rural development and land use change 90
4.5 Potential for inter-disciplinary integration 97
4.6 Access and publications 98
4.7 Public Exhibitions and Outreach 99
5. Quality, Resources and Organisation of Aerial Archaeology 102
5.1 Quality of Outcomes 102
5.2 Cost-effectiveness, resources and co-ordination 103
5.3 Resources available for aerial archaeology in Ireland 105
5.4 Organisational context and support needed to sustain roles 105
6. Teaching and Training 108
6.1 Coverage of aerial archaeology in university teaching 108
6.2 Other provision for training and mentoring 110
Appendix 1: Bibliography 111
Appendix 2: Individuals consulted and Responses Received 119
