Archaeological photography

This paper reviews the evidence for Neolithic burial practices in SE Arabia, focusing in particular on sites in the Ja'alan region of eastern Oman. Attention is given to the nature of material buried with human remains, including jewellery and, most interestingly, the bones and shells of green turtles in the burials of Ra's al-Hamra 5 and 10. The paper concludes with a discussion of the possible evidence for "necrophobia" at the 5 th millennium BC Neolithic necropolis of Suwayh 1.

The work is a dissertation summited to Deccan College, Pune, department of AIHC and Archaeology in partial fulfillment of MA degree. The research is primarily intended to provide an overview of the application of photography in the discipline of archaeology. It's essentially a manual for individuals who needs to know the basic principles of photography and the extent of its relation with this field.  photography's role in various archaeological methodologies and processes is significant, as it can effectively preserve visuals in digital forms.  Technological improvements have left behind the conventional and traditional photography in numerous ways.  As a result, while undertaking any field work, an archaeologist is needed to have a thorough understanding of conventional archaeology as well as camera fundamentals and photographic techniques. The works's purpose is to develop a knowledge of how photography may be utilized in archaeological fieldwork, as well as to present the concepts, techniques, and procedures of essential equipment, such as sophisticated lenses and cameras, in a variety of settings and scenarios.

This paper was written some eight years ago.  Unfortunately, the referees for this paper varied from a professional photographer who thought it excellent to a field archaeologist panicking about how much it would cost to do things properly (and clearly not wanting something published that would impact their profit margin). Sadly, the journal editor sided with the field archaeologist and not the photographer and the paper was never published.  Although some aspects of it are now out-of-date, and many exciting new innovations have come about (especially structure from motion and photography using drones), I thought parts of it were still useful and worth making available.

Original Abstract:

Photography has, over the last ten years, gone through a " digital revolution " to the extent that film has become a niche rather than the norm. Although in many ways this 'revolution' has made photography more accessible, in reality the specialist knowledge required has changed rather than disappeared. This paper is based on the author's experience as a site photographer, project director and editor. The paper examines photography as a critical aspect of site recording and addresses the potential impacts, benefits and problems in the adoption of digital photography. The first section addresses broad issues in photographic recording including: what should be photographed, who should undertake this work and how the photographs should be taken? The second section addresses more specific aspects of site photography largely focussing on important technical issues including exposure , colour balance and file formats. The final section addresses various aspects of post-processing, archiving and the ethics of digital manipulation of images.

Petrie is often described as being ‘the father of archaeology’ for his invention of seriation, his methodical approach to excavation, his attention to the smallest detail and his methods of recording and publishing his results. His reputation as a pioneer of modern archaeology is well-deserved but what is sometimes overlooked is the fact that he was among the first generation of archaeologists to use photography to record excavations and finds, and he pioneered archaeological photography in Egypt.

Le immagini della via Appia, raccolte in questo volume da Andrea Zocchi, non si limitano a costituire una importante documentazione degli aspetti più pittoreschi degli straordinari paesaggi del Suburbio a sud di Roma, esse evocano soprattutto il tema del viaggio, ed in particolare del viaggio come esperienza culturale.
From the Contents:
Presentazione; Premessa; Introduzione; La via Appia: dalle origini ai giorni nostri: Dalle origini al tardo antico; Dal medioevo ad oggi; La raccolta iconografica: La documentazione cartografica; La documentazione grafica e pittorica; La documentazione fotografica; I miglio:Documentazione cartografica; Documentazione grafica e pittorica; Documentazione fotografica; 1. Porta San Sebastiano; 2. Sepolcro; 3. Asse viario e muro in opera incerta; II miglio: Documentazione cartografica; Documentazione grafica e pittorica; Documentazione fotografica; 4. Sepolcro dei Corneli; 5. Impianto residenziale; 6. Colombario; 7. Sepolcro detto di Orazio Flacco; 8. Sepolcro detto di Geta; 9. Sepolcro di Priscilla; 10. Struttura antica; 11. Nucleo di sepolcro; 12. Colombario detto dei Liberti di Augusto; 13. Colombario detto dei Liberti di Livia; 14. Sepolcro detto della Gens Atilia; 15. Nucleo di sepolcro; 16. Sepolcro in opera laterizia; valle della caffarella: Documentazione cartografica; Documentazione grafica e pittorica; Documentazione fotografica; 17. Sepolcro detto di Annia Regilla; 18. Ninfeo d' Egeria; 19. Struttura detta tempio di Cerere e Faustina; 20. Cisterna; 21. Strutture murarie; III miglio: Documentazione cartografica; Documentazione grafica e pittorica; Documentazione fotografica; 22. Sepolcri dei Fulvi, dei Canulei, dei Livii; 23. Sepolcro di Lucio Volumnio; 24. Sepolcro detto dei Calventi; 25. Sepolcro detto dei Cerceni; 26. Nucleo di sepolcro; 27. Sepolcro detto di Claudia Semne; 28. Colombario; 29. Sepolcro detto dei Gaii Caesellii; 30. Sepolcro detto degli Attili Calatini; 31. Colombario; 32. Sepolcro a tempietto; 33. Mausoleo e quadriportico di Romolo; 34. Sepolcro detto dei Servili; 35. Villa di Massenzio; 36. Circo di Massenzio; 37. Struttura detta Tempio di Proserpina; 38. Sepolcro a pianta circolare con absidi; 39. Sepolcro a pianta circolare; 40. Mausoleo di Cecilia Metella; 41. Castrum Caetani; IV-V miglio: Documentazione cartografica; Documentazione grafica e pittorica; Documentazione fotografica; 42. Mausoleo con targa trigonometrica; 43. Sepolcri a torre; 44. Nucleo di sepolcro; 45. Nucleo di sepolcro; 46. Nucleo di sepolcro; 47. Torretta medievale su strutture antiche; 48. Sepolcro detto di Servilio Quarto; 49. Sepolcro a dado; 50. Sepolcro a torretta; 51. Sepolcro detto di Seneca; 52. Mausoleo rotondo; 53. Sepolcro detto ad arco; 54. Sepolcro detto dei figli di Sesto Pompeo Giusto; 55. Struttura detta tempio di Giove; 56. Sepolcro di s. Urbano e Domus Marmeniae0; 57. Sepolcro dei Licini; 58. Sepolcro dorico; 59. Sepolcro di Ilario Fusco; 60. Sepolcro di Claudio Secondo Filippiano; 61. Colombario; 62. Sepolcro di Quinto Apuleio; 63. Sepolcro a tempietto; 64. Sepolcro dei Rabiri; 65. Nucleo di sepolcro; 66. Sepolcro a torre; 67. Sepolcro detto a festoni; 68. Sepolcro detto del frontespizio; 69. Nucleo di sepolcro; 70. Arco quadrifronte; 71. Strutture in laterizio e colombario; 72. Nucleo di sepolcro; 73. Sepolcro detto di Barica, Zabda e Achiba; 74. Nuclei di sepolcri; 75. Sepolcri a tempietto; 76. Mausoleo rotondo; 77. Strutture antiche; 78. Sepolcro detto a cuspide; VI-IX miglio: Documentazione cartografica; Documentazione grafica e pittorica; Documentazione fotografica; 79. Tumulo detto dei Curiazi; 80. Ustrinum; 81. Casale di S. Maria Nova su cisterna antica; 82. Mausoleo a piramide; 83. Sepolcro a torre; 84. Tumuli detti degli Orazi; 85. Cisterna a pianta circolare; 86. Villa dei Quintili; 87. Sepolcro detto con scala a chiocciola; 88. Casale su cisterna antica; 89. Sepolcro detto ad arco; 90. Torcular detto farmacia di S. Maria Nova; 91. Casal rotondo; 92. Mausoleo e torre selce; 93. Esedra sepolcrale; 94. Sepolcro a edicola; 95. Sepolcro detto del vaso di alabastro; 96. Struttura detta tempio di Ercole; 97. Sepolcro detto di Quinto Veranio; 98. Sepolcro detto Berretta del Prete; 99. Mausoleo detto di Gallieno; Cartografia; Conclusioni; Il dato numerico; divisione tipologica; divisione cronologica; divisione per miglia; Il dato archeologico; attendibilità del dato; l'elemento archeologico; La rappresentazione della via Appia Antica - Testimonianza artistica e documento storico; Appendice (Tabelle dei documenti); Bibliografia e fonti di archivio; Indice dei nomi; Indice dei luoghi

A recent trend concerning archaeological research has focused on producing a real-time methodology for 3D digital models as archaeological documentation within the excavation setting. While such methodologies have now firmly been established, what remains is to explore how 3D models can be integrated more fully alongside other forms of archaeological documentation. This thesis explored one avenue by developing a method that combines the interpretative power of traditional archaeological drawings and the realistic visualisation capacity of 3D digital models. An experiment was developed during archaeological excavations at Uppåkra, Sweden where photographic data was captured to produce 3D digital models through Photoscan. These models were geospatially located within ESRI’s 3D GIS ArcScene where shapefile editing tools were used to draw overtop of their surfaces in three-dimensions. All drawings followed closely the single context method of drawing, were allotted context numbers, and given descriptive geodatabase attributes. This methodology resulted in the further integration of 3D models alongside other forms of archaeological documentation. The drawings increased the communicative powers of archaeological interpretation by enabling the information to be disseminated in a 3D environment alongside other formats of data that would have otherwise been disconnected in 2D space. Finally, the database attributes permitted the drawings complete integration within the geodatabase, thereby making them available for query and other analytical procedures. Archaeological information is three-dimensional, therefore archaeologists must begin to approach documentation bearing this in mind. This technique has demonstrated that 3D models are a fluidic form of documentation allowing for accurate preservation of archaeology while enabling new forms of data to be derived all within a limited amount of time. Archaeologists must begin to affect change towards embracing 3D models and their associated applications as a standard tool within the excavator’s toolbox.

This article provides a compilation of the methodology and standards to follow in drawing archaeological ceramic material. We review both the analogical and digital methods and also include some techniques such as digital photography. Our intention is to offer a didactic and informative text addressed to non-expert (undergraduated, graduated students and technicians), but interested readers in this archaeological method of recording and documentation.

A recent trend concerning archaeological research has focused on producing a real-time methodology for 3D digital models as archaeological documentation within the excavation setting. While such methodologies have now firmly been established, what remains is to examine how 3D models can be integrated more fully alongside other forms of archaeological documentation. This work explored one avenue by developing a method that combines the interpretative power of traditional archaeological drawings and the realistic visualisation capacity of 3D digital models. An experiment was initiated during archaeological excavations at Uppåkra, Sweden where photographic data was captured to produce 3D digital models through Photoscan. These models were geospatially located within ESRI’s 3D GIS ArcScene where shapefile editing tools were used to draw overtop of their surfaces in three-dimensions. All drawings closely followed the single context method of drawing, were allotted context numbers, and given descriptive geodatabase attributes. This methodology resulted in the further integration of 3D models alongside other forms of archaeological documentation. The drawings increased the communicative powers of archaeological interpretation by enabling the information to be disseminated in a 3D environment alongside other formats of data that would have otherwise been disconnected in 2D space. Finally, the database attributes permitted the drawings complete integration within the geodatabase, thereby making them available for query and other analytical procedures. Archaeological information is three-dimensional; therefore, archaeologists must begin to approach documentation bearing this in mind. This technique has demonstrated that 3D models are a fluidic form of documentation allowing for accurate preservation of archaeology while enabling new forms of data to be derived all within a limited amount of time. Archaeologists must begin to affect change towards embracing 3D models and their associated applications as a standard tool within the excavator’s toolbox.

This article is a case study about how object photography was produced and used in 19th century archaeology, revealing its importance in facilitating the dissemination, exchange and
publishing of archaeological information. It aims to present eight photographs depicting objects from the archaeological collection of Zsófia Torma (1832-1899), a pioneering Hungarian woman archaeologist of 19th century Transylvania, who had a significant contribution to the development of prehistoric archaeology in Transylvania and researched the settlement of Turdaş-Luncă, one of the most important sites in today’s Romania. These photographs are of an exceptional importance to the history of Romanian and Hungarian archaeology, because they were made during Zsófia Torma’s lifetime. Moreover, until this stage of archival researches, they are the only known surviving photographs of her collection on the territory of Romania and Hungary that date from that time.
Based on unpublished archive documents, this paper will trace the history of these photographs and analyse their significance in the cultural context in which they were taken and employed.

As new digital technologies now pervade the discipline of archaeology, the practice of creating digital 3D representations of artifacts has become widespread. The rapid growth and acceptance of these technologies into the discipline leaves us in a position where we must engage with how these tools fit our epistemologies. I propose that we look to a much older technology, photography, to inform the way that these digital artifacts are dealt with as we move into an increasingly digital field. In doing so, I will argue that the creation of a 3D digital artifact is a productive process, just as any form of media used to document and interpret the archaeological record. Through this production, the digital form is decoupled from the original physical artifact. The creation of a new representation of the artifact (in the form of a photograph or digital model) provides a new dimension to our interactions with these artifacts. The result of the digital movement in archaeology is a more interactive experience with artifacts, allowing researchers and the public alike digital access to archaeological collections. If the current trend continues, digital artifact modeling will become as indispensable to archaeology as traditional photography. It is therefore necessary for archaeologists to be aware of the subjectivities and biases that exist during this productive act as we move into a more integrated field of digital, representational technologies.

History of Photography, Volume 40, 2016 - Issue 3, Photography, Antiquity, Scholarship. Guest Editors: Mirjam Brusius and Theodor Dunkelgrün

This article investigates the relationship between ancient objects and their visual depiction in British archaeological expeditions in the Middle East in the mid- nineteenth century. The article focuses on the exploration of Ancient Mesopotamia initiated by the British adventurer Austen Henry Layard. Modern scholarship on Layard’s excavations and their reception in Europe has mostly presented them as well-organised, purposive, and logical enterprises in which finding objects and depicting them had a clear, well-defined purpose. Little attention has been paid to the fact that the excavated items were initially objects without a clear status, even after they had arrived in Europe. This article examines how the application of visual media – whether used for scholarship or for publicity – in the field and the museum reflected this uncertainty. In this context, photography as a new medium entered the chaos of the field and the museum as one among several media that brought along its own insecurities rather than a tool ready and able to solve a problem.

The essay focuses on an unpublished photo album once owned by Alessio De Bon, found in the Istituto Veneto di Scienze Lettere ed Arti archives in Mestre. The album contains a number of photos concerning the surveys conducted in the area of Altinum in winter 1936/1937 aiming to reconstruct the route of the via Claudia Augusta. Some of these photos either record archaeological evidence subsequently lost or allow us to know the find spots of artifacts which are displayed in the local Museum.

The close relationship between photography and archaeology is widely acknowledged. Since its invention, photography has been an indispensable documentation tool for archaeology, while the development of digital technology has facilitated the growing needs of an archaeological excavation in recording and archiving. Still, both photography and archaeology are much more than documentation practices. On the one hand, photography is the most appropriate medium for creating visual art; on the other, the excavation is a locus where material and immaterial knowledges are constantly being produced, reproduced and represented; as such, it constitutes an ideal “topos” for experimentation in creating images. This entangled relationship between photography and archaeology, and art and documentation, has only recently attracted attention, emerging as a separate field of study. Archæographies: Excavating Neolithic Dispilio consists one of the very first experimentations in printed format, dealing with this visual interplay between archaeology and photography. The case study is the excavation of the Greek Neolithic settlement of Dispilio. The book tackles archaeological practice on site, the microcosms of excavation, and the interaction between people and “things”. Archaeographies derives from an on-going, blog-based project, launched in 2006 (visualizingneolithic.com). The black-and-white photos of the book were selected from a large archive, and are loosely assembled as an itinerary. They are accompanied by a laconic commentary, in order to retain the sense of ambiguity and allow multiple interpretation of the images.

Reviews
Callaher, W.  R.,  2013, The Archaeology of the Mediterannean World, http://mediterraneanworld.wordpress.com/2013/10/07/3373/
Gheorghiu, D., 2014, Antiquity 88 (340): 671-672.
Morgan, C., 2014, Journal of Contemporary Archaeology, www.equinoxpub.com/home/morgan-book-review/

Η παρούσα εργασία αφορά τον σχεδιασμό μίας εφήμερης / “pop-up” έκθεσης, όπου ένας ανασκαφικός χώρος, αυτός της Κουτρουλού Μαγούλας στη Φθιώτιδα, αποτελεί τον βασικό σεναριακό σκελετό για την αφήγηση των πολλαπλών εννοιών που σχετίζονται με την ανασκαφική πράξη. Κύριο αφηγηματικό μέσο αποτελεί η χρήση στατικών και κινούμενων εικόνων που εστιάζουν στα σώματα που δρουν σε ένα αφαιρετικά αποδοσμένο σκηνικό μίας αρχαιολογικής ανασκαφής. Η σύνθεση των εικόνων αυτών -αποτέλεσμα μίας φωτοεθνογραφικής έρευνας κατά τη διάρκεια της ανασκαφής της νεολιθικής θέσης- σε αφηγηματικές ενότητες συνδέονται με αποσπάσματα του ακαδημαϊκού αρχαιολογικού λόγου στο ψηφιακό τμήμα της έκθεσης. Αυτή η εικαστική εγκατάσταση, μια εναλλακτική, μη αντικειμενοκεντρική, έκθεση της αρχαιολογικής διαδικασίας έχει τη δυνατότητα να επιτελείται σε διαφορετικούς χώρους, εξαιτίας της ευέλικτης μορφής της και των λιτών εκθεσιακών στοιχείων της. Επιπλέον, τόσο οι ενότητες του εκθεσιακού σεναρίου της όσο και το οπτικοακουστικό υλικό που χρησιμοποιείται μπορεί να προσαυξηθεί, ακολουθώντας, για παράδειγμα, την παραγωγή του ακαδημαϊκού λόγου της εν εξελίξει αρχαιολογικής έρευνας.

The present essay concerns the design of an ephemeral / “pop-up” exhibition, where an excavation site, that of Koutroulou Magoula in Fthiotida, Greece, consists the basic backdrop for the narration of the multiple notions related to the excavation praxis. The main narrative medium is the use of static and moving images that focus on the bodies that interact in an abstractly rendered topos of an archaeological excavation. The composition of these images -the result of a photo-ethnographic research during the excavation of the neolithic site- into narrative sections are connected with textual excerpts of the academic archaeological discourse in the digital part of the proposed exhibition. This audiovisual installation, an alternative and non-object-oriented exhibition of the archaeological process, has the potential to be performed in different settings due to its flexible form and the minimal nature of the architectural and visual elements used. In addition, both the narrative sections of the exhibition’s scenario, as well as the audio-visual material used can be augmented, following, for example, the production of the academic discourse of the ongoing archaeological research.

The unique rock art of the Russian Altai is increasingly suffering from human and natural processes. Without well-directed action and documentation it will be practically impossible to establish conservation initiatives and, eventually, many of these sites will be lost. This paper presents an overview of the different processes affecting this rock art, based on fifteen years of observations in the region and recent three-dimensional (3D) photorealistic documentation. A cost-effective 3D workflow for rock art recording and research is discussed as a possible way to tackle this worsening situation. The application of 3D documentation in rock art research has seen an explosive growth during recent years, but its use is still maturing and a strategy on how to deal with the models is still lacking.

Riassunto:
Nel 1909 Wilbur Wright, alla sua prima visita in Italia, volò sul pianoro di Centocelle,
nel suburbio sud-est di Roma, dove, qualche anno dopo, fu costruito il primo aeroporto italiano (ora dismesso). Tra il 1996 e il 1999, vennero effettuate in quest’area indagini archeologiche preliminari ad un grande progetto urbanistico, il "Sistema Direzionale Orientale".
L'area, di oltre 30 ettari, ha fornito numerose testimonianze che permettono di comprendere i modelli insediamentali dal VI secolo a.C. al secolo d.C.
Foto aeree storiche della zona rivelano numerose tracce utili per una più ampia interpretazione del paesaggio antico. In una foto aerea verticale datata al 1923, sono visibili lunghi segni che attraversano la zona; successivi scavi archeologici hanno dimostrato che si tratta di un grande fossato che potrebbe essere interpretato come percorso stradale e/o confine di proprietà.
In un'altra foto aerea datata al 1953, si distingue l'intera planimetria di una villa romana, rilevata e parzialmente rasa al suolo durante la costruzione dell'aeroporto negli anni venti. Sovrapponendo in un sistema GIS la pianta storica, i dati provenienti dagli scavi recenti e, infine, i segni visibili sulla foto aerea, è stato possibile ricostruire le varie fasi di vita del complesso.

Summary: From Wilbur Wrigh Flying Machine to Modern Archaeological Research at Centocelle (Rome): the Contribution of Aerial Photos to the Reconstruction of Ancient Landscapes.

In 1909 Wilbur Wright, on his first visit to Italy, flew  in on to the Centocelle plateau, in the south-eastern suburbs of Rome where few years later the first Italian airport (now defunct) was to be built. Between 1996 and 1999, expansive archaeological research was carried out on this very site, prior to a large town planning project, the “Sistema Direzionale Orientale”. The area, stretching over more than 30 hectares, provides evidence for human settlement patterns dating from the sixth century B.C. to the sixth century A.D.
Historical aerial photos of the area reveal impressive crop marks, useful in a wider interpretation of the ancient landscape. In a vertical aerial photo from 1923, long lines are visible passing through the area, these were identified as a large moat by subsequent archaeological excavations; these marks (or moats) could also be interpreted as paths and property boundaries.
The whole plan of a roman villa, mapped and partially razed during the airport’s construction in Twenties, stands out in another aerial photo dating 1953. By overlapping the historical plan, the data from recent excavations and, finally the signs visible on the aerial photo in a GIS system, it has been possible to reconstruct the buildings plan in its various phases.

Résumé:
À partir du vol  de Wilbur Wrigh vers la moderne recherche archéologique à Centocelle (Rome): la contribution de photos aériennes à la reconstruction des paysages anciens.

En 1909, Wilbur Wright, pendant sa première visite en Italie, a volé sur le plateau de Centocelle, dans la banlieue sud-est de Rome, où, quelques années plus tard, le premier aéroport italien (aujourd'hui disparu) devait être construit. Entre 1996 et 1999, un recherche archéologique préliminaire a été effectuée sur ce site même, avant un important projet urbanistique, le "Sistema Direzionale Orientale". La zone, qui s'étend sur plus de 30 hectares, a fourni des nombreux preuves pour comprendre les modèles d'établissements humains datant du VIe siècle avant J.-C. au VIe siècle après J.-C.
Photographies aériennes historiques de la région ont révélé des nombreuses traces utiles pour une plus large interprétation du paysage antique. Sur une photo aérienne verticale datée de 1923, sont visibles des signes que longue dans la région; ceux-ci ont été identifiés comme un grand fossé par la suite des fouilles archéologiques; ces marques (ou fossés) pourrait aussi être interprété comme comme route et / ou limite de propriété.
Le plan d'ensemble d'une villa romaine, cartographiés et partiellement rasé pendant la construction de l'aéroport dans les années vingt, se distingue dans une autre photo aérienne datant 1953. En superposant, dans un système SIG, le plan historique, les données provenant de fouilles récentes, et enfin les signes visibles sur la photo aérienne, il a été possible de reconstituer le plan des bâtiments dans ses différentes phases.

Hadrian's Wall is one of the most instantly recognizable ancient monuments in the UK. This paper explores the historical and contemporary visualization practices which have created this iconic image. Moving between the disciplines of archaeology, cultural geography, and heritage and tourism studies, the paper draws upon a variety of data sources such as paintings, photographs, models, and reconstructions to consider how the Wall is visually represented within contemporary public discourse. The paper focuses on digital photography and considers the ways in which images create and sustain particular readings of the Wall's function and significance. These contemporary representational practices demonstrate strong continuities, and earlier images are used to provide historical context. Emphasis is placed on the monument's landscape setting in visual representations and the importance of this environmental context for readings of the Wall's cultural and political significance. The present paper deals primarily with representations of the Wall, but it is argued that these representational practices are also fundamentally embodied. The physical encounters of visitors and archaeologists will be considered in greater detail in the second part of this study (Witcher, forthcoming).

Keywords:
HADRIAN'S WALL, WORLD HERITAGE, REPRESENTATION, LANDSCAPE, PHOTOGRAPHY, DIGITAL ETHNOGRAPHY, IMAGEABILITY