CONSERVATION THROUGH AERIAL ARCHAEOLOGY (CAA) Final report

Transcription

1 CULTURE 2000 PROJECT (Agreement No / CLT CA1A) CONSERVATION THROUGH AERIAL ARCHAEOLOGY (CAA) Final report Summary The project succeeded in its aim of promoting research and heritage conservation by extending and cementing links between aerial archaeologists across Europe through workshops and conferences in Poland, Britain, Italy and Germany. An Aerial Archaeology School in Italy, where air photography has until recently been illegal, was the most successful of the three mounted across Europe in the past 5 years. A first archive of 5500 aerial photographs was lodged with the University of Siena, where the Department of Archaeology has subsequently developed a highly effective computer-based system for the future use, study and expansion of the archive. The students from the School will form a first cohort of native Italian air photographers, ready to help in the recording and conservation of their country's rich archaeological heritage. An Aerial Archaeology Workshop in Siena created a number of new links between workers in the fields of low-level air photography, digital remote sensing and satellite imagery. Publications resulting from the project include two books and a number of smaller publications, along with additions to the website of the Aerial Archaeology Research Group. 1

2 CULTURE 2000 PROJECT (Agreement No / CLT CA1A) CONSERVATION THROUGH AERIAL ARCHAEOLOGY (CAA) 1. Purpose of the project Final report 1.1 The aim of the project was to promote conservation of the European archaeological heritage through the use of 'aerial archaeology' (aerial reconnaissance, the discovery and recording of heritage sites from air photographs and satellite imagery) and through its application in presentation and conservation work. By creating a Europe-wide network of shared experience, expertise and example through conferences, workshops, training schools and publications the project sought to: introduce aerial archaeology to parts of Europe where it has not yet been applied improve and broaden its application where it has only recently been introduced encourage the acquisition of heritage information from air photo and satellite imagery increase the use of aerial archaeology in presentation, protection and conservation work promote standards of good practice for aerial archaeology and across the whole of Europe 1.2 The project was originally envisaged as the first part of a 3-year programme, continuing through subsequent requests for funding under the Culture 2001 and 2002 programmes. Unfortunately, changes in the call for submissions for Culture 2001 made this impossible. Nevertheless, all of the planned 'events' in the Culture 2000 project were completed successfully, and well within budget (see Financial Report). Inevitably, some of the related publication work is still in progress, though this will be completed by the end of 2002 under guarantee by the sponsors and at no cost to the Commission or the project budget. 2. Activities planned and carried out during the year 2.1 The activities which took place during the year from November 2000 were: a specialist workshop at Leszno, Poland, November 2000, in conjunction with NATO an international conference at the British Academy, in London, in May 2001 an aerial archaeology school and specialist workshop at Siena, Italy, in May/June 2001 a specialist conference/seminar in Berlin, Germany, November 2001 meetings throughout the year of a working group on standards and best practice in archaeological air photography 2.2 The international meeting entitled 'Aerial Archaeology: Developing Future Practice' was held as a NATO Advanced Scientific Workshop at Leszno, Poland, on November Local organisation was undertaken by staff of the Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, and the Workshop was attended by over 70 delegates from 18 countries, from within and outside the European Community. The papers were varied and forward-looking. Debate was lively and several carefullytargeted resolutions were passed. The proceedings have since been published as a book in the NATO Science Series (Bewley & Rączkowski, 2002). 2.3 The second international meeting, entitled 'Aerial Archaeology - Into The Future', took place in London on May 2001 under the auspices of the British Academy. The meeting discussed achievements and future policy for aerial archaeology in Britain, with contributions from (and relevance to) similar work in other parts of Europe. Nearly 90 participants from Britain and 12 other European countries, included 10 funded by the project. A printed analysis of the state of aerial archaeology in the various parts of Britain, published at the conference, has subsequently been widely circulated in Britain and on the Continent (British Academy, 2001). As a result of the success of the conference, an overview of the potential and achievements of aerial archaeology in Europe is now under active consideration for publication by the British Academy. It was particularly gratifying to see 2

3 representatives from several European countries where aerial archaeology is not yet practised, including senior officials from the Department of Cultural Heritage Protection in Lithuania, where State funding for an ambitious 5-year programme of aerial archaeology was at the time under consideration. 2.4 The Aerial Archaeology Research School, organised by the project in association with the University of Siena, took place at Rosia and Aeroporto di Ampugnano from May Eleven experienced aerial archaeologists and pilots from across Europe, using three aircraft, gave intensive instruction to 21 students from a variety of institutions throughout Italy, both in active aerial survey and in the analysis and mapping of the results. Aerial photography had been illegal in Italy from 1939 to December 2000, and the School aimed to give basic training to a first generation of Italian air photographers, while at the same time providing the nucleus of an air photo archive for Tuscany, to be held (and augmented in future years) by the University of Siena. A further product of the School will be the first Italian-language book on archaeological air survey, as a self-financing publication by the University of Siena before the end of 2002 (Musson, Palmer & Campana, forthcoming). 2.5 The related Workshop on Aerial Archaeology and Remote Sensing, held at the University of Siena, on 31 May to 2 June, was attended by 30 practitioners and research workers from Britain and five other European countries, 14 of them supported by Culture 2000 funding, to exchange experience and promote a network of workers engaged in specialised archaeological air photography, digital remote sensing and the archaeological uses of satellite imagery. The papers, currently being revised in the light of discussion and experimentation at the Workshop, will be summarised in the book (Musson, Palmer & Campana, forthcoming) and posted in full on the website of the Aerial Archaeology Research Group (AARG at The Berlin Workshop, organised by the project in association with the Museum of Brandenburg, took place at the Deutsches Technikmuseum from November Attended by 45 participants, from 12 European countries, 24 of them funded by the project, the Workshop concentrated particularly on the conservation of archaeological air photographs and their use in the identification and conservation of archaeological sites and areas throughout Europe. The papers are currently being revised and assembled (with a submission date of March 2002) for access through the AARG website. 2.7 Throughout the year there were meetings of a small Working Group preparing a Manual of Best Practice for archaeological air photography and its use in conservation work. Meetings, in some cases partly funded by the project were held at Swindon, Vilnius, Vienna and Esslingen and at each of the Culture 2000 events. The meeting in Vilnius took place in association with a seminar to promote the development of aerial archaeology in Lithuania. That at Esslingen, Germany, coincided with a Round Table on aerial archaeology at the annual conference of the European Association of Archaeologists. Work on the Manual is still in progress, for completion by the end of 2002 and access through the AARG website. Hard-copy print-out will also be available on request. 3. Results of the project 3.1 The results of the project in the year from November 2000 were expected to be: closer links and sharing of experience between aerial archaeologists across Europe the training of a first generation of archaeological air surveyors in Italy progress in the use of satellite and other digital imagery for conservation purposes printed 'proceedings' and internet output for each of the planned meetings shorter contributions in academic journals and popular publications throughout Europe more website usage for communication between aerial archaeologists across Europe drafts for manuals of good practice and data standards for aerial archaeology and its use in exploration and conservation of the European archaeological heritage 3.2 Through the meetings in Poland, Britain, Italy and Germany the project extended and cemented links between conservation and aerial archaeologists across Europe, with about 20 new participants 3

4 in the 'network', many of them now also members of the Aerial Archaeology Research Group. Many new 'network' members attended and made contributed to the final Culture 2000 event in Berlin and to the 4th International Conference on Archaeological Prospection, at Vienna on September The sharing of experience exemplified in the Culture 2000 events will continue through the attendance of new and established 'network' members at a variety of conferences and meetings across Europe in the coming year. 3.3 The Aerial Archaeology School in Italy was felt by the tutors to be the most successful of the three mounted across Europe in the past 5 years (after Hungary in 1996 and Poland in 1998). The students were attentive, receptive and resourceful and the photographic results achieved in Tuscany and adjacent parts of Italy were highly promising, despite less than favourable weather. A first archive of 5500 aerial photographs was lodged with the University of Siena. The University has subsequently developed a highly effective computer-based system for the future use, study and expansion of this archive. Links were also created during the project with sympathetic archaeologists in the south of Italy. The students at the School were felt by their tutors to be a highly promising first cohort of native Italian air photographers, ready to take up the challenge of recording their country's rich archaeological heritage, barely explored from the air in the past 60 years because of legal restrictions. Since the School, the University of Siena has obtained substantial funding for continued aerial work in Tuscany, and active air surveys are planned for southern Italy and west Sicily in the coming year, with participation and advice from members of the Culture 2000 team. 3.4 The Aerial Archaeology Workshop in Siena created a number of new links between advanced workers in the fields of low-level air photography, digital remote sensing and satellite imagery. These have assisted cross-fertilisation of ideas and practice, particularly in exploring the new generation of high-resolution satellite imagery now becoming available. Likewise in comparison of the relative merits and limitations of the different techniques, used individually or in concert, alongside established techniques like fieldwork and excavation, to maximise the benefit to archaeological exploration and conservation. A practical outcome of the meeting will be a continuing exchange of experience and ideas between research workers at the universities of Durham and Siena this summer. 3.5 Publications resulting from the project include the two books already mentioned in 2.2 and 2.4 above. Work is well advanced on providing internet access to the papers from the Berlin Workshop and progress has been made on revising the papers from the Siena Workshop, for similar internet access. This AARG website will also incorporate individual sections of the Manual of Best Practice as they become available throughout Shorter notes on the project have appeared in archaeological journals in several countries, as well as in AARGNews, the twice-yearly newsletter of the Aerial Archaeology Research Group. Further 'topical' publications are planned in 2002, including news of the first 'home-based' aerial survey projects in Italy, prompted by the Siena training school. 3.6 Digital 'traffic', both by between groups of individuals and through 'hits' on the AARG website, has increased noticeably during the year. It will no doubt continue to grow as the website is further expanded and as new members are brought into the 'network' through contacts with those who participated in the Culture 2000 events. 3.7 Progress on the Manual of Best Practice has been slower than hoped, mainly through pressure of work on the members of the Working Group charged with in its preparation. Work will be completed, however, before the end of 2002, with internet access being provided throughout the year as individual sections are completed. 3.8 It is particularly gratifying to record the active participation in the Culture 2000 events of archaeologists involved in important aerial initiatives in Belgium, Holland, Germany, Lithuania, Portugal, Armenia, Jordan and Italy. As a direct result of the project further networking events have been arranged between institutions and individuals in Britain, Italy, Finland and Bulgaria. 4. Longer-term objectives 4

5 4.1 The longer-term objectives of the project, originally intended to be pursued through follow-up projects under the Culture 2001 and 2002 programmes, were listed as follows: promoting the interchange of ideas and experience between aerial archaeologists across Europe, for the particular benefit of those new to the study and its application promoting the removal of unnecessary bureaucratic, military or other impediments to active aerial reconnaissance in states where the technique is so far absent or in its infancy promoting awareness of the role that aerial archaeology can play in identifying and protecting the archaeological heritage from avoidable damage or destruction promoting the development of innovative methods for extracting heritage information from air photographs and high-resolution satellite imagery promoting Europe-wide standards of good practice for aerial archaeology and its application to conservation of the archaeological heritage. 4.2 These objectives will now be pursued in a variety of ways: through expansion of the 'network' fostered by the Culture 2000 project through the activities and website of the Aerial Archaeology Research Group through exchange visits and closer contacts between aerial archaeologists and cultural resource managers brought together by the project through participation by members of the 'network' in forthcoming international conferences and discussion groups 4.3 Forthcoming international meetings will include the Computer Applications in Archaeology Conference in Crete in April 2002 and a conference on Science and Technology in Archaeology and Conservation, to be held in Jordan in August The annual conference of the Aerial Archaeology Research group will take place at Canterbury, England, in September The archaeological uses of satellite imagery will hopefully be advanced through a global conference on advanced techniques in heritage conservation, planned by EURISY, the International Space University and UNESCO in November At the meeting of the European Archaeological Association in Greece in September 2002 a particular preoccupation (reinforcing one of the resolutions passed at the first meeting in the Culture 2000 programme, at Leszno in Poland) will be the need to secure 'open skies' in countries like Greece, Turkey, Jordan and the Balkan states, so that aerial archaeology can take its proper place (as promoted by the Culture 2000 project) in the exploration, presentation and conservation of the common European Heritage. R Bewley (English Heritage), Chris Musson (Aber Photo Services) February Bibliography Bewley R & Rączkowski (eds), Aerial Archaeology: Developing Future Practice, NATO Science Series 337, IOS Press, Amsterdam, 2002 (delivered December 2001). British Academy, Aerial Survey for Archaeology: Report of a British Academy Working Party, 1999, British Academy, London, Musson C, Palmer R & Campana S, late 2002, In Volo nel Passato, University of Siena, Siena or Firenze. 5