Abstract

Close-Range Photogrammetry Techniques at Joint Courts Complex Archaeological Project
Track: Archaeology
Authors: Zeynep Aydin

The Joint Courts Complex Archaeological Project involved data recovery of over 1,300 burials from an historic cemetery in downtown Tucson, AZ. Preliminary field-testing indicated that the application of close-range photogrammetry and digitization would be a viable and time-saving technique to replace hand-drawn in situ plan view maps of human remains. By georeferencing and rectifying digital photographs, we were able to obtain high-quality imagery for the burial features. With a rectified photograph root mean squared error (RMSE) typically less than one centimeter, the subsequent digitization of human remains proved to be extremely accurate in real-world coordinates. During the heads-up digitizing of human remains in ArcGIS, the use of the annotated photos from the osteologists served as an invaluable guide that enhanced the accuracy of shape, position, and material interpretation.

Zeynep Aydin
Statistical Research
6099 E. Speedway Blvd.
Tucson, Arizona 85712
United States
Phone: 520-721-4309
E-mail: znaydin@sricrm.com