|
Track: Environmental Management
Anthony Clarke
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY 40292
Telephone: 502-852-6844
Fax: 502-852-4560
E-mail: aoclar01@ulkyvm.louisville.edu
Robert Forbes
GIS Project Development for the Roman Archaeological Site of Torre de Palma, Portugal
Defining Issue: The Roman archaeological site of Torre de Palma and its environs contain an extensive cultural complex that displays a record of more or less continuous occupation spanning a period of more than 3,000 years and includes megalithic, Roman, Early Christian, Visigothic, Moorish, medieval, Renaissance, and modern materials. An ongoing excavation and research project has been conducted by an interdisciplinary team from the University of Louisville since 1983. Given the complexity of the site, its long period of occupation, and its situation to the surrounding terrain, it is an ideal application of GIS technology. GIS offers an excellent opportunity to study Torre de Palma in four dimensions, placing the archaeological site in spatial and temporal context with the cultural and natural landscapes in which it is situated. Methodology: GIS has been applied to terrain evaluation and settlement pattern analysis as part of this project. A digital spatial database has been developed that covers not
only the site itself but also the twelve square kilometers surrounding Torre de Palma. Coverages showing topography, drainage, slopes, land forms, soils, erosion, natural vegetation, transportation, archaeological structures, and agricultural land use have been digitized from field maps and aerial photographs and output to digital map products and tabular data sets for visualization and analysis. A digital elevation model of the four kilometer by three kilometer area has also been produced. Software: All coverages were initially digitized with generic CADD and output as dxf files with AutoConvert for import into ArcInfo. Spatial databases were developed with ArcInfo software. The digital elevation model was produced using ARCTIN and ARC GRID.
|
|
