LiDAR for Archaeological Research and the Study of Historical Landscapes

Adrian S.Z. Chase
Diane Z. Chase, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Arlen Chase, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Abstract

Remote sensing technologies have helped to revolutionize archaeology. LiDAR (light detection and ranging), a remote sensing technology in which lasers are used as topographic scanners that can penetrate foliage, has particularly influenced researchers in the field of settlement or landscape archaeology. LiDAR provides detailed landscape data for broad spatial areas and permits visualization of these landscapes in ways that were never before possible. These data and visualizations have been widely utilized to gain a better understanding of historical landscapes and their past uses by ancient peoples.