Introduction and Definition
Aerial archaeology (AA) uses photographs, and other kinds of image acquisition, in archaeological field research. It involves taking photographs of the land from above, examining them for pertinent information, interpreting the images seen there and making the resulting data available in a variety of forms to develop archaeological knowledge about past people and the conservation of archaeological sites and landscapes (Bewley & Rączkowski 2002).
Key Issues/Current Debates/Future Directions/Examples
Why Can We See a Variety of Types of Sites?
Since people first learnt to fly, it has been appreciated that traces of early human activity can be observed from the air, recognized from their curved or linear shapes. Humans have always exploited and adapted the environment to their own needs. The surface of the ground has been disturbed and altered by generations of previous occupants, who have dug into it to create foundations, ditches, and pits, and raised...
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References
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Rączkowski, W. (2014). Aerial Archaeology. In: Smith, C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0465-2_1504
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