Spatial Technology and Archaeology: The Archaeological Applications of GIS

by Wheatley; David

• ISBN13: 9780415246408
• ISBN10: 0415246407
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2002-01-24
• Publisher: CRC Press

Summary

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and related spatial technologies have a new and powerful role to play in archaeological interpretation. Beginning with a conceptual approach to the representation of space adopted by GIS, this book examines spatial databases; the acquisition and compilation of data; the analytical compilation of data; the analytical functionality of GIS; and the creation and utilization of critical foundation data layers such as the Digital Elevation Model (DEM). The ways in which GIS can most usefully facilitate archaeological analysis and interpretation are then explored particularly as a tool for the management of archaeological resources. Formal analysis of archaeological material, and the use of trend surface, contouring and interpolation procedures are considered along with predictive modeling analysis of visibility and intervisibility. Finally there is a discussion of leading-edge issues, including three-dimensional GIS, object-oriented GIS, the relationship between GIS and'Virtual Reality' technologies, and the integration of GIS with distributed systems and the Internet.The approach is light, and technical detail is kept to a minimum, recognizing that most readers are simply interested in using GIS effectively. The text is carefully illustrated with worked case-studies using archaeological data. Spatial Technology and Archaeology provides a single reference source for archaeologists, students, professionals, and academics in archaeology as well as those in anthropology and related disciplines.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	xi
List of Tables	xiv
Preface	xv
Acknowledgements	xvii
Archaeology, Space and GIS	1	(22)
Spatial information and archaeology	3	(1)
Thinking about space	4	(2)
Neutral space and quantification	6	(2)
Meaningful spaces	8	(1)
What is a GIS?	9	(1)
An anatomy lesson	10	(3)
Where did GIS come from?	13	(3)
What does it do that makes it so attractive to archaeologists?	16	(2)
The development of GIS applications in archaeology	18	(2)
Conclusion	20	(3)
The Spatial Database	23	(36)
How does a spatial database differ from a traditional database?	23	(2)
Thematic mapping and georeferencing	25	(3)
Projection systems	28	(3)
Further complications	31	(1)
Spatial data models and data structures	32	(2)
Vector data structures	34	(2)
An example of a `Simple' vector structure	36	(14)
Raster data layers	50	(6)
Which is best---vector or raster?	56	(1)
A note on thematic mapping	57	(1)
Conclusion	57	(1)
Further information	58	(1)
Acquiring and Integrating Data	59	(30)
Sources of spatial data	59	(1)
Sources of attribute data	60	(1)
Clarifying the relationship between spatial and attribute	60	(2)
Integrating spatial information---map-based data	62	(7)
Integrating spatial information---co-ordinates	69	(2)
Integrating spatial information---survey data	71	(3)
Integrating spatial information---images	74	(7)
Integrating spatial information---existing digital resources	81	(1)
Integrating attribute data	82	(1)
Data Quality	83	(3)
Metadata and interoperability	86	(1)
Conclusion	87	(2)
Manipulating Spatial Data	89	(18)
This is where the fun starts	89	(1)
Searching the spatial database	90	(4)
Summaries	94	(4)
Simple transformations of a single data theme	98	(6)
Spatial data modelling	104	(3)
Digital Elevation Models	107	(18)
Uses of elevation models	107	(1)
Elevation data in maps	108	(2)
Storing elevation data in GIS	110	(3)
Creating elevation models	113	(7)
Products of elevation models	120	(3)
Visualisation	123	(1)
Summary	123	(2)
Beginning to Quantify Spatial Patterns	125	(22)
What is spatial analysis?	126	(1)
Identifying structure when we only have points	127	(4)
Spatial structure among points that have values	131	(1)
Spatial structure in area and continuous data	132	(2)
Structure in lines and networks	134	(2)
Comparing points with spatial variables: one- and two-sample tests	136	(3)
Relationships between different kinds of spatial observations	139	(3)
Exploratory Data Analysis	142	(4)
And there is more...	146	(1)
Spatial analysis?	146	(1)
Sites, Territories and Distance	147	(18)
Buffers, corridors and proximity surfaces	148	(1)
Voronoi tessellation and Delaunay triangulation	149	(2)
Cost and time surfaces	151	(8)
Site catchment analysis and GIS	159	(3)
Conclusion	162	(3)
Location Models and Prediction	165	(18)
Deductive and inductive approaches	166	(1)
Inputs and outputs	166	(3)
Rule-based approaches	169	(2)
Regression-based approaches	171	(5)
An example: predictive modelling in action	176	(2)
Methodological issues in predictive modelling	178	(1)
The prediction predicament: theoretical differences of opinion	179	(1)
Conclusions	180	(3)
Trend Surface and Interpolation	183	(18)
Characteristics of interpolators	184	(1)
Point data	185	(2)
Trend surface analysis	187	(3)
Approaches that use triangulation	190	(2)
Approaches that use splines	192	(1)
Numerical approximation	193	(2)
Geostatistics and Kriging	195	(4)
Summary	199	(2)
Visibility Analysis and Archaeology	201	(16)
The importance of visibility in archaeological analysis	201	(1)
Archaeological approaches to visibility	202	(2)
How does the GIS calculate visibility?	204	(2)
Visibility within samples of sites---the cumulative viewshed	206	(1)
Visibility of groups of sites---multiple and cumulative viewsheds	207	(2)
Problems with viewshed analysis	209	(1)
Intervisibility and reciprocity	210	(2)
How archaeologists have applied visibility analyses	212	(2)
Critiques and developments	214	(3)
Cultural Resource Management	217	(16)
The importance of spatial technology for heritage management	217	(2)
Archaeological resource as continuous variation	219	(2)
Reality: the antidote to GIS	221	(3)
Seeing the wood for the trees: Dolmen database and GIS	224	(3)
Regional heritage management: Hampshire County Council	227	(3)
National and supra-national contexts	230	(1)
Conclusions: recommendations for the adoption of GIS	231	(2)
Future Directions	233	(14)
The current state of GIS applications within archaeology	233	(4)
The developing shape of GIS applications within archaeology	237	(1)
Technological development of GIS	238	(1)
Object-Oriented GIS (00-GIS)	238	(3)
Multi-dimensional GIS (3D-GIS)	241	(1)
Temporal GIS (TGIS)	242	(1)
Technological convergence and field archaeology	243	(2)
Building a research community	245	(2)
References	247	(18)
Index	265