MAPPING ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES FROM HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Historical photographs are often employed by archaeologists. This study discusses the application of image processing of historical photographs as an aid to archaeological excavations of two California mission sites. The first application involves research at Mission Viega de la Purisima to map the Old Mission complex, destroyed by an earthquake and mudslide in 1812. Optical means of multiple-image registration and scale change were employed. Although more difficult to implement, photographic methods also could have been used. A second project involved the digital transformation of an historical photograph of Mission San Buenaventura from its oblique perspective into a "psuedo-vertical" format. Information obtained in these studies is being used by archaeological researchers and has been found accurate and extremely useful. The preliminary mapping of the Mission Veiga de la Purisima has aided in the preservation of the area and played a major role in the mission being designated as a California and National Historical site. /Author/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00991112
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Photogrammetry

  105 North Virginia Avenue
  Falls Church, VA  United States  22046
• Authors:
  • Tinney, L R
  • Jensen, J R
  • Estes, J E
• Publication Date: 1977-1

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 35-44
• Serial:
  • Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing
  • Volume: 43
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
  • ISSN: 0099-1112

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Archaeology; Digitized photography; Excavations; Imagery; Mapping; Photography
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00149827
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 27 1977 12:00AM