GIS in Archaeology

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Introduction

essex Archaeology has been developing an integratedGIS and database framework for use on projects

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utilising spatial information. At the core of this approachis a reusable database that can be easily and rapidlyadapted for use in a range of projects and tasks.The Stonehenge Landtrain Transit Route Impact

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Assessment was an early example of the combination of GIS and database functionality where the GIS was used tomap the project gazetteer and geoprocess landscape data.During the Stansted EIA a more sophisticated approach

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was applied with increased GIS and databaseintegration. Spatial queries of data, based upon differentdevelopment option boundaries, were carried out toidentify direct and indirect impacts. Details of theseselections were fed back into the project database.The Historic Environment Strategy for the Thames

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Gateway region again applied an integrated GIS anddatabase approach. This process involved the generationof spatial entities that were assigned a MonumentImportance Value based upon documentary evidence.Along with historic mapping and other digitaldata sources, these were used to aid definitionof zones of heritage character and potential.The Salisbury Plain Training Area monument

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condition survey has utilised Pocket GIS to facilitatedata collection in the field. In this case each tableof information held within the database had acorresponding GIS layer accessible duringdata collection.

Applied Spatial

D e s i g n b y K . N i c h o l s W e s s e x A r c h a e o l o g y

Wessex Archaeology

F r a m e w o r k p r o j e c t j o i n t v e n t u r e b e t w e e n W e s s e x A r c h a e o l o g y a n d O x f o r d A r c h a e o l o g y

R e p r o d u c e d f r o m O r d n a n c e S u r v e y m a p p i n g w i t h p e r m i s s i o n o f t h e c o n t r o l l e r o f H e r M a j e s t y ' s S t a t i o n e r y O f f i c e © C r o w n c o p y r i g h t , W e s s e x A r c h a e o l o g y . L i c e n c e N u m b e r : A L 1 0 0 0 0 6 8 6 1 .

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D e s i g n b y K . N i c h o l s W e s s e x A r c h a e o l o g y

Thames Gateway

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techniques in

Monument locations are displayed within the

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GIS directly from the database. The extents of monuments are derived from historic and modernmapping sources and aerial photographyguided by HER descriptions and greyliterature. This has allowederroneous points to beidentified, addressedand corrected.The digitised monument extents

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Monuments are scored within the project

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database using the Monument ImportanceValue system. This consists of the aggregatedscores of eight separate categories; GroupValue (association), Survival, Potential,Documentation (archaeological),Documentation (historical),Group Value (clustering)Diversity (features),and Amenity Value.Historic Environment Character

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Zones are created by merging adjacentpolygons generated by the union process.This process operates by identifyingthe level of commonality within the inheritedattributes of the polygons and merging thesebased upon a hierarchy of value, or significance,established for the different data sources.For example, HER information has greatersignificance than environmental character.are mapped thematically by theirMIV scores along with an environmentalcharacter layer generated using adeductive modelling approach, usinghistoric mapping and a layer mapping broadpotential for Palaeolithic archaeologicalresources. The extent of each of theselayers is mapped individually and thencombined using a union function.

WorkflowModel

A Flexible Database

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Cultural Heritage

D e s i g n b y K . N i c h o l s W e s s e x A r c h a e o l o g y

Wessex Archaeology

he system is applied to a diverse range of projects

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and therefore needs to be flexible and robust.Projects often have a very short lead in time but maycontinue for several years.Concept and Framework - Base data is sourced from

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SMR, NMR and proprietary HER, so the MIDAS datastructure (mon-event) is used as a unifying standard.Inscription or other thesauri are used for controlled terms.Extra data objects have been developed to meet the

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needs of individual projects - often these come tobe reused e.g. Impacts, Condition assessments, MIV.Stansted presented many challenges - the management

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of assessment information for hundreds of monumentsacross multiple and frequently changing scheme optionsin a very short turnaround time. The solution wasto use a database to collate data from various sources.Conflicting monument records were compared, a masterrecord updated and marked as "prime". The definitiveGazetteer has then been mapped in a GIS.GIS spatial queries are used to generate a "first pass"

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selection of impacted monuments. Direct and indirectimpacts are distinguished through buffering. Databasequeries are used to extract definitive impact lists byscheme option and severity.For field data capture, a relational database structure hasbeen mapped to flat file shape files, these represent thereal world objects. Relational links are maintained bydropdown lists of "related features". This means fieldworkers have access to all the previous assessmentinformation so they can make informed decisions andrecommendations in the field. The setup ensures auniqueness of new records across field teams. Field datacan easily be reintegrated into the project database.