Airborne LiDAR application to karstic areas: the example of Trieste province (north-eastern Italy) from prehistoric sites to Roman forts

• Published in: Journal of archaeological science 2013-04, Vol.40 (4), p.2152-2160
• Main Authors: Bernardini, F., Sgambati, A., Montagnari Kokelj, M., Zaccaria, C., Micheli, R., Fragiacomo, A., Tiussi, C., Dreossi, D., Tuniz, C., De Min, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Airborne LiDAR; Archaeological mapping; Europe; Excavation and methods; Field method; Free open source software (FOSS) SAGA GIS; Methodology and general studies; Prehistoric fortified sites; Prehistory and protohistory; Republican Roman fort; South West Europe; Survey; Trieste Karst
• ISSN: 0305-4403; 1095-9238
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2012.12.029

The Trieste Karst, at the northernmost shore of the Adriatic Sea, is rich in prehistoric caves and protohistoric hill forts. Most of these archaeological sites were already identified in the second half of the 19th century when large parts of the area were almost without vegetation coverage for the effect of sheep breeding and exploitation of wood resources. Only a few open-air archaeological sites have been discovered in recent years due to the lack of systematic archaeological surveys and reforestation. Airborne LiDAR (light detection and ranging) data, originally acquired for environmental monitoring over the Friuli Venezia Giulia region (north-eastern Italy), have been recently analysed by means of free open source softwares for archaeological prospection of the Trieste Karst area. The LiDAR derived images have allowed identifying numerous unknown fortified structures ranging from prehistory to Roman time within a complex archaeological landscape that includes possible funerary barrows, agricultural terraces and other structures. The discovery of a probable Roman republican fort is particularly significant since similar structures, almost unknown in Italy, find comparison only with later examples of military forts from Roman provinces. The discovery of prehistoric, protohistoric and Roman fortified sites reported in this paper shows that airborne LiDAR remote sensing represents a revolution in landscape archaeology and archaeological mapping of karstic areas. This technique can provide unexpected results even in relatively urbanized territories investigated for a long time. ► We report the results of airborne LiDAR application to Trieste Karst (Italy). ► We produced a Digital Terrain Model of the area by free open source softwares. ► LiDAR derived images revealed structures ranging from prehistory to Roman time. ► We describe a Roman fort, probably built during the 3rd Istrian war (178–177 BC). ► LiDAR remote sensing is a revolution in archaeological mapping of karstic areas.