An international three-day workshop on archaeological interpretation of lidar data was held in mid-March at the European Archaeological Centre at Bibracte. It was organized in cooperation with the LEA ModeLTER (MSHE C.N. Ledoux, ZRC SAZU), ArchaeoLandscapes Europe, ISA and the AARG. More than 60 researchers working with lidar data in archaeology participated. The workshop facilitated discussion, helped share expertise and supported collaborations within this growing research community.

The event was organized in three parts:

• presentations,
• workshops and
• a round table discussion.

Presentations

Topics included the practicalities and experiences of and opportunities for working with lidar in France (L. Nuninger, M. Leroy) and other parts of Europe (R. Opitz, S. Crutchly, Ž. Kokalj). Case studies focused on methodological development (K. Challis), presented successes and possible pitfalls (C. Fruchart, M. Leroy), and illustrated practical (B. Štular, N. Poirier) and theoretical (D. Mlekuž) approaches to integration of lidar data into the wider scope of landscape archaeology.

Workshops

Small group workshops provided an opportunity to gain practical, hands-on experience in a number of areas. In addition to a beginner’s course, workshops were held on the topics of

• data visualization,
• data interpretation and management,
• raw data processing, and
• the application of aerial photographic approaches to lidar interpretation.

These workshops aimed to combine exercises and discussion. Participants were provided with access to a variety of software tools and sample datasets, and many participants brought data which they are currently using in their projects. Each participant was able to attend two or three workshops.

Round table discussion

A round table discussion (moderated by A. Posluschny and Ž. Kokalj) at the end of the meeting on the state of the field and the potential for future collaborative research raised a number of interesting points and questions – the two most important being on the issue of management of large new data volumes and the significance of pushing the technology and methods past the prospection phase.

Discussion on the topic of large scale prospection – as illustrated by the work of Ralf Hesse who has mapped more than 100,000 features in past few years in Baden-Württemberg, Germany – combined enthusiasm with the recognition of major challenges.

It was remarked that the use of lidar data in archaeology can be seen as a "third revolution" following after the aerial photography and high-resolution satellite imagery, while it was agreed that the increasing popularity and effectiveness of lidar as a prospection method is creating a serious challenge: how should we manage the masses of newly gathered data? This challenge is particularly acute as another recognized trend is the increasing availability of free or inexpensive "second hand" lidar data; some European countries are in the process of national acquisition campaigns, e.g. the Netherlands, Denmark, England, Czech Republic and Slovenia.

The conviction that more archaeologists should be involved in the lidar data interpretation process was the main result of the discussion on this topic. To harness this enormous potential of these emerging datasets, it is suggested that methods should to be developed that will enable archaeologists to engage with lidar derived data with minimal training.
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Organised by Rob Sands and Steve Davis, UCD School of Archaeology and sponsored by the UCD Humanities Institute of Ireland, this one day ArchaeoLandscapes Europe symposium focused on the increasing use of technology in the recording of archaeological sites, monuments and landscapes.The event also provided the opportunity for Archaeolandscape to be introduced to a new audience and as a result new affiliate members were signed up to the project.

The venue was full with over 40 people attending. Attendees included members of archaeological organisations, the general public and students from both Ireland and other parts of Europe. Feedback from the day was extremely positive, many people commenting that for a day of technical discussion the presentations were both informative and enjoyable. We hope to make many of the presentations that we given on the day available for viewing.

Further information, including abstracts, can be found on the symposium web site. Links to speakers organisation and the programme can be found below.

Speakers

• Keith Challis, GIS and remote sensing, Visual And Spatial Technology Centre, Birmingham, England
• Anthony Corns, Discovery Programme, Ireland
• Dr Steve Davis, UCD School of Archaeology, Ireland
• Rory McNeary, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland
• Dr Axel Posluschny - Project Manager, ArchaeoLandscapes Europe, Germany
• Dr Rob Sands, UCD School of Archaeology, Ireland
• Rob Shaw, Discovery Programme, Ireland
• Dr David Strange-Walker, Manager, The Nottingham Caves Project, England
• Dr Lyn Wilson, Project Manager, The Scottish Ten, Scotland
• Dr Žiga Kokalj, Institute of Anthropological and Spatial Studies, Slovenia

Programme

Welcome	Rob Sands
ArchaeoLandscapes Europe - Supporting Remote Sensing Methods as a Tool for Archaeological Research and Cultural Heritage Protection of Europe	Axel Posluschny
Spatial Data sharing within Cultural Heritage	Anthony Corns
DEM visualization techniques for archaeological interpretation	Žiga Kokalj
Unknown, virtually: The Nottingham Caves Survey	David Strange-Walker
The Scottish Ten: 3D Digital Documentation of Global Heritage Sites	Lyn Wilson
Lasers, Landscape and Muddy Boots. Potential Applications for Immersive Visualisation of Airborne Lidar	Keith Challis
Techniques for recording underwater and terrestrial cultural environments: some examples from the Centre for Maritime Archaeology, University of Ulster	Rory McNeary
Fish Tales and lasers: mud, wood, tides and challenges	Rob Sands
High Resolution LiDAR: modelling the micro-topography of iconic archaeological landscapes in Ireland	Rob Shaw
Talking about a revolution? LiDAR and landscape in the Boyne Valley and beyond	Steve Davis
Close of Symposium	Rob Sands

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