UNHIDING FORESTED LANDSCAPES. THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL INDEX OF SOUTH-EASTERN CARPATHIANS

Authors

  • Valeriu Sirbu Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
  • Dan Stefan National Museum of Eastern Carpathians, Sfântu Gheorghe
  • Maria Magdalena Stefan National Museum of Eastern Carpathians, Sfântu Gheorghe
  • Eugen Silviu Teodor Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
  • Ionel Candea Brăila Museum ‘Carol I’
  • Alexandru Popa National Museum of Eastern Carpathians, Sfântu Gheorghe
  • Sebastian Matei Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
  • Dragos Mandescu Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest;
  • Lucica Savu National Museum of Eastern Carpathians, Sfântu Gheorghe
  • Roxana Munteanu Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
  • Dan Buzea National Museum of Eastern Carpathians, Sfântu Gheorghe
  • Valeri Kavruk Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
  • Costi Croitoru Brăila Museum ‘Carol I’
  • Stanica Pandrea Brăila Museum ‘Carol I’
  • Calin Suteu Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
  • Bogdan Ciuperca
  • Daniel Garvan Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
  • Aurel Vîlcu Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
  • Theodor Isvoranu Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14795/j.v8i2.631

Keywords:

LIDAR, mountain archaeology, old roads, battlefield archaeology, forested areas archaeology, digital atlas, South-Eastern Carpathians

Abstract

Starting with late 2018, a new archaeological research project has been unfolding in the framework funded by the Romanian Governmental Unit for Research and Development (UEFISCDI) dedicated to top fundamental research, as one of the few winners of 2016 edition (the single to date) of ‘Complex Projects for Frontier Research’ competition. The Project, whose aims and methods will be shortly presented further, is entitled ‘Hidden Landscapes: Exploratory Remote-sensing for the Archaeology of the Lost Roads, Borders and Battlefields of South-Eastern Carpathians’ (HiLands). It implements a systematic and diachronic investigation of the historic strategic circulation corridors crossing the South-Eastern part of the Carpathian Mountains – the main gate used along ages by people transiting between Transylvania and the Danube or the Black Sea. In order to achieve such aims we have been exploring, starting from large scale LiDAR surveys, the circulation corridors’ diachronic archaeological fingerprint, preserved in the shape of  repeatedly fortified landscapes. LiDAR surveys have been carried on continuously since 2018, by airplane, but also with portable sensors based on SLAM technology. The results of the LiDAR explorations were enhanced by field surveys, geophysical prospections and pin-pointed excavations, in order to elucidate the nature of anomalies or better contextualize the significance and layout of the roads’ routes. The results of these activities are resumed in a constantly updated, open access, online data base of archaeological sites - The archaeological index of South-Eastern Carpathians (AISEC). The current contribution details the essentials of HiLands research (aims, concepts, methods), in order to introduce in the scientific circuit the AISEC’s functions and instruments, ready to be used as citable work.

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Author Biographies

  • Valeriu Sirbu, Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
    Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
  • Dan Stefan, National Museum of Eastern Carpathians, Sfântu Gheorghe

    National Museum of Eastern Carpathians,
    Sfântu Gheorghe

  • Maria Magdalena Stefan, National Museum of Eastern Carpathians, Sfântu Gheorghe

    National Museum of Eastern Carpathians, Sfântu Gheorghe

  • Eugen Silviu Teodor, Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
    Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
  • Ionel Candea, Brăila Museum ‘Carol I’
    Brăila Museum ‘Carol I’
  • Alexandru Popa, National Museum of Eastern Carpathians, Sfântu Gheorghe

    National Museum of Eastern Carpathians, Sfântu Gheorghe

  • Sebastian Matei, Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
    Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
  • Dragos Mandescu, Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest;
    Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest;
  • Lucica Savu, National Museum of Eastern Carpathians, Sfântu Gheorghe

    National Museum of Eastern Carpathians, Sfântu Gheorghe

  • Dan Buzea, National Museum of Eastern Carpathians, Sfântu Gheorghe

    National Museum of Eastern Carpathians, Sfântu Gheorghe

  • Valeri Kavruk, Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
    Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
  • Stanica Pandrea, Brăila Museum ‘Carol I’
    Brăila Museum ‘Carol I’
  • Calin Suteu, Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
    Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest
  • Bogdan Ciuperca
    Institute of Archaeology ‘Vasile Pârvan’ Bucharest

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Published

2021-07-25

Issue

Section

Digital and Virtual Archaeology

How to Cite

UNHIDING FORESTED LANDSCAPES. THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL INDEX OF SOUTH-EASTERN CARPATHIANS. (2021). JOURNAL OF ANCIENT HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.14795/j.v8i2.631

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