Aerial Archaeology in Ireland - The Heritage Council

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1 BACKGROUND 1.1 What is Aerial Archaeology and How is it Used? Aerial archaeology represents one among many methods of discovering, investigating and disseminating information and knowledge about physical remains of the past. It uses aircraft (or in some cases satellites) to provide high-level views of the historic environment and is based on conventional photography and a range of remote sensing technologies. Not limited to any particular stage of the archaeological process, it can apply to all — from reconnaissance, measured survey, interpretation and analysis through to publication and dissemination. All periods, from Neolithic to the present day, are potential subjects of interest, as are virtually all forms of remains and states of survival (cropmarks, soilmarks, earthworks, structures, buildings and landscapes, and townscapes). Aerial archaeology has numerous applications: research; monument conservation; control of development and other land-use change both at a strategic and site-specific level; and wider education and public outreach. This is becoming better recognised across Europe (Musson and Horne 2007). Although dominated by photographic recording methods, aerial archaeology is not synonymous with air photography. Other forms of remote sensing are increasingly relevant, and interpretive skills both in the air and on the ground often rely on the use of other sources of data. Aerial archaeology has a vital role to play in understanding the historic environment in all its forms. It has a uniquely sensitive capability of recording evidence of the past at a landscape scale, the complexity of which almost defeats any attempt to simplify and transcribe such complex and intricate evidence onto maps (Figures 1, 2). Figure 1: This oblique aerial view conveys the sense of how this Anglo-Norman motte and bailey at Shanid, Co. Limerick, on a high natural hillock, dominates the landscape. An earlier ringfort can also be seen on the summit (Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government) 21
22 As a means of discovering archaeological remains, especially those which are unlikely to be revealed by other methods, aerial archaeology has a fundamental role to play. While much can be achieved through aerial archaeology as a method of working in its own right, it is often seen as complementary to other archaeological and historical techniques of examining the past. It is arguably most powerful as a tool to be combined with other forms of archaeological work, and indeed with other disciplines of history, geography and environmental studies. Much aerial archaeology can be seen not as a specifically archaeological science, but as part of a wider process of multi-disciplinary interpretation of landscape which combines geology, topography, ecology and archaeology to understand natural and anthropogenic forces of change (Mitchell and Ryan 1990; Aalen, Whelan and Stout 1997). Figure 2: An early 19th-century artillery fort in Reenavanny, Whiddy Island, Co. Cork (Markus Casey) 1.2 A Brief History of Aerial Archaeology in Ireland Although some air photography was undertaken in the British Isles in the early years of the 20th century, the earliest serious consideration of its use for archaeological purposes in Ireland was outlined by Chart (1930). It was Chart who reported a 1927 initiative by the Ancient Monuments Board in Northern Ireland — working in collaboration with the Royal Air Force — to explore the value of the technique. This reconnaissance, mainly aimed at known sites, clearly demonstrated the value of air photography in identifying, recording and illustrating earthwork sites in the context of a range of key monuments in Northern Ireland. The sites targeted included the Dorsey Entrenchments (for which a vertical photo-mosaic was created) and a number of other well-known monuments, such as Navan. Other sites were also identified and recorded by the RAF team, adding to the known targets. Raftery (1944, 120) referred to Chart’s paper and the early use of air photography by the simple expedient of using hand-held cameras over the side of an open cockpit in 1929-30. Although there are earlier images of archaeological sites (e.g. Figure 3), he cites the earliest archaeological air photography carried out in the Republic as being work done by the Army Air Corps in 1934. This was prepared in connection with archaeological excavations that were set up as part of a government scheme for the relief of unemployment. Up until 1944, further work had been sporadic, and Raftery called for an initiative ‘to plan proper collaboration in surveying many important archaeological sites all over this country. For it is by such planned co-operation that any valuable results can be obtained…’. Raftery stressed the importance of matching up the skills of the aerial photographer in understanding how good photographs may be obtained, with those of the archaeologist in identifying and interpreting features to be recorded.
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74 Roles and potential for historic
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78 Figures 41 a-b: Gillian Barrett
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80 The Archaeology of Lakes, Coast
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86 Roads The National Roads Authori
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88 Pipelines The general principles
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90 General Development Where there
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92 ‘…numerous sites in pasture
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96 Designed Landscapes and Conserva
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98 showing the clear benefits of in
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100 Figure 55: Aerial photograph of
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102 5 QUALITY, RESOURCES AND ORGANI
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104 Estimates of costs per site or
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106 ago in England, may have meant
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108 6 TEACHING AND TRAINING 6.1 Cov
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112 Benson, D and Miles, D 1974. Th
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114 Doody, M G, 1995. ‘Ballyhoura
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116 Twohig and M. Ronayne (eds) Pas
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118 Raftery, J, 1951. Prehistoric I
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120 Colin Shell Cambridge Universit
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Aerial Archaeology in Ireland - The Heritage Council

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