High-Resolution LiDAR for Archaeological Prospection in Mediterranean Forested Landscapes: Insights from Two Case Studies in Italy
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Date
2025
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Eurographics Association
Abstract
This paper presents the results of two high-resolution airborne LiDAR surveys carried out in Mediterranean forested environments with rich archaeological potential. These case studies, located in southern Tuscany and within the presidential estate of Castel Porziano near Rome, illustrate the value of LiDAR-based approaches for identifying and interpreting cultural landscapes that are otherwise obscured by dense vegetation. In the Tuscan case study, which includes the ancient settlement of Roselle and the nearby hill of Moscona, UAV-mounted LiDAR sensors were employed to acquire data over an area of approximately 550 hectares. The resulting point clouds, with an average density of 750 points per square meter, allowed for the detection of subtle topographic features and archaeological structures, including buried walls, road systems, and necropolises. The complexity of the dataset required the development of a multi-stage processing pipeline, combining deep learning techniques and semantic segmentation to differentiate ground surfaces, vegetation, and structural elements, ultimately leading to the creation of detailed Digital Terrain and Feature Models (DTMs and DFMs). Conversely, the Castel Porziano survey covered a large protected area with limited modern disturbance and dense coastal vegetation. While the LiDAR dataset was acquired via manned airborne platforms due to legal and logistical restrictions on drone flights, the results proved equally rich in archaeological information. The high-resolution data enabled a diachronic interpretation of the landscape and revealed patterns of land use, infrastructural networks, and traces of earlier human occupation previously undocumented due to the site's inaccessibility and forest coverage. While the technological setup differed between the two contexts, particularly with regard to drone deployment, the central role of high-resolution LiDAR remains consistent. The comparison between these case studies highlights how adaptable and powerful LiDAR technology can be in supporting archaeological research in forested Mediterranean environments. Moreover, the integration of computational techniques such as AI-driven classification and multi-resolution analysis provides scalable solutions for managing large datasets and improving archaeological feature extraction. This contribution emphasizes not only the methodological advancements enabled by LiDAR and AI integration but also the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between archaeologists, remote sensing specialists, and data scientists. It offers a flexible framework applicable to other Mediterranean contexts where environmental constraints, dense vegetation, and heritage protection pose challenges to traditional archaeological methods.
Description
CCS Concepts ● Lidar → workflow, semantic segmentation; ● landscape archaeology → Roselle (GR), Castel Porziano(RM), Archaeology in Mediterranean maquis
@inproceedings{10.2312:dh.20253205,
booktitle = {Digital Heritage},
editor = {Campana, Stefano and Ferdani, Daniele and Graf, Holger and Guidi, Gabriele and Hegarty, Zackary and Pescarin, Sofia and Remondino, Fabio},
title = {{High-Resolution LiDAR for Archaeological Prospection in Mediterranean Forested Landscapes: Insights from Two Case Studies in Italy}},
author = {Cirigliano, Giuseppe Prospero and Mazzacca, Gabriele and Remondino, Fabio and Liverani, Paolo and Cantoro, Gianluca and Pocobelli, Giorgio and Maschner, Herbert and Campana, Stefano},
year = {2025},
publisher = {The Eurographics Association},
ISBN = {978-3-03868-277-6},
DOI = {10.2312/dh.20253205}
}