Building a Mycenaean chamber tomb catalogue from terrestrial laser scan data

Abstract

Detailed 3D information on vulnerable archaeological sites can document cultural heritage and contribute to its preservation. The Late Bronze Age Mycenaean cemetery of Aidonia, Greece, is a representative case of a vulnerable site. Tomb looting has occurred sporadically since the 1970s, when the Greek government was made aware of the site. Anthropogenic activities and natural denudation may affect the loss of structural integrity of tombs. In this contribution, terrestrial laser scanning and geosciences are combined to document the vulnerable cemetery through the generation of a tomb catalogue. The emphasis is on techniques applied to point clouds to extract architectural elements. The catalogue consists of 208 architectural and geological measurements, 112 qualitative observations, maps, and point clouds images displaying the architecture of 16 tombs. The tombs are mainly orientated northeast-southwest and northwest-southeast, and their average total length is 13 m. The average volume of chambers with preserved roofs is 46 m3.