Archaeology of archaeology at Heloros: Re-interpreting the urban layout of a complex Greek settlement in Sicily using proximal sensing and data fusion

Abstract

Heloros lies on a low hill situated along Sicily’s Ionian shore. Archaeologists believe this city was the first subcolony of Syracuse. Despite its long history and prowess, Heloros is understudied, closed to the public, and affected by looting. This article answers crucial questions regarding the site’s chronology, architecture, and topography. This involves digitizing and verifying legacy data and fusing them in a Geographic Information System with newly acquired 3D and geospatial documentation that we collected using global positioning, digital photogrammetry, drones, terrestrial and airborne Light Detection and Ranging, and ground penetrating radar. Our results present new insights into Heloros' history, including information about its pre-Greek occupation and revisions to the interpretation of important buildings and fortifications. Our research demonstrated that the Archaeology of Archaeology investigation we carried out at Heloros, when enhanced by our ‘digital excavation’ approach can generate new knowledge on archaeological sites without requiring new excavations.