Practical Application of Digital Photogrammetry for Fieldwork in the American Midwest: An Example from the Middle Ohio Valley

Abstract

ABSTRACT The use of close-range digital photogrammetry for field documentation has been steadily increasing in the past half decade in several parts of the world. However, this technology has not been widely utilized in archaeological contexts in the American Midwest. We explore the utility of close-range photogrammetry in this region with examples from the Guard site (12D29), a Fort Ancient village located in southeastern Indiana. This article outlines the methods utilized for production of georeferenced 3-D models of several units excavated during the 2016 field season. These models as well as plan and profile orthophotos derived from them act as important supplements to standard photographs and drawings made in the field and easily integrate with the site GIS. Overall, we found close-range digital photogrammetry to be very useful to better document excavation details, doing so for limited cost and time expenditure.