Proceedings 18 th International Symposium CIPA 2001
Potsdam (Germany), September 18-21, 2001
THE AERIAL PHOTOGRAMMETRIC SURVEYING OF TELL-MISHRIFE/QATNA
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AREA (CENTRAL SYRIA) BY DIGITAL NON-METRIC IMAGES
Domenico Visintini
Department of Geo-Resources & Territory, University of Udine
via Cotonificio, 114,1-33100 Udine, Italy
phone ++39 0432 558719, e-mail visintini@dgt.uniud.it
KEY WORDS: Low-cost Survey, Archaeology, Non-metric Images, Digital Photogrammetry
ABSTRACT
The paper describes the photogrammetric survey in the Tell-Mishrife/Qatna area (central Syria) and the later numerical processing
elaboration performed in our Department.
In such 1.200x1.200 m area, a grid of more than 140 colored cardboard disks were fixed as control points, with 3D-positions
measured by rapid-static differential GPS measures. By GPS kinematic differential method, other 2.100 ground points were
surveyed, especially for morphological break-lines and rampart borders, so allowing the production of an accurate site DTM.
From a military helicopter, more than 170 aerial images (24x36 mm slide films) were taken by means of a non-metric camera; a
2.700 dpi scanner later digitized such images as raster files.
Starting from these, different kinds of maps, distinct for scale/detail, but all related to the same cartographic UTM datum, can be
excellently produced once the external orientation is attained. For such end, original software for orientation by bundle adjustment of
non-metric images extending the Direct Linear Transformation (DLT) algorithm has been employed.
The 1:2.000 scale digital orthophoto produced gives the site global knowledge and an updated support for the geo-archaeological GIS
of the ancient city area. Such 12.000x12.000 pixel image (1 pixel = 10 cm) has been obtained by automatic mosaic of 49 color
images, oriented by DLT on control points and ortho-projected onto the DTM surface.
Other interesting 2D-raster and 3D-vector mapping outputs with higher scale/resolution can be easily gained. In particular, some
detailed cartographies as an analysis tool for ethno-archaeological investigations in a sub-area where a 19th century village is located.
Figure 1: Aerial view of Qatna’s archaeological area: on the left, the modern city of Tell-Mishrife
1. INTRODUCTION
The surveying here described is the support of the cartographic techniques in the widespread investigations on Qatna area conducted
by an Italian-Syrian-German joint venture (University of Udine, General Direction of Antiquities and Museums of Syria, Eberhard
Karls University of Tübingen). Mission main objective is the excavation of the Tell-Mishrife site to establish the settlement sequence
from the second half of the III millennium BC that includes the Early Bronze IV, Middle Bronze, Late Bronze and the Iron Ages. To
study the ancient environment enclosed by a squared fortification, integrated géomorphologie, pedological, geo-archaeological,
archaeo-botanical and anthropological studies have been begun and are still in progress.
This area has two remarkable features with respect to other similar archaeological excavations: the first one is its extremely vast size,
110 hectares of intra walls surface, one of the largest archaeological sites of Syria (see Figure 1). Furthermore, the presence of a
traditional Arab village within the site, covering with its dwellings about 40% of the ancient settlement, is very singular.
For these reasons, the elaboration of a complete and precise topographic map is almost unavoidable; moreover due to site extension,
it can be realized only by means of the most advanced and efficient surveying techniques.
