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On Hedgehogs and Marvelous Minds

A New Technology for Point Data Collection?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 October 2021

Austin “Chad” Hill Open the ORCID record for Austin “Chad” Hill [Opens in a new window] ,
Morag M. Kersel Open the ORCID record for Morag M. Kersel [Opens in a new window]  and
Yorke M. Rowan Open the ORCID record for Yorke M. Rowan [Opens in a new window]
Austin “Chad” Hill*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
Morag M. Kersel
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USA
Yorke M. Rowan
Affiliation:
The Oriental Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
*
(chadhill@sas.upenn.edu, corresponding author)
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Abstract

The collection of 3D point data is a common bottleneck for archaeological excavations despite an increasing range of powerful spatial data collection technologies. Total stations often require a dedicated operator, and they are optimal for excavation-level data collection over relatively short line-of-site distances. Precision Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) require reliable communication with constellations of distant satellites and may not be accurate enough for all data recording contexts. A new category of spatial data collection hardware, called Indoor Positioning Systems (IPS), or “indoor GPS,” has the potential to provide a more cost-effective and efficient approach to the collection of point data during excavations by making 3D point data collection widely available and accessible. Additionally, such systems may allow greater detail in digital field data recording by enabling the collection of shape data via continuous recording. In this article, we present one such IPS system—the Marvelmind IPS—discuss its potential value and limitations, and provide a case study of a field test of the system at the Chalcolithic (4600–3600 BC) site of Horvat Duvshan, Israel.

La recolección de datos puntuales en tres dimensiones es un cuello de botella común para las excavaciones arqueológicas, a pesar de un creciente rango de poderosas tecnologías de recolección de datos espaciales. Las estaciones totales con frecuencia requieren un operador dedicado y son óptimas para la recolección de datos a nivel de excavación a distancias de visibilidad directa relativamente cortas. Los Sistemas Globales de Navegación por Satélite (GNSS) de precisión requieren comunicación confiable con constelaciones de satélites distantes y pueden no ser lo bastante precisas para todos los contextos de registro de datos. Una nueva categoría de hardware de recolección de datos especiales, llamados Sistemas de Posicionamiento en Interiores (IPS), o “GPS de interiores”, tiene el potencial de ofrecer un abordaje más económico y eficiente a la recolección de datos puntuales durante excavaciones, haciendo la recolección de datos puntuales en tres dimensiones ampliamente disponible y accesible. Además, estos sistemas pueden permitir un mayor detalle en el registro digital de datos de campo habilitando la recolección de datos de forma a través de un registro continuo. En este artículo presentamos uno de estos sistemas IPS, el Marvelmind IPS, discutimos su valor y sus limitaciones potenciales, y proporcionamos un estudio de caso de una prueba de campo del sistema en el sitio Calcolítico (4600-3600 aC) de Horvat Duvshan, Israel.

Keywords

indoor GPSIPSfieldwork methodsspatial data collectionGPS de interioresIPS (Sistema de Posicionamiento en Interiores)métodos de trabajo de camporecolección de datos espaciales
Type
Article
Information
Advances in Archaeological Practice , Volume 9 , Issue 4 , November 2021 , pp. 312 - 324
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for American Archaeology

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