Ester RIBO-DELISSEY
(University of Paul-Valery Montpellier III, Montpellier, France)
Keywords: 3D modeling , GIS, post-depositional, karst environments, Neolithic
Abstract:
The primary focus of this study is to characterize post-depositional processes affecting the artefacts, by using a Geographic Information System (GIS). More precisely, we sought to characterize the conservation and the dispersion of in-situ broken vessel as well as the racking. Both are frequent in Karst environments. The study of these racking is based on verticalization and the 3D modeling of the shards and substrate. In order to do so, we have recovered the data of house number 1 of the site of Boussargues (Hérault, France) excavated in the 1980s. The house has been excavated square meter by square meter and the shards were drawn in situ. Altitudes of the shards were also recorded. The data has been incorporated into Qgis: georeferencing of the minutes of the excavation, creation of a file of points for the shards specifying the part of the vase and the number of the vessel to which they belonged. We furthermore conducted photogrammetric survey of the substrate of the house which allowed us to get the DTM and orthophotography of the substrate. We subsequently modelled in 3D the substrate and projected the shards.
From the study of the distribution of vases, and the observations made on the 3D modeling and verticalisation of the shards of each container, we can appreciate the dispersion of shards in the substrate and the racking. We propose an primary position of the vases. Therefore, it is also possible to propose a combination of the house and model the organization of domestic spaces.
This study offers a new method of evaluation of the processes of dispersion of artefact within Neolithic settlement on calcareous substrate. The analysis of the dispersion of the artefact is usually horizontal. We propose to study it through 3D modeling which seems more suitable for the study of the sites where the substrate is highly cracked and plays an important role in the dispersions of the artefact.
