Tracing the Past: Combining Citizen Science and Data Science to Detect and Record Archaeological Microtopography

Aim and Description

The goal of this workshop is to explore how both Citizen Science and Data Science can contribute to the mapping of archaeological traces in the landscape based on remote sensing data. We aim to develop a novel exemplary workflow that efficiently and effectively integrates data from different sources, such as archives, archaeological fieldwork by amateur and professional archaeologists, and the analysis of remote sensing data using methods from the geosciences and computer science, taking into account the interests and approaches of the different stakeholders while benefitting all disciplines involved. This endeavour is in line with similar projects across Europe, and we hope to form a network of such projects in order to foster exchange and collaborative research.

Two current research projects at the Faculty of Archaeology will serve as case studies: 1) a project recording and investigating Neolithic to Bronze Age barrows in the Veluwe, a forested area in the central Netherlands, and 2) a project exploring the use of advanced Machine Learning for the automated recording of archaeological traces in remote sensing data. The 5-day workshop will bring together ca. 25experts from the different domains involved and include lectures, work groups, discussions and a field trip to the Veluwe.