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Filling ‘empty’ landscapes, mapping the archaeological continuum

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A new perspective on archaeological landscapes

An interdisciplinary programme has been designed to stimulate change in the way archaeologists study landscapes, moving from a site-based to a landscape-scale perspective. This aids in the development of new technologies such as large-scale geophysical surveys.

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Rural landscapes in Italy and much of the Mediterranean region indicate that the archaeological continuum is a reality. Research studies in Italy have been mainly reactive and focusing on known methodologies, which are limited. EMPTYSCAPES (Filling 'empty' landscapes, mapping the archaeological continuum) was an EU-funded project that aimed to overcome this limitation. In so doing, new opportunities have arisen for the exploration of a range of archaeological and historical questions. Uncovering and documenting previously inaccessible evidence is important for archaeological, methodological and political reasons. Work in this regard resulted in improved archaeological understanding. Follow-ups include submission to the Swedish system of research funding and participation in the Submission to the Leverhulme Trust of Research Project Grants. This involved a landscape archaeology case study based in the United Kingdom, including the implementation of a large-scale geophysical survey and unmanned aerial vehicle archaeological interpretation and mapping. The socioeconomic impact is evident through the creation of more job opportunities for the use of remote sensing techniques. Additionally, improved quality of planning-led archaeology would have a positive impact on the overall cost as well as reducing delivery time.

Keywords

Landscapes, archaeologists, geophysical surveys, archaeological continuum, EMPTYSCAPES

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