Forest Archaeogeophysics: Integrating LiDAR and Geophysical Survey in Dense Vegetation

Forested areas often contain well-preserved archaeological sites, which are still under-explored because of the limitations of the traditional archaeological techniques in dense vegetation. While airborne LiDAR has revolutionized archaeological prospection by enabling the detection of surface features beneath vegetation, it cannot alone identify subsurface remains or disentangle complex landsace palimpsests. This postdoctoral research, conducted within the SNFS-funded ArchSeeland  project, investigates methodological frameworks for non invasive archaeological techniques, particularly geophysical methods in forested environments. Focusing on the forest landscapes of Seeland unexplored area known for its burial mounds and landscape modifications – this study tests a combination of high-resolution LiDAR, low-invasive geophysical methods, and targeted ground-truthing to detect varied buried structures in the specific geopedological environment and evaluate human-environment interactions during the Bronze and Iron Ages.