Archaeology provides a glimpse into the lives of past peoples and histories that may have otherwise been forgotten. Geographic Information Systems and Technology (GIS&T) has become an invaluable tool in this endeavor by advancing the identification, documentation, and study of archaeological resources. Large scale mapping techniques have increased the efficiency of site surveys even in challenging environments. GIS&T refers to such things as remote sensing, spatial analysis, and mapping tools. The use of GIS&T for archaeology is a truly interdisciplinary field as it borrows principles from geology, oceanography, botany, meteorology and more in order to further the science. This chapter discusses some of the primary GIS&T tools and techniques used in archaeology and the primary ways in which they are applied.
LiDAR point cloud analysis refers to the techniques and methods used to explore LiDAR point cloud data in order to extract and visualize specific information about target features, such as land surface topography, lake bathymetry, vegetation canopy height, etc. In general, the procedures involved include noise filtering, point classification, feature extraction, quantification, and 3D reconstruction. The sequence of the procedures and the method used in each procedure can vary based on the nature of the LiDAR point cloud data, the application scenario, and the required accuracy. Recent advancements in technology, particularly drone technology, have made LiDAR data collection easier and more cost-effective. With the widespread availability of LiDAR data, point cloud analysis is facilitated by various software tools and is applied in many different domains, including urban planning, forestry inventory, biomass mapping, topography visualization, and environmental monitoring, etc.