Airborne LiDAR Applications at the Medieval Site of Castel Fenuculus in the Lower Valley of the Calore River (Benevento, Southern Italy)

This paper explores the application of Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) technology in the investigation of the medieval Norman site of Castel Fenuculus, in the lower Calore Valley, Southern Italy. This research aims to assess the actual potential of the ALS dataset provided by the Italian Ministry of the Environment (MATTM) for the detection and visibility of archaeological features in a difficult environment characterised by dense vegetation and morphologically complex terrain. The study focuses on improving the detection and interpretation of archaeological features through a systematic approach that includes the acquisition of ALS point clouds, the implementation of classification algorithms, and the removal of vegetation layers to reveal the underlying terrain and ruined structures. Furthermore, the aim was to test different classification and filtering techniques to identify the best one to use in complex contexts, with the intention of providing a comprehensive and replicable methodological framework. Finally, the Digital Elevation Model (DTM), and various LiDAR-derived models (LDMs), were generated to visualise and highlight topographical features potentially related to archaeological remains. The results obtained demonstrate the significant potential of LiDAR in identifying and documenting archaeological features in densely vegetated and wooded landscapes.