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Visibility Studies in Archaeology: A Review and Case Study

Author

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  • Mark W Lake

    (Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31-34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY, England)

  • Patricia E Woodman

    (School of Continuing Education, University of Reading, London Road, Reading RG1 5AQ, England)

Abstract

This paper describes the history and current state of archaeological visibility studies. The first part is a survey of both GIS (geographic information systems) and non-GIS studies of visibility by archaeologists, which demonstrates how advances in GIS visibility studies have tended to recapitulate, albeit over a compressed timescale, theoretically driven developments in non-GIS studies. The second part presents an example of the kind of methodological development required for the use of GIS to contribute to the agenda set by certain strands of a more humanistic archaeology. An algorithm developed to retrieve various summaries of the inclination at which points on the horizon are visible from a specified viewpoint was applied to nineteen recumbent stone circles in the Grampian region of Scotland. The results suggest that these summaries provide a useful tool for ‘unpacking’ what archaeologists mean when they claim that the topographic setting of certain stone circles creates an ‘impression of circularity’.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark W Lake & Patricia E Woodman, 2003. "Visibility Studies in Archaeology: A Review and Case Study," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 30(5), pages 689-707, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirb:v:30:y:2003:i:5:p:689-707
    DOI: 10.1068/b29122
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