An approach to the automatic surveying of prehistoric barrows through LiDAR

In this paper a method for the detection of megalithic barrows from LiDAR height data is presented. The methodology is grounded on the joint application of morphometric and morphological classification of digital terrain models, segmentation and detection of circular patterns (Hough Transform). Since the segmentation of the data is proposed it can be considered as a GEOBIA (Geo-Object-based Image Analysis) approach to remote sensing in Archaeology. There are three major strengths in the proposed methodology: 1) the use of supercomputing (High Performance Computing) for the analysis of topographical information, 2) the development of own specific code, and 3) the use of accurate topographic descriptors for terrain analysis. The method is able to provide concrete locations that can eventually match the theoretical morphometric features of this kind of sepulchres. The application has leaded to discover new barrows in a region from Western Spain.