Assessing the application of laser scanning and 3D inspection in the study of prehistoric cairn sites: The case study of Tahkokangas, Northern Finland

The 3D material allows new directions for the study of the site. Previously undetected extensions of the largest stone setting were discovered. Also the structural analysis of the setting suggests that additional support structures may have been used. Along with the findings, limitations and advantages of laser scanning and 3D inspection are discussed. The results and conclusions show laser scanning to be a useful documentation method even when studying indistinct sites for which the scanner was not originally designed for. Still, the method does not produce new information, but merely aids in its perception and interpretation.