Zprávy památkové péče 2018, 78(6):657-665 | DOI: 10.56112/zpp.2018.6.11

Archaeological atlases of heritage structures. Spatial identification of field interventions in heritage sites

Petr Sokol, Marcela Waldmannová, Linda Foster

NPÚ, ÚOP v Plzni

Archaeological atlases represent, in the context of heritage care and archeology, a registration system and a professional source of information to individual heritage structures. They are based on the long-term perceived needs for completion and synthesis of spatial and time data in the GIS environment as related to field interventions. The purpose of atlases is primarily the spatial identification of all traceable interventions in the past and the characteristics thereof. The result is an overview from the point of view of the archeology of disturbed, destroyed, and preserved historical terrain areas within individual monumental structures, including temporal and other basic data about these interventions; in other words, a mapping of the archaeological potential of the terrain. Atlases consist of two parts: the textual part, the core of which is a catalog of interventions, and maps. Atlases can be used as a basis for the preparation of projects related to a heritage structure and for planning archaeological surveys of both a salvage and research nature in a given area. Since 2013, the Department of Archeology of the NIH in Plzeň has worked up five archaeological atlases of structures administered by the NIH within the territory of the Plzeň Region. Specifically, these are the castles Švihov and Velhartice (both in the Klatovy district), the ruins of Přimda and Gutštejn (both in the Tachov district) and the Plasy Monastery (Plzeň-sever district). For Švihov, 90 field interventions were carried out as part of 36 events in 1948-2012; for Velhartice, 90 field interventions in 37 events in 1980-2017; for Přimda, 30 field interventions in 10 events in 1879-2012; for Gutštejn, 23 field interventions in 5 events in 1997-2001; for Plasy, 392 interventions in 43 events in 1920-2016. During their processing, partially distinctive criteria were always applied as given by the character of the structure and interventions and which even reflected in the partially different structure of the map sheets. The atlases are accessible in the Metainformation System (MIS) of the NIH, in their map folder, and in ArcGIS Online.

Keywords: heritage structures, archaeological research, terrain modification, spatial data, specialized map, data registration, renovation projects, archaeological atlases

Published: December 1, 2018  Show citation