1 1

Deciphering and

Documenting Destruction

with GIS:

Methods of Digital Excavation and

Documentation at Tel Beth-Shemesh, Israel

Hai Ashkenazi, Zvi Lederman, Shlomo Bunimowitz

Tel Aviv University

2

Object Oriented Data Structure

Basket 6282

Location

Flint √

Bone √

Shell

Artifact A 6282.01

Artifact B 6282.02

Artifact C 6282.03

Stratum 9

Layer L1504

Type, composition,

location etc.

Feature F902

Type, dimensions,

location etc.

Basket 6270

Location

Flint √

Bone

Shell √

Artifact A 6270.01

Artifact B 6270.02

Layer L1505

Type, composition,

location etc.

3

Data Acquisition

Digital Photography Total Station

Photos Data

3D Imagery / LiDAR

3D Scanning

3D Mapping

Cloud of Points

Digital

Processing

Geo-referenced Photos

and Digital Top-plans Database

Spatial

Database

3D Model

Reflective 3D

Model

Data Acquisition, Storage, and Analysis

Reflective 2D Maps

Modeling

Archaeology in Three

Dimensions

Mapping

Plotting

5

2005 2006 2007

6

Destruction

Function and Use of space

Construction

Deciphering

8

1. Mapping

1. Recording X, Y, Z coordinates

for each brick’s corner

2. Code (Brick’s number)

3. Short note

9 9 Bricks 156, 157, 158, 159, 160 in situ

Date EAST NORTH ELEV LABEL CODE NOTES Notes2 Size 05-Jun-08 216.22 272.00 230.99 BRK 1 d 1d Large

05-Jun-08 216.21 272.30 230.95 BRK 1 c 1c Large

05-Jun-08 215.90 271.97 230.97 BRK 1 b 1b Large

05-Jun-08 215.83 272.32 230.95 BRK 1 a 1a Large

05-Jun-08 219.16 264.86 230.83 BRK 2 c 2c Large

12-Jun-08 217.26 271.32 230.92 BRK 2 bt 2bt Large

05-Jun-08 216.27 271.99 230.98 BRK 2 b 2b Large

22-Jun-08 216.98 269.58 230.34 BRK 155 A 155A Small?

22-Jun-08 217.48 269.94 230.59 BRK 156 TOP 156TOP Small

23-Jun-08 216.75 270.58 230.36 BRK 156 D 156D Small

23-Jun-08 216.67 270.48 230.41 BRK 156 C 156C Small

23-Jun-08 217.02 270.48 230.43 BRK 156 B 156B Small

23-Jun-08 217.00 270.35 230.51 BRK 156 A 156A Small

23-Jun-08 217.28 270.77 230.34 BRK 157 D 157D Small

23-Jun-08 217.07 270.56 230.40 BRK 157 C 157C Small

23-Jun-08 217.39 270.69 230.39 BRK 157 B 157B Small

23-Jun-08 217.13 270.49 230.40 BRK 157 A 157A Small

23-Jun-08 217.18 270.45 230.36 BRK 158 D 158D Small

23-Jun-08 217.26 270.35 230.43 BRK 158 C 158C Small

23-Jun-08 217.01 270.22 230.43 BRK 158 B 158B Small

23-Jun-08 217.08 270.05 230.47 BRK 158 A 158A Small

23-Jun-08 216.94 270.56 230.28 BRK 159 D 159D Small

23-Jun-08 216.78 270.50 230.28 BRK 159 C 159C Small

23-Jun-08 217.06 270.29 230.43 BRK 159 B 159B Small

23-Jun-08 216.92 270.23 230.44 BRK 159 A 159A Small

23-Jun-08 217.25 270.24 230.40 BRK 160 D 160D Small

23-Jun-08 217.10 270.18 230.37 BRK 160 C 160C Small

23-Jun-08 217.30 269.91 230.46 BRK 160 B 160B Small

23-Jun-08 217.18 269.83 230.47 BRK 160 A 160A Small

23-Jun-08 217.55 270.25 230.50 BRK 161 D 161D Small

24-Jun-08 218.08 269.91 230.58 BRK 211 C 211C Small

24-Jun-08 217.91 269.70 230.57 BRK 211 B 211B Small

24-Jun-08 218.02 269.63 230.57 BRK 211 A 211A Small

24-Jun-08 218.17 270.56 230.29 BRK 212 D 212D Small

24-Jun-08 218.05 270.63 230.39 BRK 212 C 212C Small

24-Jun-08 218.23 270.30 230.39 BRK 212 B 212B Small

24-Jun-08 218.11 270.34 230.55 BRK 212 A 212A Small

24-Jun-08 218.05 270.35 230.41 BRK 213 d 213d Small

24-Jun-08 217.77 270.11 230.35 BRK 213 c 213c Small

24-Jun-08 218.11 270.25 230.49 BRK 213 b 213b Small

24-Jun-08 217.87 270.01 230.43 BRK 213 a 213a Small

24-Jun-08 218.08 269.93 230.48 BRK 214 d 214d Small

24-Jun-08 217.92 269.98 230.48 BRK 214 c 214c Small

24-Jun-08 218.05 269.78 230.50 BRK 214 b 214b Small

24-Jun-08 217.88 269.79 230.48 BRK 214 a 214a Small

24-Jun-08 218.12 269.51 230.43 BRK 215 d 215d Small

24-Jun-08 217.98 269.49 230.55 BRK 215 C 215C Small

24-Jun-08 218.13 269.20 230.64 BRK 215 A 215A Small

24-Jun-08 216.61 268.41 230.40 BRK 216 D 216D Large

24-Jun-08 216.92 268.54 230.41 BRK 216 C 216C Large

11

12

13

14

One

particular

room was

L 1505:

• 2.30X 3.70 m

room

• Two 1m standing

walls

• Fallen west wall

• Eastern wall with

stone foundations

only

15

On the floor

16

At the corner

of the room…

17

Masons’ Marks

18

19

2. Plotting

1. Linking data to GIS platform

2. Plotting out bricks’ shape

and location

3. Creating distribution maps of

different

artifacts’ categories

4. Linking spatial dynamic

maps to

artifacts’ visual database

(drawings and photographs)

3. Modeling

1. Linking data to CAD platform

2. Creating 3D dynamic models of bricks

3. Adding 3D artifacts to the model

Analysis and Discussion

23

Sizes of mud bricks

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Length (cm)

Wid

th (

cm

)

Fragmentary

Bricks

Complete

Bricks

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Distribution of mud bricks in the

destruction

230.20

230.30

230.40

230.50

230.60

230.70

230.80

230.90

231.00

231.10

231.20

215.00 215.50 216.00 216.50 217.00 217.50 218.00 218.50

Easting

Le

ve

l (m

ab

ov

e s

ea

le

ve

l)

Small Bricks

Large Bricks

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How was the room built?

– Distribution of small and

large bricks

– Distribution of the bricks

in the collapse

230.20

230.30

230.40

230.50

230.60

230.70

230.80

230.90

231.00

231.10

231.20

215.00 215.50 216.00 216.50 217.00 217.50 218.00 218.50

Easting

Le

ve

l (m

ab

ov

e s

ea

le

ve

l)

Small Bricks

Large Bricks

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Destruction analysis

• Spatial distribution of

bricks in the room

• Original room height

1.00+0.56+1.14=2.70m

mmm

BlengthBnumWallHeight 11.0*

)3.27.3(

*

27

Other issues

• The function of the mason’s marks

28

Other issues

• The function of the room: Storage jars,

chalices and lamps, imported vessels

(only appear here and in another

room), cooking pot.

29

Summary

• Stratum 9 destruction: – One storied storage room – Mixed functions

• The GIS and AutoCAD allow us to re-excavate the area over and over again.

• Digitization allow us to manipulate and to better understand the results.

• Computer-aided archaeology allow us to integrate finds from several periods (2007, 2008, 2009 and future seasons)

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Thanks!

To all the great students, volunteers and staff who shared with us the Beth-Shemesh Experience!!