How archaeologists collect and integrate data from different sources with Emlid gear 

Archaeological fieldwork is a race against time. Researchers face the challenge of collecting large amounts of spatial data while working within tight schedules and complex environments. They must integrate multiple datasets from various sources, including an RTK drone, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), laser scanner, and GNSS receivers—all while ensuring that every measurement aligns with old datasets.

Check out how archaeologists from the University of Copenhagen streamlined their fieldwork and enhanced their data quality with the Emlid ecosystem: Reach RS3 receivers, the Pix4D & Emlid Scanning Kit, Emlid NTRIP Caster, and the Emlid Flow app. By integrating these tools, they optimized processes, improved accuracy, and enhanced the quality of their documentation.

Archaeologists bringing history to life with Emlid gear

This article is based on insights from Evan Levine, an archaeologist at the University of Copenhagen who is actively working on multiple field projects in Greece and Italy. Evan and his team use Emlid gear for precise site mapping, excavation documentation, and geophysical research. Their work spans various excavation sites, including ancient prisons in Pompeii, historical quarries in Syracuse, and marble quarries on Naxos. His experience highlights how Emlid tools are transforming archaeological workflows.

A unified system for precise data collection

A single Reach RS3 base for multiple devices on site 

One of the biggest challenges in archaeological fieldwork is ensuring consistency across multiple data sources. Since drones, GPR, and GNSS receivers all require corrections for precise positioning, using a single base station for all devices helps eliminate discrepancies, ensuring seamless integration and reliable site models.

Evan Levine and his team rely on the Reach RS3 base station to simultaneously provide RTK corrections to all their surveying equipment. This ensures that readings from all devices are aligned perfectly.

NTRIP Caster enhances this workflow by enabling researchers to transmit RTK corrections to multiple devices at the same time. This makes it a more universal and flexible solution compared to traditional radio-based methods.

For archaeologists working in different locations, this is especially valuable. Instead of relying on costly and impractical local NTRIP services in each country, setting up a private RTK correction network with their own base ensures reliable positioning data wherever their research takes them.At Pompeii, Italy, Evan Levine and his colleagues used Reach RS3 and NTRIP Caster to support large-scale site mapping efforts and integrate their findings from drones, survey rovers, and GPR. Their work included documenting ancient prisons, gladiator barracks, and slave quarters as part of the Prison Project at the University of Copenhagen.

Surveying hard-to-reach spots made easy with the Reach RS3 rover

Archaeologists often need to document artifacts in challenging environments, such as excavation trenches or dense vegetation. Traditional GNSS receivers require survey poles to be held perfectly vertical, which isn’t always practical in these conditions.

The Reach RS3 with tilt compensation is the perfect rover for this task. Evan Levine confirmed that the Reach RS3 is capable of capturing accurate position data even when the pole isn’t perfectly upright. This ensures accurate documentation of artifacts, regardless of accessibility.

Managing all data sets with the Emlid Flow app

Archaeological surveys go beyond simply collecting coordinates. Using the Reach GNSS receiver with the Emlid Flow app, researchers can capture more detailed spatial data, adding valuable context to their findings.

Emlid Flow allows users to apply survey codes to differentiate between various types of finds, helping to categorize artifacts, align historical datasets, and track excavation phases more effectively. This structured approach ensures that all recorded data remains organized and easy to reference.

What’s more, Emlid Flow optimizes data collection with the localization feature that helps to align new measurements with historical datasets that lack precise coordinates. 

And the holy grail of large-scale excavations—various data sets integration. With Emlid Flow, Evan and his team can view the overlay of multiple background maps to compare data from aerial, terrestrial, and subsurfaced surveys to historical records right in the field. With all the fresh survey data matched to the single base RTK corrections, they can also further process the results without georeferencing errors.

On the island of Naxos in Greece, Levine’s team used this workflow to survey ancient marble quarries. By integrating GNSS data, drone LiDAR, and photogrammetry, they created high-resolution 3D models of the sites. These models help researchers understand the scale of historical quarrying operations and their impact on the ancient landscape.

Precise data even in challenging environments with Emlid Studio post-processing

Not all excavation sites have stable RTK conditions. Real-time connection may not always be available in remote or dense areas. In these cases, Emlid Studio allows researchers to get precise positioning by post-processing GNSS data after fieldwork.

Evan Levine and his team use Emlid Studio for two purposes. First, they post-processed drone data to correct positioning errors that occurred in the field when RTK correction was unstable.

The second challenge was to manually collect the accurate track of points in areas without RTK connectivity. Archaeologists used the Stop & Go feature in the Emlid Flow app and then post-processed the data with the Stop & Go workflow in Emlid Studio.

This method proved essential during the Small Cycladic Islands Project, where researchers surveyed nearly 100 remote islands in the Aegean Sea. Given the rugged conditions and lack of permanent RTK infrastructure, Stop & Go workflows allowed Evan’s team to achieve centimeter-level accuracy despite working in some of the toughest terrain in Greece.

Creating 3D models on the go with the Pix4D & Emlid Scanning Kit 

Time constraints often limit how much an archaeological team can document in the field. That’s why, when it comes to 3D models of archaeological sites, Evan’s team prefers to scan on the go rather than use bulky and complex equipment.

With the Pix4D & Emlid Scanning Kit, archaeologists can quickly scan the site with just an iPhone, a Reach RX rover with a handle, and the PIX4Dcatch app. This combo not only speeds up the data collection process but also provides 3D models with centimeter-level accuracy.

The kit allows archaeologists to scan an entire site and even capture underground structures by linking them to surface models using ground control points (GCPs).

At Syracuse, Evan Levine’s team is documenting a massive ancient limestone quarry using terrestrial scanning, drone photogrammetry, and GNSS-based GCPs. These methods help create a detailed 3D reconstruction of the site, offering valuable insights into ancient quarrying techniques and their historical significance.

Advancing archaeological research with Emlid

The Emlid ecosystem supports modern archaeology with reliable GNSS positioning and efficient data collection. Reach receivers paired with Emlid software cover the entire archaeological fieldwork. Setting up a base and surveying in the air, on the ground, or under the surface, and post-processing the results to get accurate data even in remote areas—all this is possible with the Emlid setup.

Try Emlid to work faster, integrate multiple data sources, and create detailed site documentation even in challenging conditions.

To learn more about how archaeologists worldwide are using Emlid products for excavation, site mapping, and geophysical research, visit our website.