New Data on the Messapian Necropolis of Monte D'Elia in Alezio (Apulia, Italy) from Topographical and Geophysical Surveys

• Published in: Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 19; no. 16; p. 3494
• Main Authors: Leucci, Giovanni, Giorgi, Lara De, Ditaranto, Immacolata, Giuri, Francesco, Ferrari, Ivan, Scardozzi, Giuseppe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 09.08.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: 3D laser scanning; 5th century; 7th century; Alezio; Anomalies; archaeological map; Archaeology; Centuries; Cultural heritage; Digital mapping; drone; Excavation; Geophysical surveys; GPR; Ground penetrating radar; Historic sites; Historical structures; Iron Age; Messapian necropolis; Radar; topographical survey; United States > US; Italy; Germany; archaeological map; Messapian necropolis; GPR; topographical survey; Alezio; 3D laser scanning; drone
• ISSN: 1424-8220; 1424-8220
• DOI: 10.3390/s19163494

The Messapian necropolis of Monte D'Elia is related to one of the most important ancient settlements in the Salento Peninsula (in south Italy). In order to understand the extension and layout of this necropolis in the various periods of its use, a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) prospection was undertaken in some important sample areas by a team of the Institute for Archaeological and Monumental Heritage of the National Research Council of Italy. The analysis of the GPR measurements revealed many anomalies that could be ascribed to archaeological structures (tombs), as well as other anomalies of presumable natural origin or referable to modern features. The data collected were georeferenced in the digital archaeological map of the site and integrated with a virtual reconstruction of the surveyed area.