ABSTRACT
Light detection and ranging (Lidar) technology is having wide-ranging impacts in archaeology, especially in the tropics. Using modern, high pulse-rate lidar systems, coupled with advanced Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) and high-resolution GPS receivers, archaeologists have mapped forested landscapes to reveal that the full extents of many ancient cities and agricultural systems are far greater (and more diverse) than previously understood. However, lidar data processing workflows and visualizations remain somewhat narrowly focused on so-called “bare earth models.” This chapter critically investigates how and why archaeologists produce these visualizations and asks whether we might benefit from exploring other means of engaging with lidar data. For context, a brief history of the relationship between photography and working practices in archeology is presented. Some workflows of lidar image production are discussed, focusing on discussing decision-making junctions that influence both the understanding and visualization of characteristics that have now codified the visual culture of archaeological lidar. In closing, the author discusses three emerging ways in which archaeologists and ecologists are beginning to reimagine how lidar can be put to use.
