Deciphering and Documenting Destruction with GIS: Methods of Digital Excavation and Documentation at Tel Beth-Shemesh, Israel Hai Ashkenazi, Zvi Lederman, Shlomo Bunimovitz, Tel Aviv University

1. 11
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. 2
Object Oriented Data Structure
Basket 6282
Location
Flint √
Bone √
Shell
ArtifactA 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 √
ArtifactA 6270.01
Artifact B 6270.02
Layer L1505
Type, composition,
location etc.

3. 3
Data Acquisition
Digital PhotographyTotal Station
PhotosData
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

4. Modeling
Archaeology in Three
Dimensions
Mapping
Plotting

5. 5
2005
2006
2007

6. 6

7. Destruction
Function and Use of space
Construction
Deciphering

8. 8
1. Mapping
1. Recording X, Y, Z coordinates
for each brick’s corner
2. Code (Brick’s number)
3. Short note

9. 99
Bricks 156, 157, 158, 159, 160 in situ

10. 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. 11

12. 12

13. 13

14. 14
One
particular
room was
L 1505:
• 2.30X 3.70m
room
• Two 1m standing
walls
• Fallen west wall
• Eastern wall with
stone foundations
only

15. 15
On the floor

16. 16
At the corner
of the room…

17. 17
Masons’ Marks

18. 18

19. 19

20. 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)

21. 3. Modeling
1. Linking data to CAD platform
2. Creating 3D dynamic models of bricks
3. Adding 3D artifacts to the model

22. Analysis and Discussion

23. 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)
Width(cm)
Fragmentary
Bricks
Complete
Bricks

24. 24
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
Level(mabovesealevel)
Small Bricks
Large Bricks

25. 25
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
Level(mabovesealevel)
Small Bricks
Large Bricks

26. 26
Destruction analysis
• Spatial distribution of
bricks in the room
• Original room height
1.00+0.56+1.14=2.70m
m
mm
BlengthBnum
WallHeight 11.0*
)3.27.3(
*



27. 27
Other issues
• The function of the mason’s marks

28. 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. 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)

30. 30
Thanks!
To all the great students, volunteers and staff
who shared with us the Beth-Shemesh Experience!!