Digging the new image: Archaeology from the air

The next generation of imaging techniques could be a game changer for archaeology. Jason Ford reports

Why would we preserve something if we can’t understand it? This question is being asked by Dr Chris Gaffney, an archaeologist whose work has helped to provide fresh insights into one of the world’s most intriguing archaeological sites.

Gaffney is head of Archaeological Sciences at Bradford University and part of the Stonehenge Hidden Landscape Project (SHLP), which last year announced the discovery of a major new prehistoric stone monument less than 3km from Stonehenge.

Using a combination of remote sensing and non-invasive geophysical prospection techniques, the project team found evidence for a row of up to 90 standing stones, a discovery that prompted one commentator to suggest that everything written about the Stonehenge landscape and ancient monuments within it be re-written.