Archaeological Survey Takes to the Skies

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 A 3D image of the Nevern Valley using lower resolution Lidar data (© Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights reserved) overlaid with aerial photography (© Getmapping 2022). A circular prehistoric enclosure known as Castell Mawr can be seen above the valley.

Arolwg archaeolegol i gychwyn yng Ngogledd Sir Benfro

Bydd gwylwyr awyr yng Ngogledd Sir Benfro yn sylwi ar awyren anarferol yn cylchu gofod awyr Sir Benfro yn ddiweddarach y mis hwn wrth i arolwg archaeoleg o’r awyr ddechrau.

Mae’r arolwg yn cynnwys awyrluniau cydraniad uchel a data Lidar yn cael eu cipio o awyren fechan, ac mae’n rhan o Gynllun Rheoli Cynaliadwy ‘Dawnsio ar y Dibyn’, a ariennir gan Lywodraeth Cymru drwy Gronfa Datblygu Rhanbarthol Ewrop.

Defnyddir hwn i adeiladu modelau topograffig o’r dirwedd ac o bosibl datgelu gwybodaeth archeolegol newydd. Bydd yr arolwg yn canolbwyntio ar adran ogleddol y Parc Cenedlaethol a’r ardal o amgylch Pen Caer.

Bydd y data a gasglwyd yn cael ei ddadansoddi i adnabod nodweddion archeolegol hysbys ac anhysbys yn y dirwedd. Gwneir hyn gan ddefnyddio cymorth archaeolegwyr a gwirfoddolwyr, a fydd yn edrych ar y data’n ddigidol ac yna’n cynnal arolygon maes i gadarnhau’r hyn a nodwyd.

Dywedodd Tomos Ll. Jones, Archeolegydd Cymunedol Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Arfordir Penfro: “Dyma gyfle cyffrous i ddarganfod mwy am dirwedd Sir Benfro a’i hanes hir o fod yn gartref i bobl.

“Mae’r amgylchedd hanesyddol yn rhan o’r hyn sy’n gwneud Parc Cenedlaethol Arfordir Penfro yn lle mor arbennig. Mae pobl wedi byw a gweithio yn y Parc ers miloedd o flynyddoedd, ac wedi llunio’r ffordd y mae’n edrych heddiw.

“Gellir defnyddio lidar a ffotograffiaeth o’r awyr i wneud delweddau trawiadol o’r dirwedd. Rydym yn gobeithio, drwy ddarparu hyfforddiant i wirfoddolwyr, yn ddigidol ac allan yn y maes, y bydd dadansoddiad o’r data yn parhau am amser hir i ddod, gan gynyddu ymhellach ein gwybodaeth am archaeoleg a threftadaeth yn y dirwedd unigryw hon.”

I gael y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am yr arolwg hwn ac i ddysgu am gyfleoedd i gymryd rhan, cofrestrwch ar restr e-bostio Archaeoleg y Parc Cenedlaethol yn www.arfordirpenfro.cymru/rhestr-ebostio-archaeoleg/.

An aerial view of the Nevern Valley using lower resolution Lidar data (© Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights reserved) with the circular prehistoric enclosure known as Castell Mawr visible

Skywatchers in North Pembrokeshire might spot an unusual aircraft circling Pembrokeshire airspace as an aerial archaeology survey gets underway.

The survey involves high-resolution aerial photography and Lidar data being captured from a small plane and is part of the ‘Dawnsio ar y Dibyn’ Sustainable Management Scheme, funded by the Welsh Government through the European Regional Development Fund.

This will be used to build topographical models of the landscape and potentially reveal new archaeological information. The survey will be focused on the northern section of the National Park and the area around Strumble Head.

The captured data will be analysed to identify known and unknown archaeological features in the landscape. This will be done using the help of archaeologists and volunteers, who will look at the data digitally and then carry out field surveys to verify what has been identified.

Tomos Ll Jones, community archaeologist for Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to discover more about the Pembrokeshire landscape and its long history of human habitation.

“The historic environment is part of what makes the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park such a special place. People have lived and worked in the Park for thousands of years, and have shaped the way it looks today.

“Lidar and aerial photography can be used to make impressive visualisations of the landscape. We hope that by providing training for volunteers, both digitally and out in the field, analysis of the data will continue for a long time to come, further increasing our knowledge of archaeology and heritage in this unique landscape.”

To keep up to date with this survey and to learn about opportunities to get involved, you can sign up to the National Park Archaeology mailing list at www.pembrokeshirecoast.wales/archaeology-mailing-list/.

 More information about Lidar can be found at https://historicengland.org.uk/research/methods/airborne-remote-sensing/lidar/