The total station: applications in archaeology and at Vela Spila
David Redhouse
Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
University of Cambridge
An overview of the total station, an opto–electronic surveying instrument that, through the measurement of distances and angles from a fixed point, allows archaeologists to record in three dimensions the location of a point or object of interest, was provided.
The application of the total station in archaeology—for site management, data collection, and field survey—was illustrated with reference to case studies including Tirefour Castle in Scotland, the Zecovi oppidum at Grujicici in Bosnia Hercegovina, and Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport. The data produced by the total station was described and the instrument compared with differential GPS.
Finally, the way in which the instrument is used at Vela Spila was described and guidance on the effective day–to–day operation of the instrument was provided.