Lasers shed light on Scotland's mysterious Iron Age tunnels
19th January
The underground passage is revealed in stunning detail (Image: AOC Archaeology)
By Jody Harrison
@jodeharrisonHT
Reporter
The underground passage is revealed in stunning detail (Image: AOC Archaeology)
They are deep and dark mysterious tunnels which were carved by the ancient people of Scotland whose purpose baffles scholars to this day.
Often found beneath the remains of Iron Age dwellings and settlements, the hand-carved channels could have been used for storage, a ritual site, or even as a safe space to hide from marauding invaders.
Probing the secrets of these ‘souterrains’ - named from a French phrase meaning underground passageway – has always been tedious and back-breaking work, forcing archaeologists to explore narrow confined crawlspaces often choked with centuries of rubble.
But now technology is being used to speed up the process – and deliver maps of the age-old tunnels in detail never seen before. A team of archaeologists are using lasers to map out souterrains scattered about the Scottish Highlands at various sites that have previously been explored.
More:
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/homenews/23262329.lasers-shed-light-scotlands-mysterious-iron-age-tunnels/
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Cracknie, located in Borgies Forest, Scotland, is one of the best preserved Iron Age souterrains in the country
Stephen Beech
SWNS
19 hours ago
A team of archaeologists are using lasers to map out mysterious Iron Age tunnels scattered about the Scottish highlands which have baffled scholars for years
(SWNS)
A team of archaeologists are using lasers to map out mysterious Iron Age tunnels scattered about the Scottish highlands which have baffled scholars for years.
The method used involves a device called a Leica BLK360 laser scanner to map the site.
The device fires lasers at the walls 10,000 times a second.
This creates a detailed 3D map of the site, from which measurements can be taken.
These measurements then produce an interactive map of the site, allowing archaeologists to study it without ever stepping foot in the dank tunnel.
The research on the Cracknie souterrain started in February 2022. Cracknie, located in Borgies Forest, Scotland, is one of the best preserved Iron Age souterrains in the country.
The tunnel was built 2,000 years ago and is 13 meters long and one meter high.
More:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/scotland-tunnels-highlands-laser-b2265294.html
