Their findings, scattered between Cornwall and Devon in the southwest, include ancient structures of the prehistoric, Roman, and medieval eras, including more than 20 miles of Roman road, as well as settlements, farms, burial mounds, stone-pits, and field-systems.
A team of amateur archaeologists has found a significant number of previously unknown historical structures in the south-west of the United Kingdom through aerial surveys, according to a statement by the University of Exeter.
The amateurs analysed images derived from LiDAR, laser technology that produces highly detailed topographical maps. In particular, the volunteers spotted at least 30 new settlements, dating from between 300BC and AD300, as well as more than 20 miles of Roman road.
Dr Smart is a landscape archaeologist at the University of Exeter. In 2017, the university launched its “Understanding Landscapes” project, which enables communities in Devon and Cornwall to examine the origins of their historic landscapes.
According to the archaeologist, the findings reveal that areas in Cornwall and Dartmoor were much more populous than previously thought.
The young volunteers were enthusiastic about the new discoveries despite the coronavirus-induced lockdown that is still in place in the United Kingdom, with one even suggesting that they rebrand the project as the “Lockdown Landscapes”. Under quarantine, the locations remain secret to prevent them from being seen by curious citizens; but after it ends, the new findings will be studied in person.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
