The elevation maps are made with a new technique (LiDAR) that also makes areas hidden under dense vegetation visible in detail for the first time.
The "Erfgoed Gezocht" project has two main objectives, aimed at the two sides of the concept of citizen science:
- the aim is to introduce as many people as possible to the fact that unique archaeological heritage is just around the corner from almost everyone in the Netherlands. Increasing knowledge and creating ownership through participation in research leads to better protection of this fragile heritage from the distant past.
- From a scientific point of view, the aim is to collect information about as yet unknown archaeological heritage. Citizen participation makes it possible to collect a large amount of data. Without the help of volunteers, archaeologists simply do not have the manpower to investigate the large areas that have become visible through LiDAR data.
Source: Universiteit Leiden
Nieuwsuur set out with three citizen scientists and an archaeologist: check the video here.
Also check this article about LiDAR.