My father was telling me about the use of LiDAR to 'unearth' ancient Mayan ruins just yesterday. He is currently using this technology here, in South Africa, at a site where people called the Kgatla used to live (in the 1700s).
What's cool about the LiDAR is that they can see other ruins underneath these old cities, from a completely different group of people. Without excavating they can tell whether this civilization might have conquered another, and settled on their ruins. I'm keen to see the results of this. I used to join him on archaeological excavations as a boy using shovels and picks, never heard of LiDAR until he told me.
I find it interesting that the Roman's crafted these 'gates to hell'. In their debaucherous society, one would imagine you'd try to deny any ideas of realm which entails eternal damnation and suffering.
Thanks for the post.
That's amazing. Thanks for sharing that story. As I understand it, they can image the various layers and essentially peel off the ones that cover the ruins they want to see. It's groundbreaking (perhaps literally!).