Abstract:

The spatial relationships inherent in archaeological evidence (structures, deposits, features, artefacts, the remains of the dead) are fundamental to analysis and interpretation. Unfortunately, the excavated remains from Gordion were never accurately referenced to a reliable site–wide coordinate system. The planimetric and altimetric referencing were seriously compromised in the very first excavation season in 1950 through a series of surveying and tracing errors. Most of the mapping work in successive seasons was based on this initial, faulty survey, and, over time, error spread and inaccuracy became endemic to the Gordion mapping corpus. Although it became apparent years later that there was a problem with the referencing, the issues were never fully understood and the attempted remedies proved not only abortive but also contributed further complexities to the problem. Since 2008 the Digital Gordion Mapping Project has been working to resolve the situation. This article showcases the methods, results, and some of the challenges faced by the project.