While methods such as laser scanning offer unprecedented levels of detail and accuracy and go some way toward meeting a desire for objectivity in archaeological survey, this paper will tackle the documentation of other aspects surrounding heritage sites which remain subjective. Considerations such as atmosphere and context within a broader landscape have a prominent effect on the relationship which the modern day visitor may have with a site, and may also help us to associate with, and better understand the minds who built and used a site throughout it's history.
The symbolic and practical significance of spatial arrangements for example may only become apparent when the surrounding landscape is taken into consideration, such as where a location might have strategic advantage or where there are celestial or geological alignments. These often intuitive considerations are of particular importance in prehistoric sites where ritual spirituality and everyday practicality may have been closely integrated. As such we can consider that when documenting a historical site it is important not to separate our search for objective understanding with our emotional response and intuition but rather to integrate these where possible.
In order to generate a balanced and representative impression of a heritage site an approach should be developed which exploits a broad spectrum of documentation tools and methods which take into account and triangulate different aspects of the site. This paper will demonstrate the potential of low altitude aerial photography to form part of this toolkit for both documentation and interpretation.
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