Kluiving DEF2.indd

In this paper, a broad overview is given of the recent development of digital techniques in landscape archaeology, and of the way in which these have effectively revolutionised the way in which we do landscape archaeology nowadays. Within this development, a number of fields can be identified where computer techniques are highly successful in producing better scientific results more efficiently. The main contribution of computer techniques to landscape archaeology is found in their application to the prediction and detection of archaeological remains, to exploratory data analysis and to the visualisation of research results. A number of examples are shown illustrating this. The paper also tries to address the more fundamental issue if the application of digital methods and techniques is actually helpful for developing new interpretations and theory. It is concluded that we are still facing some stiff challenges there that are closely related to the attitude of archaeology as a science to theory, but also to the difficulties of developing software tools that actually do what we need them to do.