2025/11/01 by Nikolai Paukkonen, Henry Skorna, Feiko Wilkes +4 · 1 voice
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Archaeological Research and Protection #Archaeology and ancient environmental studies #Soil and Environmental Studies
paper · doi:10.1016/j.rsase.2025.101789
openalex publication_date 2025/11/01 · openalex created_date 2025/11/08 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
Kurgans — earthen burial mounds, mostly erected by Yamnaya people c. 3100-2500 BCE — constitute a vital element of the cultural heritage and prehistoric landscape of Eastern Europe. While the largest and most prominent mounds have been extensively documented and archaeologically excavated, but often also looted beforehand, the detection and study of smaller, eroded, or partially destroyed mounds remains a significant challenge. These less-visible features are often overlooked, yet they are crucial for reconstructing past settlement patterns and funerary landscapes. Moreover, ongoing agricultural activity poses a constant threat to their preservation. This study presents the results of a non-invasive, multi-method archaeological survey conducted near the village of Vetrino in northeastern Bulgaria. The field campaign integrated drone-mounted LiDAR, magnetometry, multispectral imaging, and high-resolution photogrammetry. By applying advanced visualization techniques and cross-referencing datasets within a GIS environment, we identified several previously undocumented kurgan-like features. Our results not only demonstrate the efficacy of combining remote sensing and geophysical methods in kurgan detection but also emphasize the urgency of documenting these vulnerable monuments before they are entirely lost. Simultaneously, these methods offer a possibility to study features outside the kurgans themselves, such as ring ditches around them. • Recovering the endangered heritage landscape of Eastern Europe • Using multi-method remote sensing for detecting destroyed Yamnaya kurgans • Joining LiDAR, multispectral & satellite imagery, magnetometry, landscape archaeology • Showcasing the efficacy of combining different methods in a GIS framework • Mapping of threatened archaeological heritage that would otherwise remain invisible