Auditory Archaeology and Historic Landscape Characterisation

Auditory characteristics compared to HLC polygons. A 2km x 1km study area within the post-medieval mining landscape of West Penwith, Cornwall. 

Auditory archaeology aims to reconstruct the influence and significance of sound in present and past daily life. The approach was developed by Dr Stephen Mills during AHRB-funded doctoral research at Cardiff University’s School of History and Archaeology. A subsequent pilot project applied the techniques developed in auditory archaeology to Historic Landscape Characterisation in a 2km x 1km study area within the post-medieval mining landscape of West Penwith, Cornwall.

Primary data was collected in the study area following a sampling strategy and consisted of sound recordings, photographs and video.  This multimedia data was integrated in a GIS project.  Analysis of the sound recordings provided data suitable for creating GIS raster grids that visualise the variation in sound across the study area.  In this way the distribution of sound can be overlain and compared with the existing HLC within a GIS environment. In addition, the project researched historic sources that document the range of sounds associated with a working mining landscape.

The project report and interactive maps can be seen at:

http://www.cf.ac.uk/hisar/people/sm/aa_hlc/