By Martin Bartík, translated by Lucia Benediková

Season 2004

The main goal of the measurements in 2004 was to fix the site within the Kuwaiti geographical coordinate systems KTM and PWD, to suggest and fix a grid system for excavation, to stabilize the basic measurement points and to create a tachymetric plan of the site and its surroundings.

For the needs of measurements of the sites at Failaka the coordinates of 4 GCP points and of 1 army point were submitted to KSAM (Fig. 1). Regarding their positions and our knowledge about their coordinates two basic points were chosen for georeferencing of Al-Khidr site. After consultation with the surveyor it was agreed to fix a 10 x 10 m grid oriented to the north (main axis in a N – S direction). Originally it was planned to have a 5 x 5 m excavation grid. It turned out, however, that regarding the suggested excavation method and system of documentation (feature/context system), it will be more convenient and more practical to have a grid 10 x 10 m with signatures of trenches as it is shown on Fig. 2. Our expert on mapping has also confirmed, that there is no need to have an extra archaeological network that could, potentially, cover the whole area of the island, as there is a universal geographical coordinate system we are able to fix our site to (see above).

For future excavation requirements (measurements and demarcation new trenches) five fixed points were demarcated (AK1, 3, 4, 5, 6) and already existing polygon points were measured for the needs of fixing the site within the coordinate system (AK2, 7, 8, 9, 10).

A tachymetric plan and 3D model of the measured and geophysically prospected areas was created (Fig. 2, 3, 4)

Season 2006

Collecting and processing of the data for GIS continued.

As for mapping following steps were realized:

• plans from Al-Khidr site from 2004 and 2006 season were scanned and georeferenced; their digitalizing and 3D-modeling of the archaeological situations was started and it is in process at the present time (example on Fig. 5)
• scanned 1:2000 maps of Failaka were digitalized (started already during the season in Slovakia in 2005)
• survey of all known archaeological sites at the Island was carried out and their location was measured by GPS; related database of finds and photographs was interconnected with ArcView environment (Fig. 6)
• chosen archaeological sites were measured and their detailed tachymetric plans were worked out (Fig. 7; Al-Khidr in 2004, precised in 2006; Al-Awazim; Al-Qusur; Az-Zor; read more in Failaka 2006)
• on the basis of tachymetric plans digital terrain models of the sites (TIN, GRID) were worked out (Fig. 8 – 10)
• modelling of hypothetic situations was realized, e. g. modelling of the possible rising of the sea level in the past about 1 m (Fig. 11).

GIS (started in 2006)

By Martin Bartík and Lucia Benediková

GIS for processing data from the site and from the whole Island of Failaka, as well as for their presentation, is built in KTM coordinate system. Information about topography was obtained from 1:2000 maps that were created in 1976 using photogrametry method (Fig. 12, 13).

Archaeological sites are measured by method of short polygons and detailed tachymetry. Used equipment: total station Leica TC 405, digital level instrument Leica Sprinter 100M, level instrument Kern, GPS Garmin.

Graphic information is being processed in software packages Microstation and ArcView interconnected with Microsoft® Access database.

At the present time, GIS is in the phase of collecting and processing of:

• mapping and survey data
• archaeology data
• palaeoenvironmental data
• geophysical data