The different methods to document and interpret the archeological sites containing Cart-Ruts

The aim of this project is to document and interpret a number of archaeological sites containing cart-ruts and other related features. Landscapes with cart-ruts are known to exist in Sicily, Sardinia, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, but mostly in the Maltese Islands. The study of cart-ruts is critical for the understanding of past human interaction with certain landscapes across Europe and especially to comprehend the varied causes that created these features and how these evolved across space (Europe) and time (ancient till present). Two sites were chosen, one in Malta and another one in Spain. The site at Misrah Ghar il-Kbir, Malta, known for its rich archaeological remains, covers an area of about 250.000 square metres. The man-made interventions on the terrain indicate that the site constituted an important source of building stone, hence explaining, at least in part, the presence of such an elaborate and complex system of cart-ruts. Additionally, the site also supports a rich ecosystem of endemic flora and fauna. The terrain includes fields parcelled by rubble walls, vernacular structures and archaeological remains primarily cart-ruts, ancient quarries, tombs and cave dwellings. The site in Spain is located in the village of Padul near Granada. The project seeks to use state-of-the-art technology to document the cart-ruts and surrounding landscape found in the Maltese Islands and correlates the results with those collected from the Spanish site. This data will serve as the basis for the scientific study of these features which up to now have remained an enigma to distinguished authors who have tried to interpret them. So far, these attempts have been based on assumptions and limited scientific documentation and investigation. Unlike most sites which contain cart-ruts, the sites at Ghar il-Kbir, Malta and at Padul in Spain are still largely uncompromised by present development and may therefore shed new light and clearer evidence on the real use, function and date of the cart-ruts. The first phase of this EU-funded project focussed on the development of suitable documentation techniques based on aerial and ground surveying systems which make use of photogrammetry and laser scanning techniques amongst others. This documentation exercise will be followed by a restoration and conservation programme which will include the setting up of a user-interactive site interpretation scheme.