View from above: Omrit excavations drone

Aerial photos of archaeological sites have long been an important form of documentation. In the past it took a fly-over, or some kind of photo blimp, to get shots from above. Now, the process becomes much easier thanks to photos and videos shot with a drone.

Here, Prof. Dan Schowalter manipulates the DJI drone at the site of the Omrit excavations, sponsored by Carthage and four other schools. The Omrit Temple in the background is actually a series of three separate sacred buildings constructed between 50 BCE and 80 CE. All three phases can be seen in this photo, thanks to the drone.

Click here for a fun drone video of the Porticoe Building at Omrit. Note student volunteers standing in for the missing columns on the right side of the shot.