Near Infrared Spectra and Hyperspectral Imaging of Medieval Fortress Walls in Carcassonne: A Comprehensive Interdisciplinary Field Study

A comprehensive interdisciplinary field study at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Carcassonne, reveals significant insights into the construction and use of its medieval fortress walls using near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging. The research, conducted by a collaboration between universities and institutes, successfully identified raw materials used in wall construction and elucidated different phases of their development and vulnerabilities. This study builds upon earlier work that demonstrated simplified NIR imaging with modified digital cameras, advancing the technique's application to large-scale, protected archaeological sites where traditional laboratory analysis is impractical.

Allios, D., Guermeur, N., Cocoual, A., Linderholm, J., Sciuto, C., Geladi, P., Gobrecht, A., Bendoula, R., Moura, D., Jay, S., & Gardel, M.-E. (2016). Near Infrared Spectra and Hyperspectral Imaging of Medieval Fortress Walls in Carcassonne: A Comprehensive Interdisciplinary Field Study. NIR News, 27(3), 16–20. https://doi.org/10.1255/nirn.1602