ORANGE COUNTY, VIRGINIA—NBC 29 reports that archaeologist Matthew Reeves is employing lidar technology to produce a high-resolution map of the landscape at Montpelier, the home of James Madison, the United States' fourth president. So far, the technology has revealed paths through the woods created by Madison’s enslaved servants. “What we’re able to do is capture some really subtle features on the landscape that nobody has known about since the 1820s,” Reeves said. The infrared light beams may also detect buildings along the foot paths. Once the routes are known, Reeves said his crew will use metal detectors to look for artifacts and additional features. Eventually, the paths will be recreated so visitors to Montpelier can walk on them. To read about the use of lidar in Cambodia, go to “Angkor Urban Sprawl.”
