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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 12:18 pm

Esteemed AZW fundis and enthusiasts.

Slowly , and hopefully surely , great and interesting things may be about to take shape.

I have been tasked with putting together a template flight plan for a hi-definition aerial and Lidar survey of the Isandlwana battle site area.

I have a good general idea , but have come to ask the experts which areas they would like included in such a survey. ( Obviously not all the way from Ondini Smile

)

All areas that were central to the development of the battle and the battle itself as well as fugitives drift would be included.

So gents / ladies please if you are interested let me know what areas you would like included.

Please indicate by accepted name of area as well as location by reference to Surveyor General 1:50000 or via Google Earth with co-ords -- or any other means by which an area may be identified.

This is for an NGO / Non-Profit project -- it is possible that completed maps may become available depending on a number of factors including the project directors ( but certainly I am sure to academic institutions. )

This is the weblink here to follow up on the project.

http://www.projectafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&I'd=64&Itemid=96

Please feel free to contact the program directors (Support and encouragement goes a long way in helping to open the funding coffers )

Thanks

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 9:30 pm

Chris

Sounds interesting. I understand Lidar can penetrate wooded areas, so the foliage which has grown up between Isandlwana & the river (along the trail, as it were) could be investigated. But what would be looked for? Or what is hoped to be found? Presumably unknown burials on the trail unmarked by cairns but covered in bush could be located? Or not? Or burials on the battlefield where the cairns have gone? So much burying and reburying went on for years, as well as human use and development over much of the site from the 19th century onwards, that it seems it can hardly yield anything new. Not to mention the huge changes from water erosion. But who knows? Might the scrub covering the western slope be penetrated? Shepstone's grave & perhaps NNC burials? Surely nothing on the main battlefield? Depends what you're looking for & what the technology can do. (I've looked at the link but am no scientist!)

Peter

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:32 am

Hi Peter ,

One of the main aims is preservation ( even if in a virtual sense ) The topography and the information contained therein can be captured very accurately and a model constructed.
This means that when , if , how things change over time a record has been kept of where items / positions of historical importance were located.
This sort of information is valuable and can be used as input if any development ever took place.
Not just here but at any place of historical or heritage significance.

At this stage I do not think that anything will be "looked-for" It is really just a complete survey of the whole area currently as accurately as possible.
LIDAR will help with things like contours and DEMS / TINS
We will also be taking along the Gigapan to take 360 deg panoramas from all the highest points.
Things like old maps ( aerial , surveyor general , military , sketches etc etc ) can be incorporated into the model later.

The field work involves taking accurate GPS readings of all the points of interest -- as can best be established -- using multiple sources ( primary , secondary , and with the help of the local professionals and guides.)
The model is not written in stone so can be edited and ammended as new information becomes available or old information is verified or discarded.

The software used is ESRI which is basically a spatial tool with an associated database , so each and every point , track , feature can have the associated data attached to it.
The data can also be layered using different inputs eg time

Quite a lot to explain -- but it is very powerful.

You are in the UK , if you wanted to follow up you could have a look here

University of Portsmouth

Historical Geography and Spatial Analysis

http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/geography/research/gis/#d.en.62025

The use of this technology and methodology is fairly new for battlefield anaysis so is kind of unexplored cutting edge in a way.

It complements rather than obviates Battlefield Archeology -- the two work together.

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 1:43 pm

Thanks for that, too, Chris. Such an accurate scientific survey of the topography would presumably enable close comparisons to be made with the lie of the land as it was in 1879, by reference to detailed contemporary maps - not of all of which were accurate, I realise.

The widespread emergence of trees and shrub (especially to the south) over a century or so has otherwise prevented such "penetration." The considerable erosion of dongas and cairns - and probably of the surface itself in many parts - would no doubt throw up some differences. It would be interesting to compare the 1879 & present day position and configuration of the two main dongas/streams which run from north to south across the field. And the slopes to the north, where movement and settlement due to water erosion may also have created changes, not to mention the settling on and use by the Anglican mission from 1879 to the present day, where now the village stands.

Peter

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 2:05 pm

There are detailed early land surveyor farm plans from the time of the Republic of Natalia ( 1838 -- 1843 )

Zululand being an independent kingdom would only have had military maps until much later.

There may be accurate maps in the Natal Archives ( which I think are still in Limbo ) but certainly not in any sort of high resolution detail as we understand it today.

To be accurate we need to correlate to at least less than five metres -- the more accurate the better.

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 2:46 pm

Chris:

Just wanted to ask..do you think an "Isandhlwana From the Air" book can be a possible product for example? I'd think it would be a fine book showing how topography affected the battle. I'm not sure but I don't think anything like it exists.

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 4:06 pm

Hi Rich ,

HHmmm .... another AZW book Smile

The project is an NGO Non-profit funded by the SA Lotto

Such a book could be of interest -- I think that the project as a whole will be more interesting.

History books and Military history generally have poor maps. I do not think that a modern up to date current map exists for Isandlwana ?
In some books there are sort of 3D battle simulations which are helpful

Here is the page you need

http://tinyurl.com/44ucqx5

and here is a guide for Peter

http://www.lancs.ac.uk/staff/gregoryi/

http://hds.essex.ac.uk/g2gp/gis/index.asp

I do not think that spin-offs have been thought of yet -- it is really a type of preservation / academic project. ( when all the funding comes through )

I have been told that the data set would be made available to academic institutions. ( under some sort of creative commons -- copyleft )
Although there would be a need for a master copy which I assume would be held by the project trust.

It is early days still and we are busy with the pre-lim work

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 7:27 am

OK to get back on topic

Do I need to include the build up to the battle ?

In the West things like -- Masotsheni and the Buffalo ?

In the East Mangeni Falls ?

In the North East Ngwebeni Valley

or just the actual battle ?

I am using Zulu Victory as my template as it has really good maps.

Please suggest additions , any other books , journals with good maps that could be used as guides.

I am no expert -- the whole basis of the project is that this is a collaborative effort that will benefit ALL.

Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 1:32 pm

I do not think that spin-offs have been thought of yet -- it is really a type of preservation / academic project. ( when all the funding comes through )

Chris:

Personally, I think what you are trying to accomplish as regards "preservation" is a very worthwhile endeavor for AZW studies. I'd think it can possibly contribute to perhaps further debate and analysis on the Isandhlwana battle for example as data gets 'parsed' so to speak. Perhaps new discoveries await.

I only mentioned the potential book because I'd think it too can help your cause in the sense that perhaps some profits can be extended to your enterprise in GIS analysis. And you know pictures are worth a thousand words! It would for me because I have never been to the battlefield and haven't soaked up its topography.

Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 2:05 pm

Rich ,

Such a book would surely be helpful if done properly --
In the meantime have a look at Jamies excellent site which via photographs gives a very good idea of the topography. ( and the action )

http://www.isandlwana1879.co.uk

Quick note ;
Also have a look at Google Earth latest version 6
Look at this in conjunction with Jamies site\

Some on the forum have mentioned a 3D "walk through" quite possible with the technology we are using -- after a lot of blood sweat and tears ( virtual Smile

) once all the data is in and verified.

IF we can just get some input to get this first stage off the ground ( once the detail is flown it will be too late to ask -- what about this , what about that Exclamation

)

The "watershed" facility will be particualrly interesting in showing who could see what from where.

If the weather plays along ( at the moment it is freezing here with the wettest and coldest winter in recent memory ) we should have some nice gigapan images of the area.

See here for what a gigapan image looks like

http://gigapan.org/

http://timemachine.gigapan.org/wiki/Main_Page

As you say , who knows what might come to light -- it is just a tool and the results need to be properly understood and analysed.