Kicking Off Our Pilot at Sundre: A Proof of Concept for ArchLab Support

ArchLab has officially launched its pilot experiment for Task 8.4: “Proof of Concept Work to Establish a Function for M8 Expert Support.” This important milestone marks the beginning of a multi-layered investigation into how advanced digital tools can support expert interpretation and heritage monitoring workflows. 

The chosen case study is the striking medieval tower at Sundre, Gotland, a culturally significant site known as a “kastal”—a defensive structure dating back to the 12th century. Learn more about the site here: Sundre kastal – Länsstyrelsen Gotland. 

Combining cutting-edge tools from above and on the ground, the School of Aviation and DARKLab at Lund University launched a full-scale documentation campaign of the site.

Despite challenging weather conditions, the campaign yielded a robust dataset that will now enter the processing phase. Over the coming months, we will refine and interpret this material to generate multi-dimensional representations of the site.

This work is carried out in close collaboration with Martin Hansson from the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History at Lund University, whose ongoing research project Early Medieval Towers (EMT) explores the function, chronology, and cultural significance of kastaler—standalone medieval towers often found near churches or along the coast.

Martin will support the team during the data processing phase, offering feedback on architectural features, construction techniques, and historically significant elements visible on the datasets.

Stay tuned—our next update will feature early data products and insights from the Sundre experiment!