Caves and rock shelters across the Mediterranean preserve complex and stratified records of human activity, yet archaeological field survey within subterranean contexts remains methodologically underdeveloped compared to open-air landscapes. This paper presents the shared challenges but also opportunities of archaeological field survey in Caves. It proposes a non-invasive, surface-based archaeological survey methodology tailored specifically to cave environments, aiming to bridge landscape survey theory with cave archaeology practice. Drawing on case studies from volcanic caves on Santorini and karstic cave systems on Lastovo Islands, the paper explores how systematic cave survey can be structured through the concept of Discovery Units (DUs), adapted to the spatial, depositional, and visibility constraints of subterranean settings.
Building on previous work by Mavridis and Trimmis (2020) and by Dinnis et al (2010), particular emphasis is placed on the role of depositional processes, sediment exposure, and surface characteristics in evaluating archaeological potential within caves. Rather than treating caves as uniform entities, the proposed approach understands them as internally differentiated spaces, where discrete deposits, geomorphological features, and sedimentary regimes guide both survey intensity and interpretative resolution.
The methodology integrates detailed archaeological mapping with paperless recording workflows, enabling the development of cave-specific GIS environments. These digital systems function not only as tools for visualisation but as analytical platforms capable of integrating artefacts, features, sedimentary units, and geological elements within a coherent spatial framework. By combining non-invasive survey, deposit-led evaluation, and digital spatial analysis, this paper argues for a scalable and transferable approach to cave survey that enhances comparability across Mediterranean cave contexts while minimising impact on fragile subterranean archives.

First Author: Konstantinos Trimmis

Keywords:
Archaeolgoical Survey
Paperless Mapping
Cave Archaeology
Discovery Units
Non-invasive approaches to Cave Archaeology