Remote sensing surveying at the Abbatija tad-Dejr Cata- 1 combs (Rabat, Malta)

Multidisciplinary remote sensing surveying techniques were employed at the site of the 14 Abbatija tad-Dejr Catacombs in Rabat (Malta) as part of a collaborative research project of the 15 University of South Florida's Institute for Digital Exploration (IDEx) and Heritage Malta aimed to 16 map the complex for interpretation and conservation purposes and to assess the eventual presence 17 of further hypogea in the areas surrounding the site. In this study, terrestrial laser scanning and 18 hand-held digital photogrammetry were employed to map the entire complex in 3D and digitize 19 specific architectural and artistic features found within Hypogea I and IV. In particular, Ground 20 Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) were used to verify the 21 presence of hypogeal structures and tombs and the results have showed how the prospection has 22 identified anomalies of possible relevant archaeological interest.