Satellite imagery and heritage damage in Egypt: a response to Parcak et al. (2016)

Antiquity ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (357) ◽  
pp. 784-792 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Fradley ◽  
Nichole Sheldrick
Keyword(s):  
Satellite Imagery ◽  
Recent Article ◽  
Political Instability ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Agricultural Expansion ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Intentional Damage

In a recent article, Parcak et al. (2016) presented the results of a study in which they used satellite imagery to evaluate looting and other damage at over one thousand heritage sites in Egypt. Assessing imagery dating between 2002 and 2013, their results indicated an increase in visible damage to sites during this period caused by looting and encroachment, which by Parcak et al.’s definition “includes building development, cemetery growth, agricultural expansion and intentional damage through targeted destruction” (2016: 190). Their findings support the work of previous authors who have documented an increase in looting and other damage to archaeological sites connected with increasing nationwide economic and political instability (e.g. Ikram 2013; Ikram & Hanna 2013).

scholarly journals Detection and 3D Modeling of Potential Buried Archaeological Structures Using WorldView-3 Satellite Imagery

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 92
Author(s):  
Raghda El-Behaedi
Keyword(s):  
Satellite Imagery ◽  
3D Model ◽  
Urban Expansion ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Ancient Egyptian ◽  
World Cultural Heritage ◽  
Earth Observation Data

Throughout the world, cultural heritage sites are under the direct threat of damage or destruction due to developing environmental and anthropogenic hazards, such as urban expansion, looting, and rising water levels. Exacerbating this problem is the fact that many of the most vulnerable sites’ exact locations and/or full spatial extents have yet to be uncovered, making any attempts at their protection exceedingly difficult. However, the utilization of earth observation data has recently emerged as an unmatched tool in the exploration and (digital) preservation of endangered archaeological sites. The presented research employs very high-resolution WorldView-3 satellite imagery (~30 cm) for identifying and delineating previously unknown subsurface archaeological structures at the ancient Egyptian site of Hermopolis (el-Ashmunein). A particular emphasis is placed on the application of spectral indices, specifically those looking at vegetation cropmarks and iron oxide levels. Through this analysis, seven promising structures were identified, including three elongated installations, which may have been utilized for storage purposes, and a potential casemate foundation structure. As 2D outlines of structures are often difficult to visualize, the newly identified archaeological features were expanded into a realistic, georeferenced 3D model using the computer programs, SketchUp Pro and Chaos V-Ray. The goal of this 3D model is to ensure that the results derived from this research are more accessible (and tangible) to a wider audience—the scientific community and the public alike. The methodological scheme presented in this article is highly adaptable and with some minor modifications can be replicated for other archaeological sites worldwide.

scholarly journals Community and heritage management: Linking stakeholders to archaeological sites in Kichakbadh

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 107-116
Author(s):  
Abhijeet Thapa
Keyword(s):  
Human Activities ◽  
State Level ◽  
Heritage Management ◽  
The Other ◽  
Destination Image ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Multiple Field ◽  
Management Issues

Community has been much of a striking terminology these days when associated with heritage management. Communities living nearby heritage sites, while at one hand are agents of conservation, on the other hand are sources of destruction in heritage sites and agents of risks. As such, this research unfolds the contested roles of local people for taking ownership of heritage management, understanding heritages, transmitting oral intangible values and valuing destination image at Kichakbadh Province -1, Nepal. The research, aimed at studying heritage management issues around the site has been supplemented by multiple field visits, numerous questionnaires and interviews with locals, visitors and experts. This article chiefly deals with the second phase of author’s exploration carried out on an annual fair called Maghe Purnima at Kichakbadh in 2019. While science of archaeology restricts human activities in conserved places, large fairs are held in archaeologically sensitive areas of Kichakbadh posing threats to archeological wealth there. To utter dismay, archaeological crimes are still common in many sites at Kichakbadh. Multiple field-visits, questionnaire with the stakeholders, visitors and community during the fair reveal that minimal traces of community and state level endeavors to conserve the sites do not meet the vast rescue requirements that Kichakbadh is actually in need of.

Presenting Past Landscapes: An Approach to Visual Landscape Integrity as a Tool for Archeological Heritage Management

2009 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-48
Author(s):  
Saruhan Mosler
Keyword(s):  
Dimensional Space ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Archaeological Site ◽  
Heritage Management ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Western Turkey ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Landscape Integrity ◽  
Visual Landscape ◽  
Sustainable Conservation

Archaeological sites are composed of unique, complex landscape settings including architectural remains, visually and spatially interrelated spaces, and ecologies with topographical features and landforms framing them. Today, they are subject to many pressures caused by developmental changes as well as improper conservation and planning strategies. One reason is that heritage conservation is still heavily focused on architectural features and less on the landscape setting. Wider landscape components set an authentic backdrop for cultural heritage and make the setting vivid and legible. Concentrating on this trend, this article explores the visual values of archaeological sites from the tripartite conceptualization view of visual landscape integrity, namely considering the archaeological landscape setting as an artifact, three-dimensional space, and scenery. Using the archaeological site complex of Bergama in Western Turkey as a case study, I propose a visual landscape–oriented approach as a tool for the sustainable conservation and presentation of heritage sites in the process of cultural resource management.

SpaCeborne SAR Interferometry as a Noninvasive tool to assess the vulnerability over Cultural hEritage sites (SCIENCE)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Athanasia-Maria Tompolidi ◽  
Issaak Parcharidis ◽  
Constantinos Loupasakis ◽  
Michalis Fragkiadakis ◽  
Pantelis Soupios ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Ming Dynasty ◽  
Ground Deformation ◽  
Sar Interferometry ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Science Project ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Persistent Scatterers ◽  
Great Wall

<p>Cultural heritage is a key element of history as the ancient monuments and archaeological sites enrich today’s societies and help connect us to our cultural origins. The project entitled ''SpaCeborne SAR Interferometry as a Nonivasive tool to assess the vulnerability over Cultural hEritage sites (SCIENCE)'' has as ultimate objective to predict the vulnerability of the archaeological sites to ground deformation in time and space and protect them against natural/man-made damage. The SCIENCE project aims to develop, demonstrate, and validate, in terms of geotechnical local conditions and monuments’ structural health, SAR interferometric techniques to monitor potential ground deformation affecting the archaeological sites and monuments of great importance. </p><p>During the last few years, spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) interferometry has proven to be a powerful remote sensing tool for detecting and measuring ground deformation and studying the deformation’s impact on man-made structures. It provides centimeter to millimeter resolution and even single buildings/monuments can be mapped from space. Considering the limitations of conventional MT-InSAR techniques, such as Persistent Scatterers Interferometry (PSI), in this project a two-step Tomography-based Persistent Scatterers (PS) Interferometry (Tomo-PSInSAR) approach is proposed for monitoring ground deformation and structural instabilities over the Ancient City Walls (Ming Dynasty) in Nanjing city, China and in the Great Wall in Zhangjiakou, China. The Tomo-PSInSAR is capable of separating overlaid PS in the same location, minimizing the unfavorable layover effects of slant-range imaging in SAR data. Moreover, the demonstrations are performed on well-known test sites in China and in Greece, such as: a) Ming Dynasty City Walls in Nanjing, b) Great Wall in Zhangjiakou, c) Acropolis complex of Athens and d) Heraklion walls (Crete Island), respectively.</p><p>In particular, in the framework of SCIENCE project are processed several radar datasets such as Sentinel 1 A & B data of Copernicus program and the high resolution TerraSAR-X data. The products of Persistent Scatterers Interferometry (PSI) are exported in various formats for the identification of the persistent scatterers using high resolution optical images, aerial photographs and fusing with high accuracy Digital Surface Models (DSM). In addition, the validation of the results is taking place through in-situ measurements (geological, geothechnical e.t.c) and data for the cultural heritage sites conditions.</p><p>SCIENCE project’s final goal is the risk assessment analysis of the cultural heritage monuments and their surrounding areas aiming to benefit institutions, organizations, stakeholders and private agencies in the cultural heritage domain through the creation of a validated pre-operation non-invasive system and service based on earth observation data supporting end-user needs by the provision knowledge about cultural heritage protection. In conclusion, SCIENCE project is composed by a bilateral consortium of the Greek delegation of Harokopio University of Athens, National Technical University of Athens, Terra Spatium S.A, Ephorate of Antiquities of Heraklion (Crete), Acropolis Restoration Service (Athens) of Ministry of Culture and Sports and by the Chinese delegation of Science Academy of China (Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth) and  International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST) under the auspices of UNESCO (HIST-UNESCO).</p>

The destruction and looting of cultural heritage sites by ISIS in Syria: The case of Manbij and its countryside

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-260
Author(s):  
Adnan Almohamad
Keyword(s):  
Archaeological Site ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Islamic State ◽  
Documentary Evidence ◽  
Income Source ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Power Stations ◽  
Primary Documents ◽  
The Rich ◽  
The City

AbstractThe Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) occupied the city of Manbij and its countryside from 23 January 2014 until 12 August 2016. During this period, the region suffered greatly as ISIS monopolized control and brutally imposed its ideology. Fierce battles were fought for the control of oil wells, bakeries, mills, dams, and power stations, all of which were sources of revenue. Antiquities were soon recognized as another potential income source. This article demonstrates the ways in which ISIS began to administer and facilitate the looting of antiquities through the Diwan Al-Rikaz. Within this diwan, ISIS established the Qasmu Al-Athar, which was specifically responsible for looting antiquities. Based on interviews conducted in 2015 and primary documents, this article studies the specific ways in which ISIS facilitated the quarrying and looting of antiquities in Manbij and the rich archaeological sites of its countryside. Further, by examining the damage at a previously undocumented archaeological site, Meshrefet Anz, the looting of antiquities under the direct supervision of the Diwan Al-Rikaz is studied. Using documentary evidence including ISIS’s internal documentation as well as photographs collected by the author between 2014 and 2016, the article demonstrates the methods used by ISIS, reveals its financial motivations, and bears witness to the damage done at specific Syrian heritage sites.

Open-Air Museums: Scenario Planning for the Future

2014 ◽  
Vol 1020 ◽  
pp. 711-715
Author(s):  
Knarik Stepanyan
Keyword(s):  
Scenario Planning ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Revenue Generation ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
Local Business ◽  
The Future ◽  
Business Approach ◽  
Additional Income

Open-air museums often referred to as unique and diverse heritage sites with a vast potential for innovation in interpretation and revenue generation. In Armenia this potential remained largely unfulfilled. Most archaeological sites in Armenia are in vast demand to be taken care of. Operated either by a level of government or by a large heritage organization open-air museums can be explored for generating additional income on-site in order to maintain appropriate standards of historical integrity and community value. The following opportunities may be used: as sites for movie sets or conference centers; providing accommodation, facility rentals and summer educational function, camp activities; benefit concerts; in case of business approach there may be cooperation with the local business involving it in the process of operation of restaurants, shops of souvenirs and their production. Commercial tours can also be considered as a means to improve economical perspective for open-air museums.

Erratum

1976 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 315-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack H. Nagel
Keyword(s):  
Labor Force ◽  
Political Violence ◽  
Land Tenure ◽  
Recent Article ◽  
Political Instability ◽  
Similar Measure ◽  
Gini Coefficients ◽  
Positive Correlations

In a recent article in this journal, I reported a failure to replicate the positive correlations Bruce Russett found between inequality of land tenure and political instability.2 Unfortunately, two of the instability indicators I used were untransformed counts (Deaths from domestic political violence, 1948–67 and 1961–65), whereas Russett had employed the logarithm of a similar measure. Taking logarithms is advisable when using counts in order to reduce skewness.3 Correlations between inequality and the logarithms (to the base ten) of the Deaths variables (plus one, as the log of zero is undefined) are greater than those I reported, though not so strong as Russett found. For 1961–65, the correlation is .29; for 1948–67, .20. The former is significant at the .05 level; the latter is not. When the Gini coefficients are weighted by the percentage of each nation's labor force in agriculture in i960,4 the correlations with the logged Deaths variables were .63 and .61—both highly significant. These figures especially support Russett's conclusions.

scholarly journals Geoinformation identification of archaeological tourism areas in the Southern Federal District

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 380-390
Author(s):  
Olga Ivlieva ◽  
Anna Shmytkova
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Federal District ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Archaeological Heritage ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
State Register ◽  
Ancient Times ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
Cultural Monuments

The interest in archaeological heritage sites and the possibilities for the development of archaeological tourism have been growing in the world in recent decades. Monuments of archeology are a separate phenomenon in the cultural system and are considered as a separate phenomenon in the field of inheritance and preservation of cultural identity. Revenues from archaeological tourism can be used to preserve archaeological objects and for educational purposes, which actually contributes to the sustainability of archaeological sites, including environmental, social, cultural, political, economic and educational aspects. The need to study the spatial patterns of the distribution of archaeological sites has determined the active use of mapping methods. Geoinformation technologies allow integrating existing registers of archaeological sites and cartographic materials into a single structured geoinformation product. Numerous monuments of material culture, identified on the territory of the Southern Federal District, reflect the successive stages of the cultural and historical development of the macroregion from ancient times to the Middle Ages. Archaeological sites on the territory of the Southern Federal District are conventionally divided into funerary, settlement, and ritual-religious monuments and are of significant interest not only for archaeologists, but also for tourists. The aim of this work is the geoinformation identification of areas of archaeological tourism in the territory of the Southern Federal District. ArcGIS (ESRI) acts as the basic GIS- platform, the initial data are information from the Unified State Register of Cultural Heritage Sites (historical and cultural monuments) of the peoples of the Russian Federation. The territorial distribution of archaeological sites in the administrative-territorial units of the Southern Federal District reflects the degree of archaeological study of the territory and promising areas for the development of archaeological tourism.

scholarly journals Utilizing Farasan Architectural Heritage to enrich the aesthetic values in the contemporary tourist buildings: الاستفادة من التراث المعمارى الفرسانى لإثراء القيم الجمالية فى المبانى السياحية المعاصرة

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marwa Mahmoud Galal Mohamed Osman, Rania Ragab Abdel Maksoud
Keyword(s):  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Architectural Heritage ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
The Past ◽  
Unique Identity ◽  
Heritage Buildings ◽  
The Aesthetic ◽  
Farasan Islands ◽  
Contemporary Architecture ◽  
Aesthetic Values

    The contemporary tourist buildings provide a unique visual experience for its visitors. A vision combined with the heritage sites around it affords a closer connection between the past and the present, confirming its identity and making it special. The architectural heritage is a rich source of fine values to enrich the tourist buildings. Hence, the idea of research arises as the Farasan Islands is a unique tourist area with its heritage buildings of special architectural values, The problem of research is how the artistic treatment of traditional decorations in Farasan as a source of innovative designs for the tourist buildings, and the research aims to study the aesthetics of Farasan's architectural heritage , study its aesthetic values and design of the interfaces of tourist buildings and its fabrics furnished using computer program ,The importance of research to highlight the archaeological sites of Farasan and to guide the society towards the importance of its architectural and cultural heritage, and also benefit from it in contemporary architecture by following a historical approach, analytical for the architectural vocabulary of the heritage buildings of Farasan and an applied technical approach to create innovative designs to enrich its touristic building .The researchers have reached through the results of the research: The vocabulary of the heritage in farasan architecture rich with formative  elements to enrich the design of the architectural facades of tourist buildings and the design of its furnishing fabrics , where the researchers used design solutions inspired by the study of the architectural heritage of Farasan combines the originality and modernity, which gives the tourist buildings in the islands of Farasan unique identity.  

scholarly journals Search for «missing» archaeological sites

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 92-96
Author(s):  
A. M. Ilyushin ◽  
◽  
S. S. Onishchenko ◽  
P. G. Sokolov ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Kuznetsk Basin ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Archaeological Heritage ◽  
Heritage Sites ◽  
New Information ◽  
Cultural Heritage Objects

The results of search studies of previously discovered archaeological sites in the Kemerovo region are presented. The factors of “loss” of cultural heritage objects are described. Examples are given and the results of the search for specific funeral monuments in the basin of the river Inya on the territory of the Kuznetsk basin. Information on archaeological heritage sites is being clarified. New information on archaeological sites studied is introduced into wide scientific circulation.

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