This book is an introduction to a new branch of archaeology that scrutinises landscapes to find evidence of past human activity. Such evidence can be hard to detect at ground-level, but may be visible in remote sensing (RS) imagery from aerial platforms and satellites. Drawing on examples from around the world as well as from her own research work on archaeological sites in India (including Nalanda, Agra, Srirangapatna, Talakadu, and Mahabalipuram), the author presents a systematic process for integrating this information with historical spatial records such as old maps, paintings, and field surveys using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to gain new insights into our past. Further, the book highlights several instances where these insights are actionable -- they have been used to identify, understand, conserve, and protect the fragile remnants of our past. This book will be of particular interest not only to researchers in archaeology, history, art history, and allied fields, but to governmental and non-governmental professionals working in cultural heritage protection and conservation.
Author(s): M.B. Rajani
Series: Springer Remote Sensing/Photogrammetry
Publisher: Springer Singapore
Year: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 194
City: Singapore
Foreword by Ranganath Navalgund
Foreword by Frederick Asher
Preface
Acknowledgements
Contents
Acronyms and Abbreviations
1 Introduction
1.1 The Study of Spatial Contexts: A Brief History
1.2 Tools to Interrogate Spatial Contexts
1.3 Aerial Versus Space Platforms
1.4 How This Book Is Organized
References
2 Landscape Morphology and Spatial Patterning of Archaeological Signatures When Viewed from Above
2.1 Gradual Versus Rapid Change
2.1.1 Rapid Changes Due to Disasters
2.1.2 Gradual Changes
2.2 Indirect Versus Direct Evidence
2.3 Differences in Landcover
2.3.1 Arid Soil
2.3.2 Agricultural and Semi-agricultural Land
2.3.3 Urban Land
2.3.4 Settlement Mounds in Rural Settings
2.3.5 Rocky Terrain
2.3.6 Riverbanks/Floodplains
2.3.7 Coastal Regions
References
3 The Science and Technology of Remote Sensing in the Context of Archaeology
3.1 Imaging Sensors
3.1.1 Sensor Parameters
3.2 Sensors for Recognizing Archaeological Patterns on the Earth’s Surface
3.2.1 Optical (Visible and Infrared)
3.2.2 Microwave
3.2.3 Historical Imagery
3.3 Sensors that Facilitate 3D Visualization of Landscapes
3.3.1 Space Stereoscopy
3.3.2 Microwave
3.3.3 LiDAR
3.4 Data Preprocessing, Availability, Accessibility, and Sources
3.4.1 Image Preprocessing
3.4.2 Image Sources
References
4 GIS: An Array of Tools for Archaeology
4.1 Why Is Georeferencing Useful?
4.2 Georeferencing Satellite Images
4.3 Georeferencing Historical Spatial Records
4.3.1 Maps Made by Trigonometrical Surveys
4.3.2 Eighteenth and Nineteenth-Century Maps Made Using Other Methods
4.3.3 Sea Charts and Maritime Maps
4.3.4 Paintings and Freehand Drawings
4.3.5 Textual Sources
4.4 Geotagging: Conducting Field Surveys and Integrating Field Data
4.5 3D Landscape Visualization
4.6 Other Kinds of Spatial Analysis and Modelling
References
5 Case Studies
5.1 Nalanda
5.1.1 Historical Spatial Records and Preliminary Analysis
5.1.2 Generating Novel Hypotheses
5.1.3 Fieldwork
5.1.4 Interpreting Findings in the Historical Context
5.2 Agra
5.2.1 Historical Spatial Records
5.2.2 Preliminary Geospatial Analysis
5.2.3 Detailed Geospatial Analysis
5.2.4 Fieldwork and Interpreting Findings in the Historical Context
5.3 Lalbagh Palace at Srirangapatna
5.3.1 Historical Spatial Records
5.3.2 Geospatial Analysis
5.3.3 Fieldwork
5.3.4 Interpreting Findings in the Historical Context
5.4 Talakadu
5.4.1 Historical Spatial Records
5.4.2 Geospatial Analysis
5.4.3 Fieldwork
5.4.4 Interpreting Findings in the Historical Context
5.4.5 Subsequent Archaeological Excavation
5.5 Mahabalipuram
5.5.1 Historical Spatial Records
5.5.2 Preliminary Geospatial Analysis
5.5.3 Geospatial Analysis
5.5.4 Fieldwork and Interpreting Findings in the Historical Context
References
6 Site Protection Boundaries: A Double-Edged Sword
6.1 ASI and WHC Boundaries
6.2 Importance of Using Geospatial Analysis While Creating Site Protection Boundaries
6.2.1 Sarnath
6.2.2 Bodhgaya
6.2.3 Nalanda
6.3 National-Level Geospatial Database for Built Heritage
References
7 Opportunities Beyond Landscapes
7.1 History of Astronomy
7.2 Military History
7.3 Riverine and Coastal Geomorphology
7.3.1 Rivers
7.3.2 Coasts
7.4 The Economics of Identifying and Protecting Built Heritage
References
About the Author
Index of sites
Index of terms
