Embedding the remote sensing monitoring of archaeological site damage at the local level: Results from the “Archaeological practice and heritage protection in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq” project

Abstract

Today, the satellite-based monitoring of archaeological sites and site damage is a widespread practice, especially in conflict-affected regions. However, the vast majority of these remote sensing cultural heritage monitoring efforts have been led and conducted by remote researchers, and there remains an urgent need to embed this work within existing, in-country institutions at local and regional levels. Here, we present the archaeological site monitoring approach and results from the project Archaeological Practice and Heritage Protection in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, a collaborative project between the Sirwan Regional Project and Kurdish Iraqi archaeologists aimed at generating a fully functional and sustainable programme of archaeological site management co-created with, and managed by, Kurdish Iraqi archaeologists and antiquities officials. Between August 2018 and February 2020, 376 archaeological sites in the Sirwan/Upper Diyala River Valley region, located in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, were assessed for damage by Kurdish Iraqi archaeologists in collaboration with the Sirwan Regional Project. This work represents the first large-scale, systematic dataset of archaeological site conditions and longer-term damage in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). Our results show that 86.7% of the assessed archaeological sites and 38.6% of the site surface area in this region were affected by damage between 1951–2018, and demonstrate the great urgency with which action must be taken to develop appropriate safeguarding measures for the KRI’s archaeological heritage. On the basis of these results, we outline relevant recommendations for the immediate protection of archaeological sites in Garmian and the greater Kurdistan Region.

Conservación y Puesta en Valor del Conjunto Arqueológico Uyo Uyo

“…Una vez finalizada la excavación, se rellenaron, compactaron y trataron con una solución de agua de cal, garantizando su preservación para las futuras generaciones . Uno de los desafíos más significativos en la conservación es la gestión del agua (Jokilehto, 1999, Laugier et al, 2022. Para contrarrestar los efectos del agua de lluvia, se instaló un sistema de drenaje en cada recinto excavado.…”

“…Junto a esto, la gestión del agua emerge como una preocupación fundamental, dada la amenaza potencial de erosión y daño a las estructuras. Los sistemas de drenaje recientemente establecidos, por lo tanto, no solo deben ser mantenidos, sino también monitoreados con regularidad para garantizar su eficacia (Laugier et al, 2022).…”

Bibliometric Analysis of Spatial Technology for World Heritage: Application, Trend and Potential Paths

“…Spatial technology, such as GIS (Geographic Information System) and RS (remote sensing), plays a crucial role in the management and preservation of WHs [6][7][8][9][10][11]. These technologies enable the collection, analysis and visualization of data related to the physical and cultural characteristics of heritage sites [12][13][14][15]. This information can be used for a variety of purposes, including (1) site mapping and documentation; GIS can be used to create detailed maps of heritage sites, including topographical, geospatial and historical data [16][17][18][19].…”

Archaeological site identification from open access multispectral imagery: Cloud computing applications in Northern Kurdistan (Iraq)

“…The aim of this research was not only to evaluate a new RS approach in the LoNAP area but also to verify the possible presence of previously undetected sites. The integration of RS analysis and ground surveys is not always performed during similar researches due to different reasons, including limited resources or restricted access to the areas, and only some projects organize a cross‐check on the ground (Campana et al, 2022; Laugier et al, 2022).…”

“…Titolo (2021) used Google Earth Engine ⓒ (GEE) to assess the conditions of sites in the areas of the Mosul, Haditha and Hamrin dams in relation to the seasonal changes in the levels of the artificial reservoirs. Laugier et al (2022) used satellite and aerial images to monitor the damage occurred to archaeological sites in the Sirwan/Upper Diyala River Valley region.…”