Online Support for Comprehensive Archaeological and Geographical Surveys in the South of Western Siberia

Abstract

One of the current trends in archaeological geoinformatics in Russia is the creation of web mapping portals that integrate spatial and thematic data on the given areas of concentration of archaeological sites. As part of the study of the life support system of the ancient population of the Tura and Pyshma interfl uves (Tyumen region) developed a geoportal on the basis of free and open source soft ware. The server part developed on the basis of GeoServer, provides storage of the information and authorized access to it. Vector data is stored in PostgreSQL database management system using PostGIS add-in. Raster data is stored on the server as GeoTIFF and MrSID fi les. Th e technologies used in the development of the client web-application allow using it in modern web-browsers without installing additional soft ware on the user’s devices. Th e geoportal user interface is an interactive map of spatial data layers as well as map control elements. Th e general control elements include the zoom buttons, the scale setting on the available layer extents, the zoom slider, the scale bar, the geographic coordinates fi eld of the cursor installation, the button enabling the attribute information display mode. Th ematic content of the geoportal includes space images with medium (10 m) and extra high (up to 0.3 m) spatial resolution, AW3D relief model (25 m), topographic maps, UAV images of certain areas (orthophotomaps and DEM), vectorlayers of archaeological sites, hydrography, landscapes restoration, results of archaeological sites borders mapping using GPS-receivers, as well as the results of bathymetry survey. Th e layer of archaeological site (366 objects) contains attributive information including type, period, description, dating. Geoportal is a convenient tool for management and visualization of the accumulated information arrays for specialists without extensive knowledge in cartography and GIS.