Analysis of Past and Present Landscapes Surrounding the Necropolis of Dahshur

The landscape evolution of the area surrounding the necropolis of Dahshur (Egypt) is analysed on the basis of geomorphological investigations and the integration of late Holocene sediment characteristics. Knowledge of the ancient landscape and palaeoenvironmental conditions allows a better understanding of spatial relationships between monuments and landscape. From altogether 41 sondages conducted mainly by archaeologists of the German Archaeological Institute (DAI), we selected eight sondages along three transects and one single sondage. Furthermore, the results of geomorphometrical analysis will be presented. The chosen sondages are characteristic of the typical landscape units of the study area: floodplain of the river Nile, limestone escarpment of the Western Desert and the desert margins east of the escarpment scarp. The geomorphology and channel geometry were also analysed. The results show that different processes influenced the relief of the study area. From the late Old Kingdom onwards, aeolian dynamics levelled the landscape mainly in the channel beds and in the desert margin east of the escarpment scarp. Human activities such asmining in the period of the Old Kingdom also shaped the relief. Depressions situated in a semicircularform around the Bent Pyramid are interpreted as quarries and give evidence of this activity

The Economic Crisis and the Reshaping of Geography

An exploration of roots and effects of the recent economic and fiscal crisis reveals temporal and spatial characteristics which are used in this paper in order to discuss concepts and explanations from Economic Geography. In general, we may observe a transformation of Western economy and society which, labeled as financialisation, has increasingly structured spatial development on different scales recently. The paper explores (a) more systematically when, where and to what extent geographical elements accelerate crisis developments. These arguments build on the theoretical explanation brought forward by David Harvey and the French regulation school. These insights form (b) a background for arguments for an economic geography of “glocal” crisis in order to improve our explanatory abilities. Strong geographical components become obvious in the causes of the subprime crisis – an issue which reflects the ways the built environment is organised. Furthermore, effects of the crisis reinforce processes of uneven development on both international and sub-national scales

Geoarchaeology of Taman Peninsula (Kerch Strait, South-West Russia) – the Example of the Ancient Greek Settlement of Golubitskaya 2

In the framework of an extensive archaeological survey and excavation programme on Taman Peninsula, geoarchaeological research was carried out in this terra incognita of the north-eastern Black Sea region. In the present study, a small area was surveyed in detail with respect to its geomorphological and archaeological situation. Geoarchaeological scenarios were generated for the last seven millennia. For the first time, the sea level rise and its effect on the landscape could be documented in time and space, showing, among others, that Taman Peninsula had evolved out of an archipelago

Geoarchaeology of Taman Peninsula (Kerch Strait, South-West Russia) – the Example of the Ancient Greek Settlement of Golubitskaya 2

In the framework of an extensive archaeological survey and excavation programme on Taman Peninsula, geoarchaeological research was carried out in this terra incognita of the north-eastern Black Sea region. In the present study, a small area was surveyed in detail with respect to its geomorphological and archaeological situation. Geoarchaeological scenarios were generated for the last seven millennia. For the first time, the sea level rise and its effect on the landscape could be documented in time and space, showing, among others, that Taman Peninsula had evolved out of an archipelago

Landscape Classification using Principal Component Analysis and Fuzzy Classification: Archaeological Sites and their Natural Surroundings in Central Mongolia

The middle and upper Orkhon Valley in Central Mongolia (47.5°N, 102.5°E) hosts a multitude of diverse archaeological features. Most of them – including the well-known ancient cities of Karakorum and Karabalgasun – have only rarely been described in their geographical setups. The aim of this study is to describe, classify and analyse their surrounding landscapes and consequently characterise these sites geographically. This analysis is based on freely available raster datasets that offer information about topography, surface reflectance and derivatives. Principal component analysis is applied as a dimensional reduction technique. Subsequently, a fuzzy-logic approach leads to a classification scheme in which archaeological features are embedded and therefore distinguishable. A distinct difference in preferences regarding to choose a site location can be made and confirmed by semiautomatic analysis, comparing burial and ritual places and settlements. Walled enclosures and settlements are connected to planar steppe regions, whereas burial and ritual places are embedded in mountainous and hilly environments

Geoarchaeological Methods for Landscape Reconstruction at the Excavation Site of Naga, Central Sudan

The archaeological excavation site of Naga, remains of a Meroitic city, is located in the semiarid region along the fringe of the north-eastern Sahel and the south-eastern Sahara desert, in central Sudan, 150 km north of Khartoum and 40 km south of the Nile. During its heyday the city was a highly developed central place, with a large population and a booming economy. Naga has been the object of archaeological research for several decades – and of geoscientific investigation since 2008. The first step for the investigation was to select adequate methods that combine the advantages of various subdisciplines and approaches. The study presented employs techniques from terrain modelling, geophysics and environmental analytics to evaluate field data with the aim of a comprehensive landscape reconstruction

Landscape Classification using Principal Component Analysis and Fuzzy Classification: Archaeological Sites and their Natural Surroundings in Central Mongolia

The middle and upper Orkhon Valley in Central Mongolia (47.5°N, 102.5°E) hosts a multitude of diverse archaeological features. Most of them – including the well-known ancient cities of Karakorum and Karabalgasun – have only rarely been described in their geographical setups. The aim of this study is to describe, classify and analyse their surrounding landscapes and consequently characterise these sites geographically. This analysis is based on freely available raster datasets that offer information about topography, surface reflectance and derivatives. Principal component analysis is applied as a dimensional reduction technique. Subsequently, a fuzzy-logic approach leads to a classification scheme in which archaeological features are embedded and therefore distinguishable. A distinct difference in preferences regarding to choose a site location can be made and confirmed by semiautomatic analysis, comparing burial and ritual places and settlements. Walled enclosures and settlements are connected to planar steppe regions, whereas burial and ritual places are embedded in mountainous and hilly environments