A Field Survey and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Based Investigation of the Archaeological Landscape in the Niger River Valley, Republic of Benin

Abstract The Niger River Valley in the Republic of Benin is an archaeologically rich landscape, where hundreds of sites line the river’s tributaries. Before this doctoral research was conducted in the region, the landscape here was a terra-incognita. In order to archaeologically investigate the area, several methods were used consisting of a field walking survey, and the use of satellite remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). An integration of these methods, which are commonly used in research out of Africa, showed the diverse nature of archaeology in this region. The field walking survey revealed the position of over 300 sites and around 50,000 material culture artefacts, comprising of mainly ceramic vessel sherds. The field survey was undertaken over 45 days and covered a total area of 25km2 within four geographical zones in the study area. A comprehensive gazetteer was produced from the data collected. Remote sensing methods that manipulate multispectral satellite imagery were used to identify sites from the air, because the archaeology of this region is not visible from standard air photographs. The mapping of sites using GIS facilitated in establishing fundamental landscape patterns, which helped substantiate theories surrounding West African urbanism and human-environment interactions. The results conveyed that settlements in this region favour areas where water is available, mainly close to perennial and ephemeral fluvial systems. Furthermore, the archaeological sites identified display strong evidence of spatial clustering, which has been shown in other West African contexts to be indicative of early urbanisation

D6.6: 7 conference papers

The Deliverable 6.6 with the title “7 conference papers”, is part of WP6 “Dissemination and Exploitation” of Athena project with a basic aim to knowledge sharing, network development and exposure to an international environment. Three conference attendances were foreseen (e.g. CAA; SPIE; EARSeL) within the project duration whereas more than 30 posters and oral presentations were presented during the project in the conferences such as: SPIE 2016, SPIE 2018, EUROMED 2016, EUROMED 2018, EGU 2016, EGU 2017, EGU 2018, RSCy2016, RSCy 2017, RSCy 2018, etc

Gallinazo Phase Migration in the Moche Valley, Peru

This dissertation project is focused on settlement patterns in the Moche Valley, on the North Coast of Peru, during the Gallinazo Phase of the Early Intermediate Period (ca. 0-200 CE). Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology, generalized logistic models (GLM) and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) are used to define architecture and spatial organization unique to nonlocal settlement. This research addresses broad theoretical concepts in anthropology like ethnicity and power, and examines methodological issues of investigating prehistoric culture contact and interaction. The concept of an ethnotone is reintroduced to replace the core/periphery model in a pluralistic society where there is no central place. Nonlocal architecture at a sample of sites is specifically described and settlement patterns are differentiated. The results provide further evidence that nonlocal Gallinazo Phase settlements in the Moche Valley are ethnic-highland. Contrary to conflict-centered theories about culture contact in the Andes, interaction between migrants and locals on the North Coast at this time was probably less violent than previously thought. Among other variables, this research establishes that building on hillsides was common, and communities tended to aggregate into clusters around elite compounds; yet, this pattern is not overtly defensive. Technological advancement in the form of expanding irrigation regimes lessened competition for resources, resulting in social complementarity rather than conflict.Doctor of Philosoph

Satellites and Site Destruction: An Analysis of Modern Impacts on the Archaeological Resource of the Ancient Near East

The increasing damage to archaeological sites is of particular issue in the Near East. Rapid modernisation has dramatically changed the landscape, threatening the archaeological resource. Ancient sites and relict landscapes are particularly well preserved here, but the rate of anthropogenic damage is shown to be increasing markedly. This primary aim of this thesis is to use sequential satellite images to examine the changes to archaeological sites in selected case study areas in Syria, and attempt a quantitative assessment. Results are then generalised to the wider Middle Eastern region. The secondary aim is to demonstrate the potential of low cost and free satellite imagery for archaeological site monitoring, as such work is essential but the cost of custom-ordered imagery is prohibitive for many organisations. The case study areas were Tell Beydar in the Upper Khabur Basin, and the region south of Carchemish by the Euphrates. 161 sites were examined, first on low-cost Corona imagery from the 1960s, showing sites at the advent of the landscape change, and then on SPOT, DigitalGlobe and Geoeye imagery from the last decade, available through Google Earth. The sites were surveyed as part of Durham University’s Fragile Crescent Project, and the survey records used to inform the analysis. Some level of assessment was possible on all sites. The concept of damage was examined and refined, and then applied to the case study sites. Multiple anthropogenic threats were examined, and all were quantitatively shown to be increasing in horizontal extent across sites and vertical depth in both case study areas, often causing extensive damage. Almost no sites were unaffected. Finally, key issues from this study are highlighted and key recommendations made

LIDAR based semi-automatic pattern recognition within an archaeological landscape

LIDAR-Daten bieten einen neuartigen Ansatz zur Lokalisierung und Überwachung des kulturellen Erbes in der Landschaft, insbesondere in schwierig zu erreichenden Gebieten, wie im Wald, im unwegsamen Gelände oder in sehr abgelegenen Gebieten. Die manuelle Lokalisation und Kartierung von archäologischen Informationen einer Kulturlandschaft ist in der herkömmlichen Herangehensweise eine sehr zeitaufwändige Aufgabe des Fundstellenmanagements (Cultural Heritage Management). Um die Möglichkeiten in der Erkennung und bei der Verwaltung des kulturellem Erbes zu verbessern und zu ergänzen, können computergestützte Verfahren einige neue Lösungsansätze bieten, die darüber hinaus sogar die Identifizierung von für das menschliche Auge bei visueller Sichtung nicht erkennbaren Details ermöglichen. Aus archäologischer Sicht ist die vorliegende Dissertation dadurch motiviert, dass sie LIDAR-Geländemodelle mit archäologischen Befunden durch automatisierte und semiautomatisierte Methoden zur Identifizierung weiterer archäologischer Muster zu Bodendenkmalen als digitale „LIDAR-Landschaft“ bewertet. Dabei wird auf möglichst einfache und freie verfügbare algorithmische Ansätze (Open Source) aus der Bildmustererkennung und Computer Vision zur Segmentierung und Klassifizierung der LIDAR-Landschaften zur großflächigen Erkennung archäologischer Denkmäler zurückgegriffen. Die Dissertation gibt dabei einen umfassenden Überblick über die archäologische Nutzung und das Potential von LIDAR-Daten und definiert anhand qualitativer und quantitativer Ansätze den Entwicklungsstand der semiautomatisierten Erkennung archäologischer Strukturen im Rahmen archäologischer Prospektion und Fernerkundungen. Darüber hinaus erläutert sie Best Practice-Beispiele und den einhergehenden aktuellen Forschungsstand. Und sie veranschaulicht die Qualität der Erkennung von Bodendenkmälern durch die semiautomatisierte Segmentierung und Klassifizierung visualisierter LIDAR-Daten. Letztlich identifiziert sie das Feld für weitere Anwendungen, wobei durch eigene, algorithmische Template Matching-Verfahren großflächige Untersuchungen zum kulturellen Erbe ermöglicht werden. Resümierend vergleicht sie die analoge und computergestützte Bildmustererkennung zu Bodendenkmalen, und diskutiert abschließend das weitere Potential LIDAR-basierter Mustererkennung in archäologischen Kulturlandschaften

Applications of Space-Age Technology in Anthropology

The papers in this volume were presented at a conference entitled, 'Applications of Space-Age Technology in Anthropology,' held November 28, 1990, at NASA's Science and Technology Laboratory. One reason for this conference was to facilitate information exchange among a diverse group of anthropologists. Much of the research in anthropology that has made use of satellite image processing, geographical information systems, and global positioning systems has been known to only a small group of practitioners. A second reason for this conference was to promote scientific dialogue between anthropologists and professionals outside of anthropology. It is certain that both the development and proper application of new technologies will only result from greater cooperation between technicians and 'end-users.' Anthropologists can provide many useful applications to justify the costs of new technological development

Late Holocene cultural dynamics and trans-Saharan connections in Southeastern Mauritani: a remote sensing approach

This doctoral thesis investigates the prehistoric and medieval archaeological record of southeastern Mauritania (c. 2,000 BC to AD 1,100). The highlands of southeastern Mauritania present an extraordinary archaeological record for documenting the emergence, consolidation, and reorganisation of cultural dynamics. A remote sensing approach represents the most viable research methodology, politically and logistically, for this study. My work integrates quantitative methods and transdisciplinary theoretical developments to characterize and assess diachronic cultural trends in terms of regional settlement dynamics, the nature of funerary landscapes, and supra-regional connectivity. The results include the identification and spatial distribution mapping of >9,000 funerary tumuli and 1,140 settlements belonging to the Tichitt Tradition, many of which were previously unpublished or undocumented. The Tichitt Tradition represents the growth and consolidation of a thriving agropastoral economy based on cattle-keeping and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) cultivation throughout during the second millennium BC, structured around extensive, drystone settlements. I interpret these Late Holocene cultural dynamics through the lens of Complex Adaptive Systems, unfolding within the cultural milieu of pre-colonial African polities. The expansion of Tichitt Tradition communities was characterized a conservative but decentralized reproduction of material and ideological forms leading to high systemic coherence, conforming to Kopytoff’s Internal African Model. From the first millennium BC, Tichitt Tradition communities witnessed a drastic release and reorganisation of settlement patterns amidst severe aridification trends and the arrival of Lybico-Berber groups. This scenario led to migration outflows and the formation of interstitial communities with greater adaptive creativity, reflected in a greater diversity of settlement styles and the syncretism of pottery traditions described by Kevin MacDonald. The interplay between concepts of spatial and socio-political centrality and liminality—illustrated by the shifting trends of funerary monument clustering in relation to settlement centers—highlights issues of translocal resilience and landscape memorialisation among agropastoral communities in dryland ecosystems

Book of short Abstracts of the 11th International Symposium on Digital Earth

The Booklet is a collection of accepted short abstracts of the ISDE11 Symposium