Old high resolution satellite images for landscape archaeology: case studies from Turkey and Iraq

Giuseppe Scardozzi

doi:10.1117/12.799997

10 October 2008 Old high resolution satellite images for landscape archaeology: case studies from Turkey and Iraq

Giuseppe Scardozzi

Proceedings Volume 7110, Remote Sensing for Environmental Monitoring, GIS Applications, and Geology VIII; 711004 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.799997
Event: SPIE Remote Sensing, 2008, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

Abstract

The paper concerns the contribution for Landscape Archaeology from satellite images of 1960s and 1970s, very useful when old aerial photographs are scarce. Particularly, the study concerns the panchromatic photos taken by USA reconnaissance satellites from 1963 to 1972, declassified for civil use in 1995 and 2002, that in the last years are very used in the archaeological research; in fact, a lot of these images have an high geometric resolution, about between 2.74 and 1.83 m (Corona KH-4A and KH-4B), and some have a ground resolution about between 1.20 and 0.60 m (Gambit KH-7). These satellite images allow to examine very in detail ancient urban areas and territories that later are changed or partially destroyed; so, it is possible to detect and examine ancient structures, palaeo-environmental elements and archaeological traces of buried features now not visible. The paper presents some exemplificative cases study in Turkey and Iraq, in which the analysis of these images has made a fundamental contribution to the archaeological researches: particularly, for the reconstruction of the urban layout of the ancient city of Hierapolis of Phrygia and for the surveys in its territory, and for the study of the ancient topography of some archaeological sites of Iraq. In this second case, the research is gained in the context of the Iraq Virtual Museum Project; the comparison with recent high resolution satellite images (Ikonos-2, QuickBird-2, WorldView-1) also provide a fundamental tool for monitoring archaeological areas and for an evaluation of the situation after the first and the second Gulf War.

Citation Download Citation

Giuseppe Scardozzi "Old high resolution satellite images for landscape archaeology: case studies from Turkey and Iraq", Proc. SPIE 7110, Remote Sensing for Environmental Monitoring, GIS Applications, and Geology VIII, 711004 (10 October 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.799997

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available