From space to ground. Digital techniques for the investigation of monuments and sites

Abstract

The scope of this work is to present an integrated methodological multi-scale and multi-temporal approach for the study of ancient monuments in their environmental context. The presented work showcases the interdisciplinary research experience gained during the last years by the Remote Sensing and Geo-Environment Lab (ERATOSTHENES Research Centre) of the Cyprus University of Technology. The developed capabilities of the Eratosthenes Research Centre derived from the successful implementation of various national and European research projects within the wider area of architectural heritage study and protection. In this framework geospatial tools, earth observation and in situ monitoring and measurements were merged and further investigated. The case study concerns Paphos town in Cyprus and particularly the archaeological site of Nea Paphos and the Hellenistic necropolis “Tombs of the Kings”, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The study encompasses a variety of technological tools to approach the area of interest, moving from a landscape level (macro-scale) to isolated monument scale (micro-scale). For the macro-scale approach novel earth observation and aerial image (semi-macro scale) processing techniques have been employed, while in a micro-scale level the study extents from the geometric documentation of the tombs to the image processing mapping surface weathering features, as well as seismic performance of single monuments. The overall results demonstrate that such geospatial data linked to the individual characteristics of each monument can assist towards the implementation of various directives and conventions, while offering an integrate understanding of the monuments state of preservation, not seen as an isolated unit, but as part of its natural and anthropogenic environment, inevitably affecting its viability in time and place.