Advanced Archaeological Remote Sensing: Site Prospection, Landscape Archaeology and Heritage Protection in the Middle East and North Africa

Discover cutting-edge developments in remote sensing for cultural heritage

The Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa (EAMENA) project uses satellite imagery and remote sensing to identify and monitor threats to heritage sites across the MENA region.

On this six-week advanced course from Durham University, you’ll deepen your understanding of remote sensing technology and its uses for the protection of cultural heritage. Focusing on the Middle East and North Africa, you’ll be trained to visualise and analyse remote sensing imagery.

Learn how to source, display, and analyse satellite imagery

Accessing satellite imagery is the first step in exploring archaeological sites and landscapes.

In the first week of the course, you’ll gain a comprehensive overview of satellite imagery, learning how it can be used to gather data about features on the earth’s surface.

Get to grips with multispectral imaging and spatial analysis

Satellite remote sensing often uses multispectral imaging. In Week 3, you’ll learn how to carry out simple analyses on multispectral images, and what the value of this data is for analysing archaeology.

You’ll also examine satellite radar data, and learn about the digital elevation models that can be generated from it.

Improve your mapping skills to process archaeological data

In the final two weeks of the course, you’ll develop a toolkit for processing data sourced through satellite remote sensing. You’ll discuss the most effective ways of mapping, georeferencing, and digitising historic maps and imagery, so that data is presented clearly and accurately.

You’ll finish the course with an in-depth knowledge of the uses of satellite remote sensing for cultural heritage protection, and the technical skills you need to conduct your own archaeological analysis.

This course is designed for anyone interested in remote sensing and its uses within archaeology and cultural heritage.

It will be particularly useful for researchers and heritage professionals working in countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

You will need a device that can run the full version of QGIS – a Windows or Linux desktop PC or laptop, or an Apple iMac or Macbook. If you are accessing the course via a phone, tablet or Chromebook you will still be able to learn the theory, but unfortunately you will not be able to complete the practical components of the course.

• Remote sensing and archaeology
• Introduction
• Understanding remote sensing
• Applications of remote sensing
• Making the most of remote sensing data
• Introduction to satellite imagery
• How does satellite imagery work?
• Downloading our first satellite imagery
• Displaying our first satellite imagery
• Multispectral satellite imagery
• Seeing beyond visible light
• Multispectral imagery and archaeology
• Working with multispectral imagery
• Multispectral imagery indices
• Radar, elevation data and topographical analysis
• Radar and remote sensing
• Mapping the Earth's topography
• Working with elevation data
• Historical imagery and maps
• Why historical data?
• Working with Corona spy photography
• Working with historical maps
• Putting it all together!
• Lake Hamrin: an example workflow
• Making maps and citing sources
• Over to you!