Jul 2026· مجلة الشارقة للدراسات الأثرية· Vol 1, pp. 133-153· 0 citations
TL;DR
This paper concludes that this long-term collaboration represents a model for interdisciplinary research, in which technological innovation is driven by archaeological needs and contributes to both scientific knowledge and heritage management.
Abstract
Over the last three decades, the collaboration between the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) and the Sharjah Archaeology Authority (SAA) has evolved into one of the most stable and productive geoarchaeological partnerships in the Arabian Peninsula.
This paper presents a comprehensive retrospective analysis of this collaboration, focusing on the progressive incorporation of geomatic and digital technologies into archaeological practice. The study examines the transition from early topographic and GPS-based surveys to advanced methodologies, including 3D modelling, digital image processing, UAV-based photogrammetry, 3D scanning, geographic information systems (GIS), and web-based platforms.
The research is based on a systematic review of projects developed between 1995 and 2025, integrating both technical and archaeological perspectives. The results demonstrate a clear evolution from isolated recording techniques to fully integrated digital workflows, enabling improved spatial accuracy, data management, and interpretative capabilities. The discussion highlights how these technologies have contributed to non-invasive analysis, landscape-scale understanding, and the dissemination of archaeological knowledge. The paper concludes that this long-term collaboration represents a model for interdisciplinary research, in which technological innovation is driven by archaeological needs and contributes to both scientific knowledge and heritage management.
The Roman city of Doclea is a key archaeological site of Montenegro, valued for its impressive remains and its role in the nation's cultural identity within European and the Mediterranean history. Doclea was the second‐largest city in the province of Roman Dalmatia, a
municipium
created in the first century
ad
and named after the Illyrian tribe
Docleati
. Since 2017, a multidisciplinary research project has been coordinating the study and enhancement of the city and its territory. The project was the result of an international agreement between the National Research Council of Italy, the Ministry of Science and the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro. The project team implemented multidisciplinary approach, through the application of different technologies and methodologies (satellite, aerial and drone images analysis and geophysical prospections with ground penetrating radar) integrated with historical approaches (archival research, epigraphic and ancient literature review), archaeological surveys and architectonic reconstructions. The Italian—Montenegrin team is striving not only to acquire a better understanding of the city but also for the construction of a credible enhancement project, able to improve the knowledge and the ‘use’ of the site by the local community and tourists. The collected data, in fact, are fully integrated into an innovative enhancement project, which leaves space for new development strategies. The research considers both the visible ruins and those hypothesized through geophysical investigation and remote sensing, anticipating future advances in our knowledge through the opening of new excavation areas.
T. Koprivica, Lucia Alberti, M. Cozzolino et al.· Archaeological Prospection· 0 citations
Over the past two decades (2005–2025), archaeological research in Kabul Province has achieved significant accomplishments by generating valuable data on prehistoric settlements as well as historical and cultural periods. These studies have provided a relatively comprehensive picture of cultural and social transformations in the region. Nevertheless, numerous challenges—such as insecurity, shortages of financial and human resources, the destruction of archaeological sites, inadequate documentation, and limited access to modern technologies—have substantially slowed the progress of research. This article first reviews the trajectory of archaeological research in Kabul during this twenty-year period and then analyzes the key challenges involved. Finally, it proposes practical and feasible solutions to improve the state of archaeology, including strengthening local capacities, expanding international collaboration, employing modern technologies (such as GIS and aerial imaging), enhancing cultural heritage protection laws, and promoting sustainable planning. The findings of this study can serve as a foundation for more effective policymaking and for advancing future scholarly research.
Mohammad Yousuf Yousufi· Addaiyan Journal of Arts Hum...· 0 citations
Geomorphological studies conducted by the Geological Survey of Brazil (SGB-CPRM) have evolved since the 1970s, with significant methodological advances over the past two decades in institutional projects. In this context, multiscale mapping of landform patterns has become established as a fundamental approach to terrain characterization and support for territorial planning. Based on the integrated interpretation of remote sensing data, including satellite imagery, drone-derived products, and field validation, the proposed methodology enables landforms to be identified and spatially organized according to their morphology, morphometry, genesis, dynamics, and geological controls at different scales. This article presents the methodological evolution and institutional applications of this approach within the SGB-CPRM, based on a literature review and the experience accumulated through geomorphological mapping projects conducted in different regions of Brazil. The methodology evolved from exploratory surveys at a scale of 1:1,000,000 to progressively more detailed analyses at scales of 1:100,000, 1:25,000, and 1:10,000, enhancing the capacity to represent geomorphological features and processes and their application in studies of geodiversity, susceptibility to natural processes, geotechnics, and municipal geomorphological mapping. As a result of this trajectory, the Multiscale Landform Pattern Library was developed, serving simultaneously as a methodological framework for institutional mapping and as a technical and scientific reference for researchers and professionals in the field. The results demonstrate that this approach produces standardized and consistent geospatial information, constituting an effective tool for territorial planning, environmental management, and disaster risk reduction.
Maria Adelaide Maia, M. Dantas, A. Lacerda et al.· Journal of the Geological Su...· 0 citations
This article uses a bibliometric approach to analyse the convergence of artificial intelligence, spatial computing and the metaverse within the museum domain. A corpus of 397 scientific articles, published between 2020 and 2026 and indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, was examined following a rigorous deduplication process. VOSviewer software was used to conduct the analysis, enabling the identification of scientific production patterns, the geospatial distribution of research, and the conceptual structure of the field via keyword co-occurrence networks. The results show accelerated growth in publications starting from 2022, as well as the consolidation of five main thematic clusters. These findings suggest a paradigm shift from static digitisation to the development of intelligent, immersive and user-centred museum ecosystems, with emerging research areas related to digital twins and the environmental sustainability of technological infrastructures. It is important to note that the study shows these technologies do more than just provide a tool; they act as mediators between visitors and museum entities, changing the way communication and education strategies regarding heritage are approached.
Abstract. Shallow-water cultural heritage occupies a dynamic land-sea interface where coastal erosion, sediment transport, limited visibility and burial processes hinder conventional archaeological investigation. This paper presents an integrated geoinformatics framework for reconstructing the cultural dynamics of coastal and shallow submerged archaeological landscapes in southeastern Crete, Greece. The methodology combines multispectral remote sensing, satellite-derived and in situ bathymetry, UAV and shallow-water photogrammetry, marine geophysics, GIS-based coastal vulnerability, fuzzy logic multi-criteria risk assessment and digital dissemination through augmented reality. The workflow was applied at five representative case studies, including Stomio, Ierapetra harbour, Koufonisi, Chryse and associated coastal sectors. Optical data from Pleiades-1A, PlanetScope, and Sentinel-2A were used for shoreline mapping, feature enhancement, and satellite-derived bathymetry. Geophysical and bathymetric surveys covered more the 4.5 and 10 hectares respectively. UAV photogrammetry produced high resolution orthomosaics, while the proposed experimental Remote Control (RC) boat extends documentation potential to very shallow submerged environments. Integrated interpretation clarified palaeo-shorelines, submerged harbour structures, fish tanks, architectural continuities and archaeological risk hotspots. The results demonstrate a scalable and transferable framework for documenting, interpreting, monitoring, and communicating endangered shallow-water cultural landscapes.
Nikos Papadopoulos, Nasos Argyriou· The International Archives o...· 0 citations
Geomorphological mapping consists of a set of techniques used to map landforms and the processes acting on the Earth's surface. It is a combination of techniques used in the representation of landforms and a useful tool to support information for integrated environmental analyses, territorial management, and geo-environmental risk assessment. Despite its importance and widespread use in several countries, including Brazil, most African countries do not conduct this type of mapping in their territories. This article aims to present the geomorphological mapping of the municipality of Tete in Mozambique. The methodology employed included the use of a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), high-resolution optical images, and fieldwork. The definition and classification of landforms followed the system proposed by Latrubesse and Carvalho (2006), which is nationally recognized and adaptable to different environments. The results indicate that the municipality's area is dominated by denudational units (~208 km²), which have sculpted large Receding Erosion Zones and Planation Surfaces, exhibiting different evolutionary stages. The aggradational units (~85 km²), in turn, are associated with the current and past dynamics of the Zambezi and Revúboè river systems. This study represents a pioneering product in the region and aims to provide support information for urban planning, environmental management, and hydrogeomorphological risk mitigation actions in the municipality of Tete.
Wairosse Miguel Wairosse, E. Latrubesse, R. Victor· Revista Brasileira de Geomor...· 0 citations