Cultural Heritage
Cultural Heritage (CH) (both tangible and intangible) is a strategic resource for Europe and the International society with high cultural, social, environmental and economic value. To maximise the benefits of the application of Earth observation and digital technologies to CH, important challenges need to be addressed through research in order to develop approaches which meet the needs of all existing and potential user/stakeholder groups and thereby increase the social and economic value of CH. This will reinforce and expand partnerships and networks, exploiting the unique position of Cyprus in the region and connecting European countries with East and South continents. The activities and research topics of the Cultural Heritage sector are the following:
- Risk assessment of Cultural Heritage from natural and anthropogenic hazards.
- Looting detection.
- Protection of Cultural Heritage.
- Cultural Heritage digitization (3D models)
- Archaeolandscape assessment and modelling
- Study of unexcavated areas.
- UAV photogrammetric applications.
The initial main activities of ERATOSTHENES CoE CH team focused on risk assessment of CH assets against natural and anthropogenic hazards, CH digitization and applicability of remote sensing technologies for identifying unexcavated and buried archaeological features. The overall capacity building achieved by the workshops and training, carried out by the advance partners, have already provided and continue to provide to the Cultural Heritage (CH) sector team members valuable tools towards the systematic monitoring of CH against natural and anthropogenic hazards while forthcoming workshops will lead towards the appropriate mitigation measures to be implemented for their protection, management and safeguarding for future generations. A direction that CH team aims for future capacity building and activities is the geophysical equipment acquisition and conducting geophysical prospection surveys. The capacity building in conducting geophysical prospections surveys (e.g., Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), magnetometer, electrical resistivity tomography) and pre/post processing of the datasets with relevant software will be advantageous for the CH sector team to initiate collaborations with further revenue for ERATOSTHENES CoE by conducting geophysical prospection surveys for various stakeholders.
The goal is to establish a regional hub for digital and EO research in CH on the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East as a bridge of collaboration between the region and the EU, whilst continuing to actively contribute and act as a focal point at European level.
