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Satellite data exposes looting of archaeological sites
Applying high-resolution satellite imagery
It has become increasingly difficult to find unlooted tombs. The prices for archaeological objects from these burials, however, have seen a vast increase. Gino Caspari from the Institute of Archaeological Sciences at the University of Bern analyzed the condition of burials in a difficult-to-access region based on high-resolution satellite imagery. These data help to assess the degree of destruction inflicted upon the archaeological heritage. "We specifically chose an area of interest in Xinjiang, China. We assumed that, due to the remoteness and the heavy presence of security forces in the region, we would find a higher proportion of intact tombs," Caspari explains. However, this assumption proved to be wrong: "More than 74.5 percent of the analysed burials were already destroyed and plundered," says Caspari.
Archaeological sites severely threatened
Through conducting an on-ground survey, the researchers managed to show that high-resolution satellite imagery can provide an accurate measurement of the destruction at a particular site. Using time series of different datasets, looting can be effectively monitored. Caspari analysed data going back to 2003, and found out that since then the number of looted tombs increased substantially. "The last untouched archaeological sites of the ancient steppe nomads are under imminent threat," says Caspari.
The research, published in the journal Heritage, allows for a consequent monitoring of archaeological heritage in remote regions of Central Asia. When looting at a site is recognized in an early stage, measures for the protection of the tombs can be put in place.
Assessing Looting from Space: The Destruction of Early Iron Age Burials in Northern Xinjiang (open, DOI: 10.3390/heritage1020021) (DX)
(Score: 4, Interesting) by acid andy on Tuesday December 18 2018, @02:43PM (1 child)
I disapprove of the looting but I always find the moral philosophy a little odd when we're told "It belongs in a museum". Surely, ideally, the contents of the tomb belong in the tomb? That's where those who filled the tomb wanted its contents to stay. Is there some cut-off number of years after which it ceases to be considered disrespectful to remove these remains? They are preserved for thousands of years in an underground tomb. Will they last as long in a museum, which may catch fire or be bombed or looted itself? Won't a lot of information on their original location and context be lost in future years if they're found in the museum? Maybe it's better to just gather all the data in the tomb, digitize it, and erect defences or seal it off somehow. Too expensive, I guess.
If a cat has kittens, does a rat have rittens, a bat bittens and a mat mittens?
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 18 2018, @11:07PM
No. There's no cut-off. The first archaeologists were just pot-hunters from the aristocracy. It's OK for some British lord to hire locals on digging sites and cart history away, but it's not OK for locals to sell the loot to the museum. Hypocrisy reigns over archeology from its inception.