Aerial Archaeology in the Middle East: Discovery, Monitoring and Recording the Region's Cultural Heritage

The father of Aerial Archaeology, O.G.S. Crawford, wrote in 1929 that "The new subject of archaeological air photography was born in the Middle East.."  This paper will briefly cover this early development, but then focus on aerial archaeology in Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

For the best part of three decades aerial archaeology projects  have been recording and monitoring archaeological sites from the air (see www.apaame.org ). Since 2015 the Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa (https://eamena.org/) has also been using satellite imagery to assess threats to sites.  Increasingly many of these sites and landscapes are under greater threat, from urban expansion, damaging agricultural practices, looting, water management, tourism and conflict. This paper will show, and discuss, examples of important archaeological sites which have been damaged and destroyed, possible mitigation strategies and the future plans for further aerial monitoring.

The AWRC have reserved a lunch table in Hall for Cluster members from 12.30 where you will have a chance to meet with Bob over lunch. The talk at 1.15 pm in the  Levett Room will be catered with coffee/tea and cakes (all welcome).