Cultural Heritage Mapping

Cultural Heritage Mapping is the application of geospatial technologies to the documentation, analysis, and management of cultural heritage resources including historic buildings, archaeological sites, monuments, cultural landscapes, and intangible heritage associated with specific places. By creating accurate spatial records of heritage assets and their contexts, mapping supports preservation planning, regulatory protection, research, public education, and sustainable heritage tourism. Geospatial Technologies for Heritage DocumentationLiDAR scanning penetrates vegetation canopy to reveal archaeological features hidden beneath forests, including ancient settlements, earthworks, road systems, and agricultural terraces. Photogrammetric modeling from drone and ground-level photographs creates detailed 3D models of historic structures and archaeological sites. Satellite imagerySatellite ImagerySatellite imagery consists of photographs and data captured by Earth observation satellites orbiting the planet. Thes... analysis detects buried archaeological features through crop marks, soil marks, and thermal anomalies visible from space. GISGISGeographic Information Systems (GIS) enable users to analyze and visualize spatial data to uncover patterns, relation... databases maintain comprehensive inventories of heritage sites with location, type, period, condition, legal status, and management information. Underground geophysical surveys using ground-penetrating radar, magnetometry, and resistivity detect buried archaeological remains without excavation. Applications and ChallengesHeritage inventory management maintains spatial databasesSpatial DatabasesSpatial databases are specialized systems designed to store, query, and manage data related to objects in geographic ... of known cultural resources for planning, regulation, and research. Threat assessment maps the exposure of heritage sites to development pressure, climate change impacts, natural hazards, and conflict. Tourism management uses visitor flow analysis and carrying capacity assessment to balance public access with site preservation. Disaster risk reduction plans cultural heritage protection into emergency response and recovery planning. Digital heritage archives preserve 3D records of sites and structures for future research and public access. Key challenges include the vast number of unrecorded heritage sites worldwide, funding constraints for systematic survey and documentation, the sensitivity of disclosing locations of vulnerable sites that may attract looting, managing heritage protection alongside economic development, and ensuring that mapping efforts respect the cultural values and rights of indigenous and local communities.