Josephine SCHOENEBERG | Holger HITGEN
(German Archaeological Institut, Berlin, Germany)
Keywords: Yemen, GIS, Digital Atlas, Site Management
Abstract:
Almost unnoticed by the world public, the war in Yemen is destroying a unique cultural heritage.
Due to a lack of accessibility and information, it is difficult for the Yemeni General Organization of Antiquities and Museums (GOAM) to document these damages on site, so that hardly any countermeasures can be taken to protect the cultural heritage.
Since 2017 the Sanaa Branch and the IT department of the German Archaeological Intitute (DAI) developed a WebGIS based monument information system of Yemenite sites. Financed by cultural conservation funds from the Federal Foreign Office, the system is to be linked with various databases that contents historically, archaeologically and conservatorily relevant data.
System tasks will be research, monitoring and management of Yemeni sites, not only operated by the DAI, but in particular by the Yemeni antiquity authority GOAM, which can enter its own data into the system.
Up to now about 3500 archaeological sites could be mapped and important site plans digitized.
Besides the digitalization of published sites and storage of factual data, site management is an important aspect in the creation of the digital atlas. By monitoring satellite images, changes in the state of conservation of archaeological sites can be quickly and clearly detected and structural changes caused by destruction or looting can be documented.
A WebGIS developed especially for AYDA, whose user interface will be available in English and Arabic, will enable GOAM not only to use archaeological data scientifically, but also to plan measures for the preservation of their own cultural heritage.
The presentation explains in detail the tasks of AYDA and the current state of work.