Cultural heritage management and monitoring using remote sensing data and GIS: The case study of Paphos area, Cyprus

• Published in: Computers, environment and urban systems Vol. 54; pp. 230 - 239
• Main Authors: Agapiou, A., Lysandrou, V., Alexakis, D.D., Themistocleous, K., Cuca, B., Argyriou, A., Sarris, A., Hadjimitsis, D.G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2015
• Subjects: Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP); Cultural heritage; GIS analysis; Remote sensing techniques; Risk assessment; Remote sensing techniques; Cultural heritage; GIS analysis; Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP); Risk assessment
• ISSN: 0198-9715; 1873-7587
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2015.09.003

Cultural heritage (CH) sites are threatened from a variety of natural and anthropogenic factors. Innovative and cost effective tools for systematic monitoring of landscapes and CH sites are needed to protect them. Towards this direction, the article presents a multidisciplinary approach, based on remote sensing techniques and Geographical Information System (GIS) analysis, in order to assess the overall risk in the Paphos district (Cyprus). Paphos region has a great deal of archaeological sites and isolated monuments, which reflect the long history of the area, while some of them are also listed in the UNESCO catalogue of World Cultural Heritage sites. Several natural and anthropogenic hazards have been mapped using different remote sensing data and methodologies. All data were gathered from satellite images and satellite products. The results from each hazard were imported into a GIS environment in order to examine the overall risk assessment based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology. The results found that the methodology applied was effective enough in the understanding of the current conservation circumstances of the monuments in relation to their environment as well as predicting the future development of the present hazards. •Risk assessment of cultural heritage sites based solely on remote sensing and GIS analysis•Analytical Hierarchy Process methodology for mapping overall risk assessment in vast areas with archaeological interest•A non-destructive and cost effective methodology for management and monitoring of cultural heritage sites.