M. J. F. Fowler

Abstract: Site NameTypeLocationIllustrations in Kennedy and Riley (1990)1El-LejjunLegionary31° 13′ N, 35° 48′ EFigures 76–78 fortress 2Khirbet el-FityanFort31° 14′ N, 35° 48′ EFigures 120–1213Qasr BshirFor...

Abstract: CORONA satellite imagery, preserving an account of the earth's surface from 40 years ago, is a most important archaeological survey tool and we have often sung its praises. Here the authors use new procedures to extend the competence and revelations of CORONA even further. Stereo pairs derived from images taken from fore and aft of the satellite give three dimensional images of landscapes and even individual sites. Techniques of modelling and rectification restore the sites to their original shape without recourse to survey on the ground - in many cases no longer possible since the sites have been buried, inundated or erased. The ingenuity shown here indicates that results from CORONA are only going to get better.

Abstract: The CORONA satellite programme was the first series of spy satellites aimed at observing the military stra tegy and arms power. These satellites captured phot ograph s of the earth’s surface using panoramic cameras du ring 1960 –72. Continuous im provements in design of each mission provided photographs o f higher resolu tion and coverage. Declassification of these photographs in 1995 revol u tionized the remote sensing community, as it provided a rich source of earth resource inform ation . These photographs are being used in the areas of g eo-logy, land use and archaeology. However, inform ation and facts about the CORONA programme are not readily available. This article is an attempt to compile all scattered information to serve as a compr ehensive technical reference. Further, the article surveys the various app lications where CORONA data have been used and assesses the poten tial of these data. Due to low cost, higher resolution and historical data, the CORONA photographs are especially useful for a d e-ve loping country like India. Keywords: Change detection, CORONA satellites, earth resources, pan oramic photographs, reconnaissance. T

Abstract: This article explores the coevolution of landscape approaches and geospatial tools in Middle Eastern archaeology. From the first aerial reconnaissance programs, archaeologists recognized the value of a view from above to address overarching human–environmental questions that underpin regional historical narratives. The diversity and density of visible remains in the landscape of the Middle East has required an integrative approach, encompassed in the perspective of landscape as a static artifact, landscape as built features, landscape as a system, and landscape as a dynamic construct, which cuts across modern political boundaries. Recent advances in geospatial tools and datasets have enabled archaeologists to make significant progress on four long-standing questions of how to (1) best document and manage rapidly disappearing ancient landscapes, (2) understand landscape formation processes, (3) identify and interpret economic, environmental, and social influences that result in long-term settlement and land use patterns, and (4) recognize and contextualize the interplay between environment and human agency in the evolution of ancient economies and transformations in socio-organizational complexity.

Abstract: The first space mission to provide stereoscopic imagery of the Earth’s surface was from the American CORONA spy satellite program from which it is possible to generate Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). CORONA imagery and derived DEMs are of most value in areas where conventional topographic maps are of poor quality, but the problem has been that until recently, it was difficult to assess their accuracy. This paper presents a methodology to create a high quality DEM from CORONA imagery using horizontal ground control derived from Ikonos space imagery and vertical ground control from map-based contour lines. Such DEMs can be produced without the need for field-based ground control measurements which is an advantage in many parts of world where ground surveying is difficult. Knowledge of CORONA image distortions, satellite geometry, ground resolution, and film scanning are important factors that can affect the DEM extraction process. A study area in Syria is used to demonstrate the method, and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data is used to perform quantitative and qualitative accuracy assessment of the automatically extracted DEM. The SRTM data has enormous importance for validating the quality of CORONA DEMs, and so, unlocking the potential of a largely untapped part of the archive. We conclude that CORONA data can produce unbiased, high-resolution DEM data which may be valuable for researchers working in countries where topographic data is difficult to obtain.

Abstract: Recently declassified US intelligence satellite photographs dating from the Cold War have been found to be a valuable source of historical overhead imagery for use in archaeological and other studies. Such civilian uses of material that was originally acquired for intelligence purposes represent salient examples of the ‘serendipity effect’ of aerial reconnaissance, whereby photographs taken for one purpose find, years later, a new value or use. This review describes the nature of declassified intelligence satellite photographs and the uses to which they have been put in archaeological and other scientific studies, and demonstrates the great scientific potential of this archive of historical material that has lain dormant for over thirty years.