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This Study Was Held from December'2007 to Septrmber'2008 Bangladesh Journal of Environmental Research, Vol. 11, 94-110, 2020 ISSN: 1996-8914 Application of Environmental Remote Sensing for Updating Geo- Archaeological Records Mizanur Rahman1*, Md Saifuzzaman2, S. Dara Shamsuddin2 1 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Cox's Bazar-4700, Bangladesh 2 Department of Geography & Environment, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh (Received: 20 March 2020, Revised: 25 June 2020, Accepted: 28 June 2020, Online: 30 June 2020) Abstract Documentation, conservation, and preservation of archaeological sites and artefacts in Bangladesh call for rapid non-invasive methods of scientific investigation in order not to disturb the sites and situation in a densely populated country with considerable fluvio-geomorphological changes. Remote Sensing (RS) and GIS with appropriate use of other supplementary information is an advantageous method of identification and analysis of archaeological features and environmental characteristics of archaeological sites. We had earlier proposed a five-step methodological approach to developing a geospatial database on the physical and cultural aspects of archaeological sites using RS and GIS technologies and tested in six archaeological sites of various sizes, periods, and environmental conditions. The current study is a further exploration of the proposed method in two little known archaeological sites, namely Mainamatir Garh (or Mainamatir Kot) and Dharmapaler Garh, less than 4 km apart in Domar and Jaldhaka Upazilas of Nilphamari District. The local inhabitants have encroached the sites and divided up into plots for their settlements. Consequently, the ramparts of the mud fort are threatened by massive human disturbance. It is also under threat of river erosion flowing along Mainamatir Garh. Freely available multispectral and high-spatial remote sensing data provided additional measurement capabilities of various artefacts in the sites. We recommend that this method for preliminary identification and delimitation of archaeological features is useful, aided with historical maps and other secondary data. The present study demonstrates that we now have both technology and human resources on hand to undertake a rapid on-screen survey of all the archaeological sites of Bangladesh for updating the records on a digital database structure with minimum fieldwork. Keywords: RS-GIS, Archaeological features, Paleo-environment, Mud-forts. Introduction Identification and preservation of cultural heritage sites involve integrating knowledge of the present and past physical environment, present characteristics of the site components and the existing socio-economic perspective of the study site without too much invasive intervention in the form of fieldwork and excavation (Akanda et al., 2005; Luo et al., 2019). Reliable database for these aspects are difficult to secure because in most cases, adequate, reliable and accurate data are not available (Begum, 2013; Imran, 2005). Remote sensing data in the form of satellite images and aerial photographs in conjunction with detailed ground-based global positioning system (GPS) survey provides a database with certain reliability. *Corresponding Author ([email protected]) Citation: Rahman, M. et al., 2020. Application of Environmental Remote Sensing for Updating Geo- Archaeological Records, Bangladesh Journal of Environmental Research, 11, 94-110. Application of Environmental Remote Sensing for Updating Geo-Archaeological Records A modern archaeological project often begins with a survey. Regional survey is an attempt to systematically locate previously unknown sites in a region. Site survey, on the other hand, is an attempt to systematically locate features of interest, such as houses, ramparts and moats, walls, and such other features within a site. Each of these two goals may be accomplished with largely the same methods. The tasks of surveying areas in order to find new sites and features, excavating sites in order to recover cultural remains, classification, analysis, and preservation are all important phases of the archaeological investigation (Kennedy, 1998; Rahman, 1998). The commonality between geographical-environmental and archaeological methods rests primarily on the approaches and methods of survey. Both regional and site survey requirements of archaeology would be fulfilled by the same survey methods as employed in geographical-environmental survey, including use of satellite imageries and aerial photographs coupled with such traditional ground survey techniques as Plane Table, Prismatic Compass and Theodolite, now mostly taken over by GPS survey and Total Station. Archaeological remote sensing involves the use of remote sensing technology and remotely sensed images for archaeological investigation (Alexakis et al., 2012; Mollah, 2011; Sultana, 2007). The images used are from sensors placed on satellites and aircraft. Archaeological remote sensing may be divided into two types, depending on the platform used, namely aerial photography using an aircraft, and satellite imaging, using a satellite (Lillesand et al., 2004; Smoot, 1995; Wang et al., 2004). Both of them are useful for regional survey and site survey. Remote sensing archaeology is to explore cultural relics from spaceborne satellite images coupled with the ground survey (Cox, 1992; Faintich, 2003; Kvamme, 2005; Tan et al., 2005). The use of remotely sensed images for the archaeological survey is scanty in Bangladesh, though it is widely used in other countries (Agapiou et al., 2014 and 2015; Alexakis et al., 2009). A detailed discussion of this is available in our previous study (Saifuzzaman et al., 2012). These studies and the present study have proved that widely available Google Earth images offer great opportunities and possibilities for archaeological studies in Bangladesh. Depending on resolution available for a particular site, the nature of the ground vegetation cover and other site disturbances, and the requirements of the study, Google Earth images are reasonably acceptable data source on which to develop a digital database for all archaeological sites in Bangladesh. Archaeological investigations have now reached a stage where Bangladesh has the required technology, know-how, adequate number of qualified professionals in archaeology and RS-GIS to answer to the need for the technology-based nationwide archaeological survey (Imran et al., 2002; Jahan, 2016; Saifuzzaman et al., 2011). This study aims to further test and refine the methodological approach we developed earlier to identify and describe archaeological-structural features and layout plan in addition to the present and paleo-environment of the site. The objectives, therefore are to refine the methodology of such investigation and develop site maps with structural details and supporting database. For this purpose two little known sites were selected, one of which is not yet on the listed sites of the Department of Archaeology, Government of Bangladesh. The specific site objective was to identify, interpret and analyse the archaeological features, particularly structural features and layout plan of these two mostly unexplored sites, especially those structural features that may not be visible on the ground. An additional and equally important 95 Bangladesh Journal of Environmental Research, Vol. 11, 94-110, 2020 Rahman et al. objective was to determine the past and present biophysical and socio-economic environment of the sites under study. Materials and Methods The two sites Dharmapaler Garh and Mainamatir Garh/Kot are both in the Nilphamari District (Figure 1). Here onward, the name Mainamatir Garh and Dharmapaler Garh are marked as ‘1’ and ‘2’ respectively. The sites were identified through systematic visual on-screen scanning of the North-West part of Bangladesh, known for its Hindu-Buddhist period mud-forts and other archaeological sites (Begum, 2013). The terms Garh, Kot, Dhap, Dhibi, Dhipi, Tibi, Qella, Kella, Burj, Khitta, Damdama and Chauki are used, sometimes interchangeably, to different types of fortifications to be found in Bangladesh and Poschimbongo of India (Begum, 2013). The section below is a detailed description of the general methodological approach we took for the study (Figure 2). This general approach was tested previously in six different sites (Saifuzzaman et al., 2012) and was tailored to suit the specific requirements of each study site and the objectives of this study. Figure 1: Location of Mainamatir Garh (1) and Dharmapaler Garh (2); (a) Physiographic map of North Bengal along with Nilphamari District map, (b) Dharmapaler Garh in Rennell’s map, (c) District Gazetteer 1930, (d) US topo map 1960. 96 Application of Environmental Remote Sensing for Updating Geo-Archaeological Records Figure 2: Flow chart of the research method/approach. Step one: Objective of the specific site study- It is an obvious but very important step to clearly state the objectives/purpose of the study in question. The more clearly the purpose is stated the easier would be to identify and carry out the next steps. Step two: Procure and evaluate data-The next step is to collect, examine, interpret, analyse and evaluate the data and information available on the archaeological site/s and the larger study area. The sources and considerations are: . Satellite images from Google Earth open source. Maps: topographical maps, district maps, mauza maps, other maps of scale (R.F). Previous survey and reports: types of survey and reports (i.e. individual/institutional)
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