Remote Sensing of Endangered Archaeology on Gebel Ataqah, Egypt

Abstract

This paper reports on a recent survey of a range of archaeological sites on and around Gebel Ataqah, a mountain area to the west of Suez. These sites were identified through the analysis of publicly available satellite imagery, principally Google Earth (GE), as part of the Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa (EAMENA) project, supplemented by historical references to the area and notes published by earlier travellers. The absence of existing archaeological data is due to a military presence in this area, from at least the 1950s, limiting access and exploration. The results of this survey show high levels of archaeological potential across large parts of Gebel Ataqah that require more detailed analysis on the ground, in an important, yet often underexplored, region. A series of major current and future threats to these archaeological sites are also identified which, alongside the presented survey data, will inform any future heritage management schemes.