A new approach to archeological and historical remote sensing based on AI solutions!

Understanding the material dimension of human pasts has become increasingly important, particularly against the larger backdrop of the Anthropocene. Knowledge on infrastructures, buildings, urban and settlement structures can add significantly to a more comprehensive understanding of past societies.

In this project led by Wolfgang Göderle from the institute of history we use historical map data to train ML-algorithms for identifying sites of historical human activity in satellite imagery, in order to build a tool for researchers and public authorities to develop a better understanding of material pasts and vanished historical infrastructures, and how these had an impact on the surface of the Earth.