This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Archaeological excavation uncovers the past but also changes the landscape that has preserved sites for centuries or millennia. These changes influence water flow, soil erosion and the stability of exposed remains.
Researchers from Istanbul Technical University and the U.S. have shown how computer models can assist archaeologists in understanding and planning for these effects, especially regarding erosion risks. Using an Early Bronze Age settlement in Türkiye as a case study, they reconstructed the landscape before and after excavation. Their findings indicate that excavation significantly impacts runoff and erosion, with the effects heavily influenced by the location of soil removal, placement of excavated materials, and terrain shape and steepness.
The study was published in Geoderma Regional. The researchers investigated Resuloğlu Mound in north-central Anatolia, a settlement dating from approximately 2300 to 2100 B.C. Archaeological excavations occurred there from 2003 to 2019.
The site presents a unique conservation challenge, as erosion had been shaping the landscape long before modern excavation efforts. Interestingly, erosion played a role in exposing graves, which contributed to the decision to excavate. However, excavation introduced new disturbances, such as exposing archaeological structures and altering slope shapes and properties.
Additionally, excavated material was often deposited downslope, which could redirect water flow and lead to new erosion-prone areas. This situation highlights a key dilemma in archaeology: exposing cultural heritage can inadvertently alter environmental conditions and threaten the site's future stability. "Archaeological excavation is essential for understanding our past, but it also changes the landscape.
Our study shows that we can examine those changes scientifically and use that information to think about how archaeological sites are excavated and protected," said Kemal Koçaklı, of the Eurasia Institute of Earth Sciences, Department of Evolution and Ecology, at Istanbul Technical University. To determine what had changed, the team integrated various data sources, including historical aerial photos, drone surveys, satellite images, soil and weather records, archaeological archives, and detailed terrain analysis. Aerial photos from 1990 helped recreate the landscape before excavation, while drone images from 2019 offered a detailed view after excavation.
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