International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Volume XXXIX-B4, 2012
XXII ISPRS Congress, 25 August — 01 September 2012, Melbourne, Australia
channel was produced by using ASTER DEM data in order to
study the ancient river channel changes, terraces and banks (see
Lónnqvist et al., 2007). In addition, the project has produced
several satellite image analyses which reveal the
geomorphology. Besides identifying the palaeolake depression
of Nadra from Landsat-7 ETM image by cluster analysis and
studies on the ground, the project has analysed the movement of
the extending sand cover and explosive desertification in the
area of Jebel Bishri (Lónnqvist et al., 2011).
3. THE INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN
THE WESTERN PLAINS AND THE MOUNTAIN
3.1 The Oasis of El Kowm as a Base Camp
The oasis of El Kowm (Fig. 4.) on the western piedmont of the
mountain lies ca. 450 m above sea level and is situated in a 20
km wide mountain pass. The basin is a little over 400 m lower
from the peak of Jebel Bishri. It obviously served also as a base
camp for the early hunter-gatherers, who were foraging and
hunting in the region of Jebel Bishri. Long-term site formation
processes took place in the oasis. In this arid landscape early on
dozens of springs have attracted animals to the oasis, and
human occupation in the area probably covers ca. 1 million
years (Le Tensorer et al, 2007). Dozens of prehistoric sites
(see Fig. 5.) have been traced in the region (see e.g., Besancon
et al., 1981).
At the western edge of Jebel Bishri a semicircular escarpment is
called Tar al-Sbai (Fig. 4.) according to the Bedouin tribal
border of the Sba'a tribe. Tar al-Sbai is facing the El Kowm
oasis that is situated on the western plains beneath. The 3D
image of the El Kowm and Tar al-Sbai area can be captured
and flown over by GoogleEarth 3D at 35?11'05,66" N,
38550'11,80"' E. The relationship of these two areas becomes
more visible.
Figure 4. The oasis of EI Kowm and Tar al Sbai at the edge of
Jebel Bishri. Mapping on Landsat-7 ETM image by M.
Lónnqvist 2001.
The area of Tar al-Sbai comprises several abris, rock-shelters,
of early hunter-gatherers that obviously frequented from the El
Kowm basin up to the mountain proper. According to the finds,
the visits to the area already started during the Palaeolithic era,
but the greater utilization of the district is identified in the lithic
workshops associated with abris dating from the Upper
Palaeolithic and Epipalaeolithic eras. (Lónnqvist and Tôrmä,
2003; Lónnqvist et al., 2011). The visits extended as far as the
palaeolake of Nadra in the central area of the mountain during
the Middle Palaeolithic period. During the Epipalaeolithic the
emergence of the Natufian culture along the improvements in
climatic conditions and population growth ca. 13, 000 BP.
apparently developed in greater control of resources which led
to territorialism (Bar-Yosef, 1998).
Figure 5. Prehistoric sites in the El Kowm basin displayed on a
Landsat-7 ETM image. Mapping on Landsat-7 ETM image by
M. Lännqvist 2009, basing information on Besançon et al.,
1981.
Figure 6. A computerized 3D landscape scene towards Tar al-
Sbai from SW from the mosaic of Landsat-4 MSS images. Note
the visibility to the Euphrates valley behind. Constructed by M.
Tôrmä 2006.
Because of their height and good visibility, the sites at Tar al-
Sbai may simply be interpreted as lookout-points or
observation-points at the mountain edges to control the
surrounding steppe and desert plateau. From the edge, the
approaching visitors could be seen and information could be
spread. Lookout-points or observation-points are usually such
that they provide extensions of the horizon for the field of
vision in several directions. There are speculations concerning
the things that are beyond the horizon, and in the human minds
an extension of the horizon brings satisfaction (Appleton, 1975).
In 2001 we already carried out computer-aided vision analyses
from the mountain edge towards the western desert plateau
using Russian topographic maps and Image Drape (Fig. 7.
Lónnqvist et al., 2001 in press). Later on a vision analysis Was
carried out over the western plain by fusing Landsat image data
with ASTER DEM data (Fig. 8.).
Our hypothesis is that visions and vistas were not only enjoyed
because of their impressive values at the edge of the mountain
but also due to practical considerations in connection with
gazelle hunting and pastoral grazing. (Lónnqvist and Tórmà,
2003; Lónnqvist et al., 2011).
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