CULTURAL HERITAGE NETWORK OF WESTERN ANATOLIA BY USING 
REMOTE SENSING AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM 
M. Altan a , T. Sivas* 3 , F. Alanyah* 5 , F. Gokce C , C. Ayday 3 
a Anadolu University, Satellite and Space Sciences Research Institute, 
Eski§ehir, Turkey - (maltan, cayday)@anadolu.edu.tr 
b Anadolu University, Faculty of Literature, Department of Archaeology, 
Eski§ehir, Turkey - (tsivas, falanyali)@anadolu.edu.tr 
c UTOPYA Gorsel Ileti§im LTD. STL, Oguzlar mah. 2. cad. 34. sok., 15-8, 
Balgat, Ankara, Turkey - (firuze@asiaminor.com) 
KEY WORDS: Anatolia, Cultural heritage, Geographic Information System (GIS), Remote Sensing (RS), Satellite 
ABSTRACT: 
There is no doubt that Anatolia (Asiaminor) is the motherland of the civilizations with numerous cultures it has possessed. 
This land has great values not only for Turkey but also for all of the world since historical and cultural understanding of past 
cultures and events shed light on today and the future. So it is our mission to determine, protect and promote the cultural 
heritage on selected lands in order to let new generations know about them and have enough capability to make cultural and 
historical analysis for the future. In this proto type studies remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) 
have supported the study with necessary tools to determine the geographical positions of the archaeological places and 
excavations. Remote Sensing technology have let to view the changes and uncontrolled business on the heritage areas. 
Satellite images and aerial photos were used as a part of this process as a based map. Also registration and vectorization of 
existing local maps are essential part of the project. All the data were superimposed by GIS technologies to have inquires for 
different purposes such as construction areas planning, infrastructure zones determinations etc. Database modeling was the 
basic of the project and an architecture specifically designed to organize all the data coming from different resources and also 
different techonologies in a very organised and comprehensive way to form a superposed solution at the end. As a result, with 
the information gathered and organized from all these studies, a web portal, educational CD-ROM will be designed, a 
documentary film will be prepared and workshops will be organized to disseminate information to Europe and to the world. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
It is thought that, numerous cultures have occupied in 
both Asiaminor and Greece and their remains as 
monuments, old cities are seen even in every step 
(Akurgal, 1961; Akulgal, 1987) Civilization and 
technology are the parameters need for development of 
cultures, but it is seen that the new cultures destroy the 
older ones. Technological development gives human 
being new opportunities that can be used against these 
destructions. Remote sensing, geographic information 
system and computer technology are the new tools for 
human beings that can be used for this field (Avery and 
Berlin, 1992) 
A new project is proposed about this mentioned area 
(Figure 1). The mission of this project is to determine, 
protect, promote the cultural heritage in order to let new 
generations know about them and to make cultural and 
historical analysis for the future by using RS, GIS and 
computer technologies. 
Here, the proto type of the main study which covers only 
Western Anatolia is tried to take into account. The aim of 
the proposed project and the application steps which have 
been used are explained. A senario is written for very 
small restricted area for this proto type study. RS and GIS 
are applied to demonstrate the applicability of these new 
techniques to determine, protect and promote the cultural 
heritage in the selected area. 
Figure 1. Location map of the proposed project. 
2. AIM OF THE PROJECT 
The aim and motivation behind this project can be 
explained as follows: 
1. To determine, protect and promote the cultural 
heritage in targeted areas. 
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