Copernicus for cultural preservation

Applications in Archaeology

• Discovery and mapping: Copernicus data can support new sites discovery and map known ones, and help suggest the presence of those hidden underground.
• Site monitoring: Time-series data allows monitoring of seasonal and environmental changes, reducing the need for extensive fieldwork.
• Risk management: Copernicus helps assess risks from urban sprawl, land use and land cover changes, coastline erosion, ground motion, and air pollution.
• Data analysis: Vegetation, moisture, and other indicators in satellite imagery can signal buried archaeological features.
• Preservation: Rapid damage mapping and long-term monitoring help safeguard sites during natural disasters or conflicts.

Challenges and solutions

• Limited budgets and resources: Copernicus data support managers to prioritise conservation efforts and optimise resources.
• Conflict damage: Very high resolution satellite imagery enables digital inventories of sites and post-conflict damage assessment.
• Remote locations: The use of high resolution satellite imagery ensures access to cultural heritage even in hard-to-reach areas.

Examples from the field

World Heritage Hub

Developed by EUSPA, the World Heritage Hub is a web portal serving as unique access point to Copernicus data products and services relevant to cultural and natural heritage. It features interactive tools and datasets from various Copernicus services, supporting evidence-based monitoring, conservation, and management of heritage sites across the globe. 

The World Heritage Hub’s goal is to empower decision-makers, researchers, and site managers with the tools they need to track changes, assess risks, and preserve the world’s cultural and natural legacy for future generations.

World Heritage Hub Data Viewer

The WHH Data Viewer brings together datasets from multiple Copernicus services to help stakeholders monitor, manage, and preserve cultural and natural heritage sites around the world.