Study of Ancient Land Boundaries at Tauric Chersonesos Using Satellite Images

Abstract

The near chora (agricultural land) of Tauric Chersonesos was investigated using multiyear remote sensing data and field surveys. The boundaries of the land plots were studied with GIS (Geographic Information Systems) technology and an analysis of satellite images. Reliable reconstruction of the borders has been done for 231 plots (from a total of about 380), which is approximately 53% of the Chersonesean chora. During the last 50 years, most of the ancient land plots have been destroyed by modern buildings, roads, or forests. However, in the 1960s, a significant part of the chora was still preserved. Changes in preservation with time were studied with the aid of satellite images that were made in 1966 and 2015. During that period, it was found that the number of plots with almost-complete preservation decreased from 47 to 0. Those land plots whose preservation was better than 50% dropped from 104 to 4. A temporal map shows this decline in preservation. It was found that the areas of land plots could be determined accurately with satellite images; compared to field surveys, this accuracy was about 99%.