An Analysis of the Preservation of Burial Mounds: A Case Study of the Steppe and Forest-Steppe Areas of the Belgorod Region and the Crimean Peninsula Using GIS Technology

ABSTRACT This study focuses on the capabilities of GIS technology to explore the spatial features of burial mounds within testing areas located in the Crimean Peninsula and the Belgorod region. A brief overview of information about the mounds and their distribution in the territory of Russia is given. Examples of GIS projects aimed at preserving the historical and cultural heritage of the mounds are presented. The possibilities for multidisciplinary research of the mounds are shown. The experience of holding events related to the protection of mounds in the Belgorod region was considered. The following data groups were used to conduct the study: the database of mounds, archival cartographic materials covering data on the research area since the 19th century; digital elevation models, and layers of land plots from the GIS server. The rate of loss of the mounds within the testing areas was determined using multi-temporal maps.