A day trip from Bengaluru to Shravanbelgola, Belur and Halebidu

Bangalore---Shravanbelgola--Belur--Halebidu--Bangalore.

This is the google map link to all the places.

Google map location link

At 7.30 a.m

We started this trip at 7.30 in the morning and stopped for breakfast on our way to Shravanbelgola.
If you are a couch potato like me, you probably wouldn't like the climb. It is around 700 steps. It is not a difficult climb, there are proper steps with railings. I would suggest that do go prepared with proper  shoes. The view from the top is worth the effort.

Our next stop was Belur. The Chennakeshava Temple at Belur is a master piece of Hoysala workmanship. Belur was the capital of Hoysalas and later they ruled from Haleebedu, which is our next stop. Take time and explore the motifs on the temples. There are hundreds of stories engraved in stones.

Next, drive to Haleebedu. We first visited Jain Basadi and Kedareshwara temple.

Look out for those pillars. The ornate carvings on the pillars and the lathe turned patterns. This is also your photo op moment.

Head to Kedareshwara temple. 

By now it is time for lunch and we ate at Hotel Mayura Shantala, a KSTDC hotel which is right across Hoysaleshwara temple.

One can have lunch and enjoy the view of Hoysaleshwara temple as well.

If you are a history buff then I suggest that you go on  a short walk and find that fortwall.

Here are some location (lat, long) to start with.

For more details please refer: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12524-020-01272-8

Remote Sensing and GIS tools in Landscape Archaeology: All about old Maps and where to find them

Old   Maps are a treasure of information. For a student the site they are working on is like a puzzle and maps can be good start to solve that puzzle. Maps hold information about the landscape, structures, water bodies, land use and much more.

Where do you find them? Glad you asked. 

Well of course. The Internet is a good place to start.

While doing literature review for the site you will come across Books and archaeological records. That will be good start. Since most of my work till now has been in India, I have put together a list of names one should use as keywords when researching.

Here are names of Surveyors  who visited India during British 19th century. 

1. Francis Buchanan-Hamilton

2. Colin Mackenzie

3. Alexander Cunningham

Here are some websites that have tons of Maps:

1. British Library:   https://www.bl.uk/

2. Old Maps Online:  https://www.oldmapsonline.org/

Also Scroll down to see some beautiful maps

Map Source: Cunningham, A. (1871). Four Reports Made During the Years, 1862-63-64-65 (Vol. 1). Printed at the Government Central Press.

Link to the book

Map Source: Cunningham Report for the year 1871-72, ( Volume IV) Delhi, Agra by J.D. Beglar & A.C.L. Carlleyle; Archaeological Survey of India

Website and Books to start with:

https://www.amazon.in/Illustrating-India-Colonial-Investigations-Mackenzie/dp/0198064411

https://books.google.co.in/books/about/Archaeological_Survey_Of_India_Reports_1.html?id=iLwfAAAACAAJ&redir_esc=y

Remote Sensing and GIS tools in Landscape Archaeology: All about data

 This is a beginner's guide to use remote sensing (RS) and GIS for Landscape Archaeology.

The aim is to discuss some of the data, tools and study materials that one can use. 

So Lets Begin!!

For example. You have decided to work on a site Lets call this site X.

What kind of data is available about X?  Of course  one will read all the Archaeological report,  Gazetteer, Books, research articles and newspaper articles. 

You can also; use satellite data which are free to download from the following websites:

Google Earth: https://www.google.com/intl/en_in/earth/

USGS Earth Explorer: https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/

Bhuvan: https://bhuvan.nrsc.gov.in/bhuvan_links.php#

Natural Earth: https://www.naturalearthdata.com/

How to download Declassified CORONA data from USGS?

What is CORONA data?

The images from Corona are a useful tool to study landscape as it gives a representation of the study area from the 1960s and 1970s, that is, before the time mechanized means were used for changing land cover. Thus tracing out archaeological features in Corona data is easier when compared to recent satellite data due to the subsequent land cover change. The Corona program was conceptualized by the United States of America in 1958. After World War II, both USA and USSR entered a stage which is commonly known as the Space race. The Corona program was thus conceived by the USA for military surveillance. These images from Corona are high-resolution images (up to 3m) covering large areas and captured by panchromatic cameras (Dashora 2007). The images were captured

from 1960 to 1972 and can be used for any application including archaeological exploration. The

data from CORONA declassified and made public in three parts (Declass-1 in 1995, Declass-2 in 2002 and Declass-3 in 2013), which can now be accessed from Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) website. 

Register, login and download data.

1. link to USGS

https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/

2. Make an account and sign in.

3. Click on search criteria tab.

• One can search for a place by typing the Name. For example.: New Delhi India.
• Now Click on Data Sets.
• Goto Declassified data.
• All the data pertaining to the study area will be displayed.
• You have to choose the best image which is free.
• and click download.

Next blog will be about georeferencing CORONA data