Archaeological Research and Protection
Peer reviewed
Abstract
Abstract
ABSTRACT Looting of archaeological sites poses a critical threat to cultural heritage, causing irreversible loss of archaeological context and information. Remote sensing has been proven useful in monitoring such damage, but detecting small‐scale looting remains a significant challenge. The early phase of site destruction when small holes appear is often a crucial warning sign, which allows intervention. This study investigates the potential of very high‐resolution TerraSAR‐X satellite imagery (with an approximate spatial resolution of ~1.0 m in ground range and 0.23 m in azimuth) to identify small holes connected to emerging looting attempts. We establish a controlled experimental methodology to systematically investigate the physical and environmental factors governing detectability, and validate these findings using real‐world looting signatures from the ancient city of Zeugma. The results establish a practical detection threshold and show the critical influence of spoil heap positioning in detectability. This study confirms the potential of SAR to monitor small‐scale looting holes and provides crucial operational parameters and constraints for developing effective monitoring protocols.
Direct answer
What can I do from this paper page?
Use this page to scan "Detectability of Looting Holes in Very High‐Resolution SAR Images" quickly: start with the summary and abstract, then check the authors, source, topics, and related papers. From here, open Scollr to follow Archaeological Research and Protection, save the paper, or map adjacent work.
Research areas
Follow related topics
Citation
BibTeX
@article{Boyolu2026Detectability,
title = {Detectability of Looting Holes in Very High‐Resolution SAR Images},
author = {Cem Sönmez Boyoğlu and Timo Balz and Gino Caspari},
journal = {Archaeological Prospection},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1002/arp.70064},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.70064}
}FAQ
Using this paper in a discovery workflow
How do I find related work for this paper?
Use the related papers and topic links on this page as starting points. In Scollr, you can also open the paper and build a literature map around its references, citing papers, and related work.
How can I keep up with new Archaeological Research and Protection papers?
Follow Archaeological Research and Protection in Scollr. New papers from the topic flow into a personalized feed, and you can save useful studies to revisit later.
Can I cite this paper from this page?
This page includes a static BibTeX block for Detectability of Looting Holes in Very High‐Resolution SAR Images. Always verify the DOI, source, and publication details against the publisher record before submitting a manuscript.
Follow this research in Scollr
Follow the topics and authors behind this paper, save useful studies, and build a literature map when you are ready to go deeper.
Get the app