Y2 - Technical Talk 4

Details: 

Date: Friday, ​29th ​August 2025
Time: 7.15 pm

Topic: Remote Sensing Indices in Landscape Archaeology

  

Guest Speaker:​ Dr. Ekta Gupta

​Abstract

Remote sensing indices offer a powerful means of transforming raw spectral data into interpretable indicators of surface conditions, making them indispensable tools in archaeological research. By highlighting features such as vegetation cover, soil moisture, and water presence, these indices can reveal subtle traces of past human activity and landscape modification. This talk will introduce the theoretical foundations of remote sensing indices, explaining their spectral basis and relevance to archaeological prospection. It will explore computational workflows for deriving indices from satellite imagery, with a focus on modern cloud-based platforms that support dynamic analysis and visualisation. Through case studies, the talk will demonstrate how these methods contribute to site detection and cultural landscape analysis. By bridging theory, computation, and field application, the talk intends to demonstrate how remote sensing indices can enhance archaeological inquiry, offering scalable, accessible, and data-rich approaches for exploring the human past in the digital age.

About the Speaker

Ekta Gupta is a Juan de la Cierva Fellow at the Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology, Spain. She did her PhD from the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru. Her research combines cartography, archaeology, geomorphology, remote sensing, and GIS to investigate cultural and natural landscape dynamics. Specialising in RS and GIS based archaeology, she focuses on ancient hydrological systems, palaeolandscapes, and hidden archaeological features. She has held a few prestigious fellowships, including the Juan de la Cierva, the Early Career Fellowship at IIT Gandhinagar, the NIAS PhD Fellowship, and the Nehru Trust UK Visiting Fellowship. She is also actively involved in teaching, training, and public outreach in geospatial archaeology.