DETECTING OLD BURIED CHANNELS AND STRUCTURAL AT ANCIENT SAMARRA CITY BY USING REMOTE SENSING SATELLITES IMAGES

Omar B. Al–Jarrah

Volume : IV, Issue : XI, November - 2015

DETECTING OLD BURIED CHANNELS AND STRUCTURAL AT ANCIENT SAMARRA CITY BY USING REMOTE SENSING SATELLITES IMAGES

Omar B. Al Jarrah

Abstract :

Samarra represents a distinguished architectural stage in the Abbasid period and it was the second capital of the Abbasid Caliphate (Baghdad was the first). This ancient city, located on bank of Tigris River was the capital for 58 years (836–892) AD. Mysteriously the city was suddenly abandoned. Recently various threats take a part which is the expanding of modern city and other agriculture areas to the old city because of no clear boundary to it (UNESCO inscribed on the list of the world heritage in danger in 2007). Mainly 80% of the archaeological–city is still unexcavated. Using remote sensing methods that could differentiate between the ancient and modern settlements is our goal, be used in combination with ground survey to detect and mapping the past sites. Many Landsat and quick bird images used with image processing software (especially change detection and edges enhancement) to detect the old buried channels with other buildings. Many signs of invisible features at ground were found with compare to old archaeological maps showed the irrigation channels system and other sites . Real threats face the ancient city by recent human activity that need fast rules and laws to stop that sabotage to one of heritage places at the world.