A TEAM of Chinese remote-sensing experts and archaeologists are collaborating with their Uzbekistani peers to establish a joint laboratory aimed at combining space information technology with field archaeology methods. Their objective is to explore ancient remnants and unearth relics of the Great Yuezhi, an ancient nomadic people believed to have traversed Central Asia along the Silk Road. Supported by Chinese and global remote sensing satellite data, as well as Global Navigation Satellite System and geographic information system analytical tools, the project aims to reveal the long-lost heritage from over 2,000 years ago. By surveying ancient river channels, springs, roads, forgotten oases, and irrigation systems from a bird’s-eye view, this joint effort seeks to unravel the secrets of the past. According to Wang Xinyuan, a professor from the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, these relics hold the key to understanding our past, present, and future. This ongoing collaborative work is aligned with the goals of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which aims to facilitate data sharing from satellite imagery and Earth observations across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa in order to promote sustainable growth. Established by China a decade ago, the BRI envisions establishing trade and infrastructure networks linking Asia, Europe, and Africa along the historical Silk Road trade routes. In 2016, Chinese scientists introduced the Digital Belt and Road (DBAR), a comprehensive framework for leveraging significant Earth data within the BRI. This initiative has received positive feedbacks from participating countries and organizations. Guo Huadong, chairman of the DBAR, said that DBAR has facilitated the sustainable development of BRI nations by sharing data and technology. Wang’s team, under the DBAR, has been at the forefront of heritage-related programs. Inspired by the similarities between the landscape of Tunisia and China’s Gansu Province, where Wang previously employed remote-sensing technology to study relics from the Tang Dynasty along the Silk Road, they embarked on investigations in Tunisia in collaboration with local archaeologists. Using remote sensing images from China’s Gaofen satellites, including the ZY-3 density-sliced PAN image, as well as other satellites such as WV-2 VHR image and Sentinel-2, the team conducted three field trips in 2017 and 2018. With the aid of satellite navigation and positioning systems, they successfully identified the precise locations of 10 previously unknown archaeological sites in southern Tunisia. These sites featured Roman forts, a water supply system, three massive basins and a cemetery. These millennium-old ruins, dating back to ancient Roman times, have unveiled the layout of the south-line military defense and irrigation systems employed during that era. Scientists from China, Tunisia, Italy, and Pakistan participated in the project. “The project holds paramount scientific significance in unraveling the layers of Tunisian history,” said Dhia Khaled, then Tunisian Ambassador to China, adding that it has played a pivotal role in fostering exchanges between the two nations. DBAR also contributed to the preservation of Angkor Wat — the central temple within the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap, Cambodia. A group of scientists from the AIR employed remote sensing data spanning from 1985 to 2016 to produce a comprehensive “diagnostic report.” The report shed light on the correlation between surface subsidence and the gradual collapse of the ancient temple complex. Their meticulous analysis revealed the influence of seasonal groundwater fluctuations, thermal expansion and contraction of stone materials, and natural weathering as key factors contributing to an abnormal deformation of the temple. (Xinhua) | 