GIS for Archaeology and CRM

If the stat that 20% of the world has access to the Internet is correct, then you can now share your GIS data with ~1.1 Billion people very quickly.

Yesterday, Google announced a number of amazing changes ranging from a new redesigned beta version of Google Earth to an updated version of the KML (2.1) language. So as not to repeat what many have already said, check out the recent posts at Ogleearth blog for great coverage. My intention here is to talk about just one aspect of the new changes, the ability to display KML files in Google Maps.

KML (Keyhole Markup Language) is an XML language that is used to encode geographic information (points, lines, polygons, images, models) for use with Google Earth. With the new changes in KML 2.1, this same information can be viewed in Google Maps. The interface between Google Maps and KML 2.1 could not be more simple! In the search bar of the maps.google.com window, simply type in the URL of the KML file you want to display and voila!

So you don’t have any KML files, but you want to publish your data in Google Maps. If you have ArcGIS, GIS data, and some sort of web space (I use Bluehost.com), it is fast and simple. By using one of two products, the KML Home Companion or Export to KML, both VB scripts for ArcGIS 8.X - 9.x, GIS data can be written to KML files in seconds. Later, I will discuss the limitations of this process.

Here is a quick example. First, I downloaded publicly available data from the Delaware State Historic Preservation office. The data set consisted of a point file for the National Register of Historic Places Listed Structures for all of Delaware and a Polygon file of National Register Listed Historic Districts. These data are in Delaware State Plane coordinate system, but both KML export routines will reproject on the fly as long as the data is attributed correctly. I took a subset of these files; Google Maps can only handle so much data, but I have not found what the threshold is yet.

By using the simple export tools (each does things slightly differently, you’ll see which works best for you) the KMLs are written and simply FTPed to my web server. The process honestly takes less than 30 seconds. From here, go to maps.google.com and cut/paste the URL of the file on your server and there you have it. Here is my quick example: http://www.gisarch.com/kml/NR_pnts1.kml and http://www.gisarch.com/kml/NR_dist2.kml (cut and paste links into search bar of Google Maps page, or use these links if you like skipping steps: points, polys). From here, you can also click the “link to this page” text and grab the URL that points directly to your new Google Maps (”Link to this page” example). Taking it a step further, take your new URL and stick it in www.tinyurl.com to shrink it and come back with http://www.tinyurl.com/fm8vl as your new Google Map URL. When exchanging data with those in the know, all you need to do is tell them to go to “fm8vl“. How cool is that? Maybe a small stretch, but hey, why not? (note: the Tinyurl trick worked most of the time, but failed here and there)
What if you want to see both data set? Hack the KML! Use a text editor (I like HTML-Kit) to cut and paste the geometry from one into the other and you can now see the NR points and Polygons in the same map (example: http://tinyurl.com/j2t2d). I had to trim the points to make the map load, but you get the point.

As you have seen, some of the features do not have the name attribute correct and the points symbols differ. This is due to the differences between KML home companion and Export to KML. Export to KML plainly lets you set the field to have as the name for each feature, but for KML Home Companion, it is not as apparent. I will have to look a little further to find what I am missing. Also, Export to KML would changed some of the more complex and small polygons to points during the export, whereas KML home companion exported every poly with no complaints. The output text is not the same for each script, but they can be hacked together.

I know this is a pretty low tech and minor example of how this new feature can be used, but as far as I am concerned, it is an amazing step in opening the door to allowing more people to share geographic data. With a process as simple as this, open data, export, FTP, and view, we should see a whole new lot of Google Map creations coming through the door.

The experimentation continues!!!

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As posted in the CCA Cartography blog, MapTech is now hosting a collection of late 19th century to early 20th century USGS quad maps for much of the Eastern United States. States covered by this project include everything from West Virginia to Maine. Each state is searchable by quad name, town name, or a graphical quad index. The quads (generally 15 minute or 1:63,360) are available as high resolution scans divided into NE,NW,SE,SW sections. Each section can be viewed online or downloaded (~0.5 to ~2.0 megs), although world files are not included.

The story behind this invaluable collection is is just as exciting as the collection itself. Begun by a railroad enthusiast, Christopher Marshall, mapping abandoned right-of-ways in New Hampshire, this collection has grown from a library to library search in his home area to a state by state collaboration. With a big help from Meredith Ricker of the University of New Hampshire Dimond Library Government Documents Department and other volunteer map enthusiasts, the collection has grew state by state into the massive project that it is now.

In order to make this collection publicly accessible to other map nuts and researchers, Christopher approached MapTech through a common acquaintance and asked if they would host it. MapTech accepted and published them free of charge.

In my line of work, maps like this are extremely valuable. Time series studies of housing location, density, and land use as well as locations of long forgotten features such as houses, mines, and hydrologic features are all based of historic USGS quads. The creation of historic sensitivity analysis is done with maps such as this in conjunction with aerial photos. Also, prehistoric studies can benefit from these maps for their indication of what hydrologic systems and landforms may have looked like before urban sprawl and mass development.

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The Theban Mapping Project, as seen last night on the Discovery Channel, is an amazing project dedicated to preservation, education, and the creation of a comprehensive archaeological database for the Valley of the Kings, Thebes (Luxor), Egypt. (Google Map).

The Valley of the Kings (Wikipedia), utilized primarily between 1539 BC - 1075 BC, is the resting place for the kings and Pharaohs of Egypt’s New Kingdom. Located on the West back of the Nile River, across from modern Luxor, this valley is the home of some of Egypt’s most famous figures, Tutankhamun (KV62), Amenhotep (KV39), and more recently The Sons of Ramessess (KV5), the Valley of the Kings has been attracting archaeologists, tourists, and grave robbers throughout antiquity. Due to this attention, much of the valley’s limited and invaluable resources have been plundered and destroyed.

In 1978, the Theban Mapping Project (TMP), began an ambitious program to document every aspect of the valley for future generations.

“The TMP believes that the first and most essential step in preserving this heritage is a detailed map and database of every archaeological, geological, and ethnographic feature in Thebes. Only when these are available can sensible plans be made for tourism, conservation, and further study.”

As seen by the “Atlas of the Valley of the Kings” on the TMP website and the Discovery Channel program last night, this project is producing astounding results. Viewing the TMP site, clicking on the “Atlas of the Valley of the Kings” opens a new window that explores the vast amount of spatial and archaeological information collected over the past 20 years. Once greeted with an overview map of the valley and its tombs, clicking on their plan will generate a short video or text description of its history. The atlas is searchable by KV number, if you have a favorite tomb, as well as a key word search. Another tab includes detailed information on each tomb including photos and video. While a final link is an interactive ortho plan of the valley’s tombs with has tools for zooming and measuring. Finally, clicking on the “3D Tomb” link on the bottom left of the atlas frame will launch a 3D experience which takes a narrated walk through of KV14 accompanied with photos of wall each chambers wall engravings and paintings. Similarly, the Atlas of the Theban Necropolis offers juicy visual media underlain by incredibly well documented archaeological data.

The TMP website and “Atlas” projects are an amazing product of archaeological information and visualization. Rarely do projects achieve such an in depth melding of data and visual context with deep rooted narration than anyone would find fascinating. If you have a few extra moments (and broadband to let the Atlas load), I highly recommend checking out the Theban Mapping Project website!

*panarama photo credit to Gilles Renault

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News Realease from Greg Yetman:

Beta Release of New Raster Datasets by CIESIN/SEDAC
May 31, 2006

The U.S. Census Grids, 2000 (currently in beta release) provide raster
data sets that include not only population and housing counts, but a
wide range of socioeconomic characteristics. Produced by CIESIN’s
Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC), these gridded data
sets transform irregularly shaped census block and block group
boundaries into a regular surface—a raster grid—for faster and easier
analysis. Data sets are currently available for the year 2000; those for
1990 will be released in the near future.

See: http://beta.sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/usgrid/

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Thanks to Jonathan at the Map Room blog for pointing out this fabulous historic map resource. Old London Maps is a free repository of 16th to 20th century maps of London. The purpose of this collection is to offer access to scores of rare historic maps, engravings, and plans of Old London for use by historians, genealogists, and those who are simply curious.

Along with the fantastic map collection is over 500 pages of information and articles and a collection as many as 4000, when the uploading is complete, 19th and 20th century photos related to Old London.

*All linked photos/maps are the property of Sarah Douglas Enterprises Ltd 2006

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