Processing Geospatial Data in Archaeology: Introducing LuwianSiteAtlas for Bronze Age Western Anatolia
January 2025 | Vol. 13.1
By Alper Aşınmaz and Eberhard Zangger
Archaeological field projects count among humankind’s earliest and most enduring scientific endeavors. They inevitably generate an immense amount of material, artifacts, and data that exceed the capacity of the human mind alone. As a result, archaeologists have been early adopters of digital technologies for data collection and analysis. Over the years, numerous initiatives have been launched to standardize the variety of applications and file formats. For example, the CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model, Dublin Core Metadata initiative, and ISO standards are used to systematically record object properties in museums and collections, while the research community in general is striving to adopt open research data standards. Similarly, the exponentially growing volume of archaeological information has necessitated the adoption of structured data management strategies to enhance efficiency and ensure scalability for both spatial and non-spatial data.
In this article, we want to highlight a recent project carried out by the Luwian Studies Foundation that uses geospatial data in archaeology, focusing on settlement patterns in western Asia Minor — an area roughly the size of Great Britain — during the Middle and Late Bronze Age (c. 2000-1200 BCE). We hope to demonstrate how standardized geospatial data processing can enhance its scientific value and practical application in fieldwork and research.
Despite being sandwiched between the well-studied Mycenaean kingdoms in Greece to the west and the Hittite great kingdom to the east, systematic research on western Asia Minor in the second millennium BC remains limited. To address this gap, the Luwian Studies Foundation, shortly after its establishment in 2014, initiated a comprehensive effort to compile a catalogue of Middle and Late Bronze Age settlement sites. This demanding project spanned nearly a decade and was primarily undertaken by archaeologist Serdal Mutlu, in collaboration with Eberhard Zangger. Drawing on extensive research and analysis of Turkish publications, the survey synthesized findings from 30 excavations and 33 archaeological surveys.
Relief map of the western part of the Republic of Türkiye showing the excavations of archaeological sites from the second millennium BCE (white dots), settlement sites (black dots) and the areas covered by archaeological surveys (Luwian Studies #0102).
Our work revealed 483 settlement sites, each with a minimum diameter of 100 meters. We documented clear habitation at these sites during the timeframe of at least 2000–1000 BC. The data collected included toponyms, geographic coordinates, chronological periods represented, literature references, a proprietary classification, and in most cases a prose description of the current state of knowledge at the site. This information was initially stored in a local Excel spreadsheet consisting of heterogonous and semi-structured data, an approach that is probably common practice in archaeological data processing since the 1980s.
The tell of Beycesultan is almost 1 km in diameter, 25 m high and covers an area of 4 ha. The site has about 40 archaeological layers dating from the Late Chalcolithic to the Byzantine period (Luwian Studies #0231).
The main limitation of Excel spreadsheets is that they are typically only useful to and useable by their creator(s). As one of our goals was to make the data available to and usable by the public, we embarked on a project to create an SQL (Structured Query Language) relational database, a type of database management system designed for large-scale data with relationships. SQL databases are orders of magnitude faster in terms of storing and retrieving complex data compared to local digital spreadsheets, allow for more sophisticated searches, and can be used by multiple people at the same time.
Tavşanlı Höyük, a typical western Anatolian settlement site, in a vertical aerial view showing recent excavations (Google, Digital Globe, Luwian Studies #0206).
To do this, first we needed to extract the data from the Excel sheet and put it into a form that makes sense to SQL, a process known as “Extract, transform, load” (ETL). By converting proprietary formats into standardized ones, supplementing missing entries, and systematically organizing cross-category terms and chronological information, we made sure that users can access a logically consistent relational model with fully defined entities and relationships, optimized for efficient querying, data integrity, and scalability. In its new form, the data is no longer limited to the local user but is now available globally to a wider audience in a normalized and standardized database design in a web-enabled format. We named this new SQL database “LuwianSiteAtlas.”
One of the key benefits of LuwianSiteAtlas is its flexibility: users can filter the data according to specific characteristics, such as settlement sites from defined time periods or in certain geographic regions. In addition, the relational structure allows for complex queries that combine multiple parameters. Another advantage is the inherent flexibility to seamlessly extend the database schema to accommodate additional data, such as new sites, properties, or other related entities, without compromising the integrity or performance of the existing system.
Screenshot of the advanced search panel with search fields for site type, period, and region, search results from external reference databases, and the interactive map showing site locations (Luwian Studies #0242).
Interfaces to external databases are a key feature of the new database schema. Several reference databases, such as Pleiades, Wikidata, iDAI.gazetteer, iDAI.objects, and Nomisma, are now linked to LuwianSiteAtlas through the database integration. Descriptions for each site include direct links to these external entries, enabling users to navigate seamlessly between systems and compare available information. By offering this functionality, LuwianSiteAtlas opens up new opportunities for researchers to connect data while also providing the general public with broader access to detailed information from multiple data providers.
We also created a versatile interactive web map and called it LuwianSiteMap. It offers five different views as the geographical background in which the 483 settlements are displayed: Google Satellite, OpenStreetMap, OpenTopoMap, OpenMapSurfer Topo, and Global Terrain. The use of certain Javascript geographic libraries enables the database to dynamically retrieve location coordinates, attributes, and relational metadata. This ensures that our database remains up-to-date with the latest geographic information. Users benefit from dynamically retrieved location coordinates, attributes, and relational metadata, ensuring access to up-to-date and relevant information.
LuwianSiteMap offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to enhance research and analysis. For example, users can filter to focus on specific categories of data, such as settlement types or time periods, tailored to their study (Luwian Studies #0243).
LuwianSiteMap also features a dynamic chronological chart. The map’s precise and dynamic viewing capabilities provide deeper insights into specific locations and attributes within the dataset. As users zoom in and out, the chart adjusts to display the range of chronological periods represented by the visible sites, offering visual insights into patterns and trends over time. Users can generate area and distance measurements for their area of interest, helping to define precise regions and quantify spatial relationships.
Screenshot of the interactive map displaying the Google Satellite base map and a histogram representing the chronological periods visible in the current view (Luwian Studies #0247).
The website has been designed to be responsive, so it is as user friendly on a mobile phone as it is on a desktop browser. Atlas and map combined offer a unique blend of functionality and user-friendliness, serving as a valuable resource for advancing the study of western Asia Minor’s archaeology.
In the next phase, starting in the first half of 2025, we will migrate LuwianSiteAtlas to a virtual server for integration into the Semantic Web. The Semantic Web is an advanced framework that allows data to be shared, linked, and understood by machines, enabling seamless connections between disparate datasets. By implementing semantic technologies — tools and standards that add structured meaning to data — the database will be enriched with machine-readable metadata and ontologies. This means that relationships between settlement sites, time periods, cultural contexts, and geographic features can be represented in a way that computers can interpret and link to other systems.
Using Resource Description Framework (RDF) data models, these enhancements will make LuwianSiteAtlas interoperable with other research platforms, allowing for complex queries across distributed data sources. This not only aids archaeologists in uncovering previously hidden relationships but also broadens the database’s applicability to related fields like geography, history, and cultural heritage studies. By adopting the Linked Open Data (LOD) approach of the Semantic Web, our system ensures that archaeological data is more accessible and interconnected. Using established standards like CIDOC-CRM and Dublin Core, we transform the data into a machine-readable format compatible with global knowledge systems.
To make data practical for researchers, we’ve developed tools to export it in user-friendly formats like JSON and CSV. In this way, the data can be easily imported into Geographic Information System (GIS) software for spatial analysis and visualization, empowering archaeologists with advanced tools for their studies. For instance, GIS facilitates a wide range of globally applicable spatial analyses, including cluster analysis to pinpoint spatial concentrations of settlements and their proximity to natural resources like water, fertile land, or trade routes. Distance analyses further examine the connections between settlements and significant political or economic centers, helping reconstruct interaction networks and spheres of influence. Time series analysis enables visualization and interpretation of settlement pattern developments across various time periods. Hypothetical route modeling for goods or information exchange also becomes possible, accounting for topographical barriers and economically efficient pathways. Altogether, these analytical capabilities enrich our understanding of spatial organization and cultural interactions in the region.
Scatterplot showing slope over elevation and comparing site selection for settlements (blue) with 1,000 randomly selected points. This analysis exemplifies the geospatial usability of data exported from LuwianSiteAtlas (Luwian Studies #0244).
Through systematic processing and data migration, we have elevated a basic WordPress application into a centralized data hub. By integrating dynamic relational data models and modular backend services, LuwianSiteAtlas supports complex workflows, including data curation, visualization, and advanced analytics. Such an infrastructure promotes interdisciplinary research and facilitates collaborative data sharing.
Long overlooked in archaeological studies, western Asia Minor during the Middle and Late Bronze Age is gaining recognition as a prime example of interdisciplinary spatial analysis and a model for forward-looking, landscape archaeology.
Alper Aşınmaz is an archaeologist and geospatial and data science expert, specializing in digital applications in archaeology, cultural heritage management, and settlement pattern analysis. Since 2009, he has contributed to archaeological projects in Türkiye. He is the principal researcher responsible for developing the technical aspects of LuwianSiteAtlas, which took place during the last quarter of 2024.
Eberhard Zangger is an archaeologist, anthropologist, geologist and president of the Luwian Studies foundation in Zurich, Switzerland. He has been investigating the historic interrelations between ancient cultures and their environments since 1982.
This project was funded by Luwian Studies.
Further Reading
Zangger, Eberhard, Alper Aşınmaz, and Serdal Mutlu. 2022. “Middle and Late Bronze Age Western Asia Minor: A Status Report.” In The Political Geography of Western Anatolia in the Late Bronze Age, edited by Ivo Hajnal, Eberhard Zangger, and Jorrit M. Kelder, 45: 39–180. Archaeolingua Series Minor. Budapest: Archaeolingua.
Press Release: https://luwianstudies.org/press-releases/
Anadolu Agency Türkiye: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/luwians-of-turkiye-unlocking-an-untold-chapter-of-ancient-history/3396554
Türkiye Today: https://www.turkiyetoday.com/culture/luwians-of-turkiye-swiss-geoarchaeologist-unlocks-untold-chapter-of-ancient-history-80637/
How to cite this article:
Aşınmaz, A. and E. Zangger. 2025. “Processing Geospatial Data in Archaeology: Introducing LuwianSiteAtlas for Bronze Age Western Anatolia.” The Ancient Near East Today 13.1. Accessed at: https://anetoday.org/geospatial-data-western-anatolia/.
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professor peter long
congratulations on this valuable project!