Palmyra Revisited from Space – High-Resolution Satellite Prospection of a UNESCO World Heritage Site

High-resolution satellite prospection, leveraging Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) from the TerraSAR-X mission, has revolutionized archaeological research at UNESCO World Heritage Site Palmyra. This integrated approach combines ground-based geophysical methods like magnetometry and resistivity with space-borne techniques such as optical satellite imagery and radar to provide both detailed and broad-scale insights into the ancient city's layout and buried structures. While ground-based methods confirmed the existence of a Hellenistic town south of Wadi el Kubur, mapping its intricate layout, space-borne surveys revealed upstanding remains and uncovered new buried archaeological features, significantly advancing our understanding of Palmyra's cultural landscape.

Linck, R., Fassbinder, J. W. E., & Buckreuss, S. (2025). Palmyra Revisited from Space – High-Resolution Satellite Prospection of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Across Space and Time, 54–63. https://doi.org/10.5117/9789089647153-6