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Showing 2481 – 2500 of 15962 publications

Machine Learning in the Design Decision-Making of Traditional Garden Space Renewal: A Case Study of the Classical Gardens of Jiangnan

Classical Gardens of Suzhou — 2025 — WHE5732EC5C65

A machine learning approach using conditional generative adversarial networks (CGAN) achieves high accuracy in generating traditional garden space schemes, with a 91.08% success rate in capturing key elements of Suzhou Gardens. This method offers an efficient alternative to human-experience-based design, enabling rapid generation and evaluation of multiple renewal plans for spaces ranging from 200 to 1000 square meters. The study demonstrates the potential of AI-driven tools to support decision-making in urban renewal projects by providing data-backed comparisons and feasibility analyses.

Main Geographical Factors of Settlement Patterns and Natural Resource Use in Mountain Region: The Kvemo (Lower) Svaneti (Lentekhi Municipality) Case

Upper Svaneti — 2025 — WHE643E5A403E

In Kvemo (Lower) Svaneti, geographical conditions and natural resource use significantly shape settlement patterns and agricultural practices. The study identified 15 distinct landscape units using GIS technology, revealing that 43% of the region lies above 1000 meters in elevation. Livestock farming dominates agriculture, with pastures and haylands covering 92.4% of agricultural land, while crop farming is limited to areas below 900 meters. The research also highlights a trend of increasing abandoned villages, with 83% of the population residing in small settlements of up to 200 dwellers. Traditional practices play a crucial role in sustaining livestock farming, contributing to the region's unique cultural and economic landscape.

Maintenance and Utilization of Goguryeo World Cultural Heritage in the Ji’an Region

Complex of Koguryo Tombs — 2025 — WHEE3CD7B07E2

Ji’an City, China, has successfully leveraged its Goguryeo World Cultural Heritage sites—including Gungnae Fortress, Hwando Mountain Fortress, the Janggun Tomb, and others—to boost tourism and economic growth. Through strategic conservation efforts such as archaeological restoration, 3D modeling, and scientific preservation of murals, Ji’an has transformed these sites into a National 5A-Level Scenic Area, the highest tourist attraction rating in China. This approach has significantly increased visitor numbers and tourism revenue, positioning Goguryeo heritage as a core branding asset for the city. However, rapid tourism growth poses risks to heritage integrity, highlighting the need for balanced development and sustained monitoring to preserve these invaluable cultural assets.

Major Monuments of Mughal Period: Akbar to Shah Jahan

Red Fort Complex — 2025 — WHE79FFFD5B19

Mughal architecture, blending Persian, Timurid, Ottoman, and Indian elements, evolved under Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan into a grandiosity-symbolizing style that solidified authority and cultural legacy. Key monuments—Fatehpur Sikri (Akbar), Itimad-ud-daulah (Jahangir), and the Red Fort/Jama Masjid (Shah Jahan)—reflect this progression, with intricate marble inlay work, garden symbolism, and symmetry marking its zenith. The study analyzes construction timelines, materials, techniques, and master architects, revealing how Mughal architecture transcended religious functions to shape India's architectural landscape.

Makna Sumbu Imajiner Yogyakarta Dalam Perspektif Architecture Landscape

The Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta and its Historic Landmarks — 2025 — WHEBDD86916F4

Yogyakarta's Imaginary Axis, linking Mount Merapi, the Yogyakarta Palace, and the Southern Sea, embodies Javanese cosmological harmony, integrating humans, nature, and spirituality. This study reveals its profound significance in shaping urban space through landscape architecture, demonstrating visual, ecological, and philosophical connectivity that defines Yogyakarta's cultural identity. The research employs literature review, spatial analysis, and qualitative approaches to explore the axis's role in sustainable urban development, highlighting its potential as a model for future architectural and landscape design.

Mammoth Cave National Park: Paleontological resource inventory (public version)

Mammoth Cave National Park — 2025 — WHE81EB465E96

Mammoth Cave National Park harbors one of the most paleontologically significant and diverse fossil records within the U.S. National Park Service, spanning over 300 million years from the Mississippian to Quaternary periods. The park's cave system, formed in ancient marine carbonate rocks, preserves a rich array of fossils including cephalopods, cartilaginous fishes, and terrestrial organisms such as mastodons and saber-toothed cats, reflecting dramatic environmental shifts during the Ice Age. A comprehensive paleontological resource inventory, conducted from 2019 to 2025, documented the temporal and geospatial distribution of these non-renewable resources using field surveys, photogrammetry, specimen analysis, and archival research. This study establishes Mammoth Cave as a globally significant site for understanding paleoenvironmental changes and evolutionary history.

Management and conservation of ancient architectural heritage for sustainable tourism development: A case study of Chinese Assembly Halls in Hoi An (Quang Nam, Vietnam)

Hoi An Ancient Town — 2025 — WHE30B885C4D2

A comprehensive analysis of five Chinese assembly halls in Hoi An, Vietnamreveals their critical role in balancing cultural preservation and sustainable tourism. These structures, characterized by unique architectural features and deep historical significance, serve as both worship venues and major tourist attractions, generating substantial visitor statistics and revenue. However, the study identifies significant challenges threatening their integrity, including physical degradation, urbanization pressures, environmental factors like pollution and natural disasters, and commercialization risks that distort traditional practices. The research proposes integrated management strategies to ensure these assembly halls remain vibrant living heritage, contributing to Hoi An's sustainable development while preserving their cultural authenticity.

Manasseh’s Wall and Construction Operations on the Western Slope of the Southeastern Hill of Jerusalem

Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls — 2025 — WHE808BFAD59A

A massive terrace wall, long assumed to be part of Jerusalem's ancient fortifications, has been reinterpreted as the work of King Manasseh (2 Chron 33:14). Research suggests that this structure was built to stabilize the western slope of the Southeastern Hill after Hezekiah rerouted Jerusalem's water supply, enabling new construction on terraced land. The study argues that Nehemiah later repurposed these terraces as a defensive wall, leading the Chronicler to anachronistically describe Manasseh’s terrace as a city wall based on its later function. This finding sheds light on Jerusalem’s urban development and the evolution of its fortifications over centuries.

Mangrove Flora and Fauna in Sundarbans and Their Significance in a Global Perspective

Sundarbans National Park — 2025 — WHE5508B1DBF1

Sundarbans, the world's largest tidal mangrove ecosystem and a critical tiger habitat, faces severe threats from overexploitation, poaching, natural disasters, and climate change. A comprehensive study identifies 7,533 unique micro- and macro-lifeforms within its 9,630 km² area, marking it as an 'endangered' ecosystem under the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems framework. The research combines literature surveys with longitudinal field investigations using multistage purposive sampling, engaging professionals, NGOs, forest officials, and local communities. It highlights the urgent need for concerted management efforts to restore mangrove ecosystems and conserve biodiversity while addressing the impacts of agriculture, hydrological changes, pollution, and climate change on its transitional zones.

Mantle Upwelling Beneath the Hoh‐Xil Basin in the Northern Tibetan Plateau: Evidence From Seismic Anisotropy

Qinghai Hoh Xil — 2025 — WHEECCC99038A

New seismic anisotropy measurements reveal significant mantle upwelling beneath the Hoh‐Xil Basin, part of the northern Tibetan Plateau. The study identifies E-W-oriented shear wave splittings aligned with the plateau's absolute plate motion, with a peak delay time of ∼1.8 seconds in the northern Qiangtang and Songpan–Ganzi Terranes. This pattern, combined with post-collisional magmatism migration, suggests lithospheric delamination-driven mantle upwelling. In contrast, the southern portion shows ENE-WSW splitting directions, linked to Indian Plate subduction and poloidal flow, separated by a deep-seated relic terrane. These findings provide evidence for differential mantle flow beneath the Tibetan Plateau, offering insights into how continental subduction shapes orogenic deformation.

Manufacturing, Deterioration, and Conservation Techniques of Nefertum Bronze Statue from the Late Period Discovered in the Memphis Necropolis, Egypt.

Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur — 2025 — WHEE352B786D8

A bronze Nefertum statue from the late 26th dynasty, discovered in the Memphis Necropolis, reveals significant insights into its manufacturing, deterioration, and conservation. The statue, measuring 41 cm in height, exhibited severe corrosion products like cuprite and atacamite, along with quartz, micro-cracks, dirt, and calcifications. Advanced analyses using stereo microscopy, polarizing microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX), and X-ray diffraction identified these materials, providing a detailed understanding of the statue's composition and degradation. Conservation efforts involved mechanical and chemical cleaning, followed by the application of benzotriazole inhibitor and Paraloid B 82 for protection. The study highlights the effectiveness of these techniques in preserving such artifacts, contributing to the broader field of archaeological conservation.

Mapping Hidden Heritage: Self-supervised Pre-training for Archaeological Stone Wall Mapping in Historic Landscapes Using High-Resolution DEM Derivatives

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape — 2025 — WHEE5A793AE2F

A groundbreaking approach using self-supervised deep learning has achieved high accuracy in mapping dry-stone walls within the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The method, DINO-CV, leverages cross-view pre-training on high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) derived from airborne LiDAR data, effectively addressing challenges like vegetation occlusion and limited labeled training data. Achieving a mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) of 68.6% in test areas and maintaining 63.8% mIoU with just 10% labeled data, this framework demonstrates potential for large-scale, automated mapping of cultural heritage features. The approach not only advances archaeological documentation but also offers scalable solutions for environmental monitoring and heritage preservation in complex landscapes.

Mapping of Monodominant Gilbertiodendron dewevrei Forest Across the Western Congo Basin Using Sentinel-2 Imagery

Sangha Trinational — 2025 — WHE34536B6284

A novel approach using Sentinel-2 imagery successfully mapped monodominant Gilbertiodendron dewevrei forest within the Sangha Trinational, achieving 83% accuracy. This method distinguished G. dewevrei from spectrally similar mixed forests by leveraging spectral, vegetation, and textural indices, with gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) metrics proving critical due to the species' homogeneous canopy texture. The study demonstrates that freely available Sentinel-2 data can effectively classify distinct tropical forest types when combined with high-quality ground reference datasets, offering a promising tool for conservation monitoring in complex rainforest mosaics.

Mapping the Sacred Landscape: Spatial Representation and Narrative in Panoramic Maps of Mount Wutai and Mount Putuo

Mount Wutai — 2025 — WHE00946DD043

Panoramic maps (shengjing tu) of Mount Wutai and Mount Putuo, often preserved as woodblock prints, serve not merely as pilgrimage guides but as narrative-driven representations that emphasize sacredness over geographical accuracy. These maps prioritize significant monasteries and landscape features, integrating local legends and historical narratives to convey the spiritual essence of the sites. Unlike practical roadmaps, their primary function is to evoke a sense of reverence through artistic conventions, while their affordability via woodblock printing facilitated widespread dissemination, reinforcing the sacred significance of these Buddhist landscapes. The study reveals that these maps are folk landscape paintings shaped by religious beliefs and geomantic principles, offering an idealized spatial representation rather than strict realism.

Mapping the vegetation and spatial dynamics of Sinharaja tropical rain forest incorporating NASA’s GEDI spaceborne LiDAR data and multispectral satellite images

Sinharaja Forest Reserve — 2025 — WHE8DCC140720

A high-accuracy vegetation map of Sinharaja Forest Reserve, with 90% overall accuracy (Kappa coefficient 0.9), was developed by integrating NASA’s GEDI spaceborne LiDAR data and multispectral satellite imagery. This approach revealed eight distinct vegetation/land cover types and provided detailed insights into canopy height, plant area index, and volume density, enhancing our understanding of tropical forest dynamics. The study demonstrates that combining advanced remote sensing techniques with high-resolution data offers a robust framework for ecological characterization, conservation, and management strategies.

Markers of social differences in Tuscany from the 14thto the 20th century: The villa Medicea of Cafaggiolo(Barberino del Mugello, Florence)

Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany — 2025 — WHEBD7F171C88

A study of faunal remains from the Medici Villa of Cafaggiolo, Tuscany, reveals significant indicators of social differences in food consumption among high-status residents between the mid-18th and early 19th centuries. The analysis of 888 fragments, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and marine shells, shows that cattle, sheep/goat, and pig were primary meat sources, while the presence of young wild animals and marine fauna suggests access to rare, high-value foods. This pattern reflects the villa's role as a center for elite consumption during its ownership by the Medici, Lorraine, and Borghese families.

Material Properties of Lime Mortars Used in the Architectural Heritage of the Joseon Dynasty

Namhansanseong — 2025 — WHE1E40EDF363

Research reveals that lime mortars from three Joseon Dynasty sites—Munsusanseong Fortress, Namhansanseong Fortress, and Godeung-dong lime-barrier tomb—exhibit characteristics of Sammulhoe, a traditional mixture of lime, sand, and clay minerals. While primarily composed of air-setting lime, samples from Namhansanseong and Godeung-dong show minor hydraulic properties, likely due to dolomite inclusion. The study also confirms the presence of brick and tile particles (Waseol), aligning with historical records of Joseon-era construction techniques. To uncover these insights, scientists conducted comprehensive analyses, including physical property assessments, microscopy (optical and SEM-EDS), XRD, WD-XRF, and TGA, providing a scientific foundation for understanding traditional Korean architectural materials.

Materials on the Genealogy of the Hereditary Muslim Nobility of Derbent

Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of Derbent — 2025 — WHE068EB468D0

A previously unknown 18th-century Arabic manuscript, 'The List of Seyids of the City of Derbent,' reveals the structure and privileges of the hereditary Muslim nobility in Derbent during the late Khanate era. This rare document, alongside Russian archival records and other historical sources, demonstrates that the Descendants of the Prophet Muhammad (Seyids) in Derbent maintained distinct social status and economic benefits—such as revenue from ancient waqf endowments—under Dagestani Shi’ite khans. Unlike Kazikumukh sharifs, these Seyids faced attempts by outsiders to claim membership, a phenomenon resisted by local communities with the backing of khanate authority. The study provides new insights into the genealogy and social dynamics of this noble lineage during a pivotal period in Caucasian history.

Mattheus Cardoso et le Catéchisme kikongo de 1624

Mbanza Kongo, Vestiges of the Capital of the former Kingdom of Kongo — 2025 — WHEE883CAD38B

A long-overlooked Jesuit missionary, Mattheus Cardoso, emerges as a pivotal figure in the history of evangelization and linguistic documentation in the Kingdom of Kongo. His 1624 Catéchisme kikongo stands as the earliest surviving text in a Bantu language, offering invaluable insights into theological concepts and their transmission through subsequent Jesuit catéchismes. The study reconstructs Cardoso's life—from his birth in Lisbon (1584) to his exile from Luanda (1623)—and analyzes his role in securing royal approval for a Jesuit college in Mbanza Kongo, despite political turmoil during the Portuguese invasion of 1622. By comparing his work with later catéchismes, the research reveals the evolution of theological discourse in Kongo, underscoring its significance as a foundational text in both religious and linguistic history.

Meaning of the Construction of Gyeongbokgung Palace Garden Outside Sinmu-Gate – The Experience of Changdeokgung Palace and Heungseon Daewongun's Architectural Intention –

Changdeokgung Palace Complex — 2025 — WHEC25D2B7F04

A new analysis reveals that the garden construction outside Sinmu-Gate at Gyeongbokgung Palace, led by Heungseon Daewongun during its 18th-century reconstruction, was a deliberate architectural and political strategy to re-establish Joseon-era governance structures. The study demonstrates that this design choice, featuring administrative buildings like Yungmunjeong and Yungmujeong, mirrored the spatial organization of early Joseon palaces, reinforcing Confucian political ideals by physically separating civil and military institutions while maintaining symbolic continuity with traditional palace layouts. By integrating past examination sites such as Gyeongmudae into the garden's layout, the reconstruction aimed to revive historical governance models, blending functional utility with ideological symbolism.