A Methodological Framework for Monitoring Burial Sites using Remote Sensing and Geostatistical Data Fusion Within the EXCALIBUR Project

This presentation introduces a methodological framework for monitoring burial sites through the integration of remote sensing, geospatial analysis, and geostatistical data fusion within the EXCALIBUR project. The framework focuses, among others, on the use of Earth Observation, UAV, satellite, sensor, and multi-source geospatial datasets to support the monitoring of environmental and anthropogenic threats affecting cultural heritage sites.

The presentation outlines the EXCALIBUR project’s broader mission to develop digital twin-based tools for the study, conservation, and management of cultural heritage, with particular emphasis on burial sites, tomb structures, artefacts, and human remains. It presents the project’s pilot contexts, including the Tombs of the Kings in Paphos, Cyprus, and the Tomb of the Egyptian in Sant’Antioco, Italy, and discusses risks such as soil erosion, coastal dynamics, ground movement, moisture variability, vegetation changes, urban encroachment, climate change impacts, and structural degradation.

The proposed workflow combines automated Python-based processing, time-series analysis, multi-year monitoring, and risk mapping to generate harmonised geospatial indicators for long-term monitoring and early warning. The outputs are intended to support risk assessment, digital twin development, decision-support systems, and sustainable cultural heritage management.

This presentation was prepared for the Twelfth International Conference on Remote Sensing and Geoinformation of the Environment, held on 27–29 April 2026 in Paphos, Cyprus.