Iraq is a country of great cultural significance as it is where civilization first began. As a result of its lengthy occupation, it is virtually one large archaeological site. In spite of numerous warnings to the governments of both the United States and the United Kingdom, no efforts were made to protect the Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad when the American-led coalition unlawfully invaded Iraq. Indeed, orders were given not to interfere with the looting. During the occupation that followed, the United States failed to take steps to protect Iraqi cultural property. In terms of international law, it was obliged to protect Iraq’s cultural property. The United States also chose to exacerbate its unlawful conduct by occupying archaeological sites and damaging them further by illegal construction. As a result many significant sites have been irreparably damaged or destroyed. Their conduct was the result of complete indifference to the Iraqi cultural heritage. Although their actions render them iin breach of international law, it is unlikely that the United States will ever be prosecuted for its actions. / Old Testament & Ancient Near Eastern Studies / M.A. (Ancient Near Eastern Studies)

Iraq is a country of great cultural significance as it is where civilization first began. As a result of its lengthy occupation, it is virtually one large archaeological site. In spite of numerous warnings to the governments of both the United States and the United Kingdom, no efforts were made to protect the Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad when the American-led coalition unlawfully invaded Iraq. Indeed, orders were given not to interfere with the looting. During the occupation that followed, the United States failed to take steps to protect Iraqi cultural property. In terms of international law, it was obliged to protect Iraq’s cultural property. The United States also chose to exacerbate its unlawful conduct by occupying archaeological sites and damaging them further by illegal construction. As a result many significant sites have been irreparably damaged or destroyed. Their conduct was the result of complete indifference to the Iraqi cultural heritage. Although their actions render them iin breach of international law, it is unlikely that the United States will ever be prosecuted for its actions. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M.A. (Ancient Near Eastern Studies)

This diploma thesis inquires into the quality of the soils at 30 archaeological sites from the periods from Late Bronze Age to Early Bronze Age (1 250 - 450 BC). The aim of the thesis is to prove the dependence of the ratio of the cultivated cereals on the soil and other environmental factors in various regions. The secondary aim is the general observation of the changes, which could appear from this period until now. These changes are represented by the erosion, researched by various methods. The overview of the literature aims to the short description of the archaeological sources from the period, various approaches to the soil evaluation until present as well as information about the soil erosion and tools for its research. The conclusion of the thesis is that the ratio of the cultivated cereals depends mostly on the sea level, secondly on other environmental factors (included the soil quality). The results of the thesis are influenced by number of factors, discussed in the conclusion Keywords: soil quality, cereals, archaeological sites, perimeter of kilometre, soil erosion, late bronze age, early iron age

Comprehending the role that formation processes play in the constitution of an archaeological site is fundamental for a more precise interpretation of the data collected in it. Concerning shipwreck sites, such processes possess certain peculiarities which must be taken into account in the archaeological research. However, that subject is not sufficiently developed in the literature, especially in Brazil. Hence, the present work aims at discussing principles that should be considered when studying archaeological formation processes which influence shipwreck sites. To this end, a bibliographical review is conducted, firstly with a general approach and, after that, addressing the processes that act specifically at shipwreck sites. This bibliographical review brings together several works about archaeological formation processes at shipwreck sites and lays down a foundation for the next chapters. Subsequently, an analysis of three case studies is performed. In this analysis, aspects such as the research goals, the comprehensiveness of the depositional periods which are addressed and which types of processes (natural and cultural) are considered. Such analysis, led us to conclude that the authors do not entirely exploit the potential that the investigation of archaeological formation processes of shipwreck sites offer when interpreting of the material culture. With the intention of offering elements to assist researches of that field, we propose a model for the study of formation processes of shipwreck sites. Initially, we present a division of the wreckage process in eight phases. In this division are included processes that act in the pre-deposition, deposition and post-deposition, as well as natural and cultural processes. Finally, we discuss principles that should be included in the study of formation processes of archaeological sites. These principles follow the same stages of which a research typically consists: planning, data collection, data analysis and publication of the results. / A compreensão do papel que os processos de formação desempenham na constituição de um sítio arqueológico é fundamental para uma interpretação mais precisa de dados nele coletados. Em se tratando de sítios de naufrágio, há algumas particularidades na forma em que tais processos atuam, as quais devem ser levadas em consideração nas pesquisas arqueológicas. Contudo, esse é um tema pouco explorado na literatura, principalmente no Brasil. Desta forma, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo discutir princípios que devem ser considerados em um estudo de processos de formação de sítios arqueológicos de naufrágio. Para tanto, faz-se uma revisão bibliográfica sobre o tema, inicialmente em um âmbito mais geral, e, na sequência, são abordados os processos que atuam especificamente nos sítios de naufrágio. Essa revisão bibliográfica reúne diversos trabalhos sobre a formação de sítios arqueológicos de naufrágio e serve como base para os capítulos seguintes. Em seguida é feita uma análise de três estudos realizados sobre processos de formação de sítios de naufrágio. Nessa análise, levam-se em conta aspectos como os objetivos da pesquisa, a abrangência dos períodos deposicionais abordados e os tipos de processos (naturais e culturais). A partir dela, constatou-se que seus autores não exploraram com totalidade o potencial que a investigação sobre formação de sítios de naufrágio oferece para a interpretação da cultura material. Com o intuito de oferecer elementos que auxiliem pesquisadores da área, propomos um modelo para o estudo dos processos de formação em sítios de naufrágio. Numa primeira parte fazemos uma divisão do processo de naufrágio em oito fases. Nessa divisão estão incluídos processos que atuam na pré-deposição, deposição e pós-deposição, assim como processos de origem natural e cultural. Por fim, são apresentados princípios que devem ser incluídos ao se estudar a formação de um sítio arqueológico de naufrágio. Esses princípios seguem a mesma divisão das etapas de uma pesquisa: planejamento, coleta de dados, análise dos dados e publicação dos resultados.

South Africa contains many archaeological resources including shell middens from the Middle Stone Age (MSA) and Later Stone Age (LSA). These shell middens give researchers insight into the behaviour of modern humans where the first fossil evidence appears in Africa around 200 000 years ago (Klein, 2008). Research into shell middens is therefore vital to understand the origin of human kind. This study investigates whether Geographical Information Systems (GIS) is a useful tool for predicting locations of unknown shell midden sites using the characteristics of known areas of modern human habitation. This was done using suitability analysis and expert mapping techniques. Ground truthing of the results of the desktop analysis revealed that GIS is not a useful tool for predicting sites of modern habitation as the characteristics that determine human habitation are too variable.

This study uses the predictive modeling program Sea-Levels Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) to evaluate sea-level rise hazards, such as erosion and inundation, on coastal archaeological sites with a vertical rise of sea level of .98 meters from 2006 to 2100. In total 177 archaeological site locations were collected and georeferenced over GIS outputs maps of wetlands, erosion presence, surface elevation, and accretion. Wetlands data can provide useful information about characteristics of the wetland classes, which make a difference in the ability for coastal archaeological sites to combat sea level rise. Additionally, the study evaluated predicted erosion of archaeological sites by presence or absence of active erosion on a cell-by-cell basis. Elevation map outputs relative to mean tide level allowed for a calculation of individual archaeological site datums to use NOAA tidal databases to identify the potential for their inundation. Accretion maps acquired from the SLAMM run determined the potential for the archaeological site locations to combat rising sea levels and potentially provide protection from wave effects. Results show that the most significant hazard predicted to affect coastal archaeological sites is inundation. Approximately 54% of the total archaeological sites are predicted to be inundated at least half the time by 2100. The hazard of erosion, meanwhile, is expected to affect 33% of all archaeological sites by the end of the century. Although difficult to predict, the study assumes that accretion will not be able to keep pace with sea-level rise. Such findings of hazards prove that SLAMM is a useful tool for predicting potential effects of sea-level rise on coastal archaeological sites. With its ability to customize and as it is complementary, it provides itself not only an economical choice but also one that is adaptable to many scenarios.

Η παρούσα μεταπτυχιακή διατριβή έχει ως στόχο τη διερεύνηση ζητημάτων διατήρησης και ανάδειξης πολιτιστικών αγαθών, καθώς και το θέμα της ένταξής τους στον σύγχρονο τρόπο ζωής. Έτσι, διαρθρώνεται σε τρία μέρη. Το πρώτο αφορά στο θεσμικό πλαίσιο, κάτω από το οποίο λαμβάνουν χώρα οι όποιες προσπάθειες στο ζήτημα της διαφύλαξης, αλλά και σε θεωρητικές ή τεχνικές προσεγγίσεις και παράγοντες που σχετίζονται με την ανάδειξη. Το δεύτερο μέρος εκθέτει την πολεοδομική και ιστορική εξέλιξη του χώρου της Πάτρας, εντοπίζοντας την περισσότερο πάσχουσα και υποβαθμισμένη περιοχή στο κέντρο της πόλης, τον ενδιάμεσο χώρο της Άνω και της Κάτω πόλης, ενώ στο τρίτο μέρος γίνεται προσπάθεια υλοποίησης σε μορφή σχεδιαστικών προτάσεων, στην συγκεκριμένη περιοχή, όλων εκείνων των πορισμάτων που διεξήχθησαν από το πρώτο μέρος. / The present postgraduate thesis aims at the investigation of maintenance and distinction of cultural goods, as well as the subject of integration in the modern way of life. Thus, it is structured in three parts. First part concerns in the institutional frame, which has to do with the subjects of safeguarding, but also in theoretical or technical approaches and factors that are related with the distinction. In the second part is exposed the urban and historical development of Patras. It is also located the region in the centre of city which suffers and is downgraded the most, and for this thesis will be called as the intermediary space of Upper and Down city of Patras, while in the third part takes place an effort of effectuation of a scheme, considered all the conclusions that were carried out by the first part, by design proposals, for the particular region.