Who Controls the Sky, Controls the Past: Space Archaeology and the Geopolitics of Discovery

By Aquila Bergstrom

Source: Sara Driscoll

For much of its history archaeology has depended on direct engagement with landscapes. Knowledge of the past was assembled through excavation, systematic survey, and the interpretation of artefacts and environmental traces encountered on the ground. Over the past two decades, however, the discipline has undergone a profound transformation. Advances in satellite observation technologies now allow archaeologists to analyse landscapes from orbit, identifying ancient settlements, irrigation systems, road networks, and environmental modifications without the need for immediate physical access to the sites themselves (Parcak 2019).

This technological shift has given rise to what is increasingly described as space archaeology, a field that integrates archaeological interpretation with satellite remote sensing and geospatial analysis. High resolution satellite imagery, often provided by commercial companies such as Maxar Technologies and Planet Labs, enables researchers to examine landscapes at scales that were previously unattainable through conventional survey methods. Subtle variations in vegetation growth, soil composition, and surface morphology can reveal buried structures invisible at ground level, allowing archaeologists to detect traces of past human activity across vast regions (Lasaponara and Masini 2012).

One of the most prominent figures associated with the development of this approach is archaeologist Sarah Parcak, whose work has demonstrated the potential of satellite analysis to identify archaeological sites across large areas of North Africa and the Middle East. Parcak’s research relies heavily on multispectral satellite imagery, which captures data across wavelengths of light extending beyond the visible spectrum. These datasets allow researchers to detect environmental anomalies created by buried archaeological features (Parcak 2009).

The implications of these methods for archaeological research are significant. Satellite analysis has revealed previously undocumented settlement networks, agricultural landscapes, and ancient road systems across regions that would otherwise require decades of ground-based survey to investigate. By analysing these datasets archaeologists are increasingly able to reconstruct patterns of settlement, mobility, and environmental adaptation at regional scales (Ur 2013).

Satellite observation has also become an important tool for heritage protection. In many parts of the world archaeologists are unable to conduct fieldwork due to armed conflict, political restrictions, or environmental hazards. Satellite imagery provides a means of monitoring archaeological landscapes under these conditions. By comparing images captured over time, researchers can detect evidence of looting, site destruction, and other forms of landscape disturbance (Casana 2015).

Yet the growing reliance on satellite technologies also introduces new questions concerning access, governance, and power. Access to high resolution imagery is frequently mediated through licensing agreements, corporate ownership structures, and regulatory restrictions. As a result, the ability to conduct satellite based archaeological research is often shaped by financial resources and geopolitical conditions that determine who can access these data (Hanson 2021).

The open dissemination of archaeological information presents an additional ethical dilemma. While sharing satellite data can support scientific collaboration, publicly revealing precise site locations may expose vulnerable landscapes to exploitation. Researchers have documented the rapid emergence of looting pits following the identification of previously unrecorded sites through remote sensing technologies (Parcak et al. 2016).

These dynamics reflect a broader challenge within contemporary heritage governance. Institutions such as UNESCO have long emphasised that cultural heritage represents a shared legacy of humanity. The archaeological landscapes that preserve the story of human civilisation belong not only to individual nations but to the broader global community (UNESCO World Heritage Convention 1972).

Looking ahead, emerging developments in artificial intelligence are likely to accelerate these transformations. Machine learning systems are already capable of analysing satellite imagery at continental scales, automatically identifying potential archaeological features across vast landscapes (Cowley 2020).

Ultimately, the future of archaeology may depend not only on methodological innovation but also on the institutional structures that regulate access to the technologies enabling such work. In this emerging landscape, the ability to rediscover and protect traces of the human past may be shaped as much by who controls access to the sky as by the archaeologists who study what lies beneath it.

---