Preserving Cultural Heritage in the Digital Age: Sending Out an S.O.S.

brings attention to the magnitude of the frequently silent loss of cultural heritage occurring worldwide - and the even more insidious loss of knowledge - because of the lack of publication and preservation of original data, notes, plans and photographs of excavated archaeological sites. In late August 2015, international media outlets and cultural institutions reported that the Islamic State had beheaded the Syrian scholar Khaled al-Asaad and destroyed the 1st-century ce Temple of Bel in Palmyra, Syria. The world was horror-struck. Apart from the human tragedy, archaeologists and the international community were shocked by the wanton destruction of ancient remains that had survived for millennia. However, warfare and ideological destruction constitute just a fraction of the ongoing devastation of these traces of our forebears. Highlighting the growing sense of urgency to intervene in whatever way possible, this book provides readers with a non-technical overview of how archaeologists and other stakeholders are increasingly turning to digital methods to mitigate some of the threats to at-risk cultural heritage. This volume is a gateway to enhancing the scale and reach of capturing, analyzing, managing, curating, and disseminating cultural heritage knowledge in sustainable ways, and to promoting collaboration among scholars and stakeholder communities.