This talk explores how modern digital technologies, including remote sensing and advanced geospatial tools, are transforming the documentation and analysis of complex archaeological and historical landscapes. As part of the Central Asian Archaeological Landscapes (CAAL) Project, a collaborative initiative involving UCL researchers, regional heritage institutions, and supported by the Arcadia Fund, the speaker’s work focuses on creating a comprehensive, multilingual, and open-access digital database. This resource integrates archival materials with high-resolution mapping to support research, heritage management, and community engagement.

Rather than presenting findings alone, the talk emphasizes the processes, challenges, and lessons learned in building a sustainable and usable digital baseline for cultural heritage. Key themes include inclusivity in representing monuments and voices, the role of mapping in conveying cultural landscapes, and the critical assessment of large-scale digitization efforts. The lecture will also address broader questions of decolonization, Indigenous agency, and co-creation of knowledge, while considering the implications for long-term sustainability, policy, and public engagement.

Prof. Gai Jorayev

Prof. Gai Jorayev is a cultural heritage management specialist with a strong background in digital humanities and cultural tourism. He studied and worked at UCL, where he coordinated postgraduate degree programmes in archaeological site management and cultural heritage until 2024. He is currently based at the Macao University of Tourism (UTM). Gai has extensive experience in large-scale heritage mapping and inventories, as well as in GIS, aerial photography, digital modelling, and analytics. He has worked extensively to support heritage documentation and management in emergency contexts, including conflicts. He also engages with humanity’s more recent heritage, and currently serves as President of the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Aerospace Heritage.