Historical Maps Research Articles

Role of tidal range and coastline morphology on the evolution of two macrotidal sand spits

AbstractThe present study examines the stratigraphy of two sandspits that both appeared and developed since the middle of the 17th century during the Little Ice Age. The Arçay spit is located along the macrotidal Atlantic coast in South‐West France with a maximum tidal range of 6.5 m. The Pointe du Banc in the English Channel, North‐West France, is located in a hypertidal coastal setting with a tidal range of up to 14 m. The evolution of the two spit systems has been compared using historical maps, ground penetrating radar data and facies analysis and geochronological data from sediment cores. The Pointe du Banc spit developed between 1650 and 1750 CE, in a dominant seaward direction while the main mode of construction of the Arçay spit was in a longshore direction. It is proposed that this difference relates to sediment supply and coastline morphology. At the Pointe du Banc spit, the large tidal range causes a long wind fetch and sustained aeolian sediment supply. Moreover, the spit is located at the apex of a large‐scale embayment where sediment transport from north and south converges. Combined, these factors result in a positive sediment budget and seaward shoreline progradation. At the Arçay spit, high wave obliquity results in a large littoral drift and sustained longshore spit construction. At both locations, low gradient shorefaces may have favoured a net landward‐directed sediment flux that supply sand to the foreshore.

Monitoring of Channel Deformations of the Lower Dniester Using Topographic Maps and Satellite Imagery with the Implementation of GIS Technologies

Rivers are one of the most complex formations on the Earth’s surface; they are connected with the deep structure of the Earth, the landscape environment, and unpredictable weather cataclysms. The study aims to investigate the peculiarities of the geological structure and tectonics of the Lower Dniester region, examine the types of meanders, determine the horizontal displacements of the riverbed, and assess the impact of anthropogenic factors on the riverbed and riparian areas. The methodology is based on the use of tectonic maps, geological maps of Quaternary deposits, historical topographic maps, and satellite images to determine the long-term horizontal displacements of the riverbed, identify meander types, and study the meandering characteristics and their relationships with tectonic structures. Horizontal riverbed displacements were measured at 76 points using data from the 1980 map and a Sentinel-2 image obtained in 2020. For the purpose of studying the types of meanders and their analysis, it is proposed to use the characteristics of meanders and their relationships. This approach will allow for more efficient analysis and prediction of changes in channel processes under the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors across various temporal scales. The research shows that the Lower Dniester region is influenced by the tectonics of internal structures and the seismically active Vrancea zone in Romania. Additionally, a comparison of cartographic data from 1880 and 1980 and satellite images from 2020 allows us to assess how the territory of the Lower Dniester riparian area has changed under the influence of anthropogenic factors.

Automatic Detection and 3D Reconstruction of Buildings from Historical Maps

ABSTRACT This paper presents an automatic 3D building reconstruction methodology for historical urban maps. It uses facade and openings detection on the maps, followed by rectification, regularization, and 3D model generation techniques. Evaluation metrics confirm the effectiveness of the approach, with high accuracy in detecting facades and their openings while maintaining geometric integrity. The flexibility and interoperability of the chosen 3D building representation method allow for adjustments in dimensions without compromising layout, making it suitable for completing the urban environments where facades may not be directly visible. This methodology represents a significant step toward automating the reconstruction of 3D historical urban landscapes, contributing to heritage preservation and architectural understanding.

Mapping for connection, a life beyond mapping for control: lessons from ‘mapping-as-performance’ with Empatheatre in South Africa

This paper critically examines the intersections of Science, colonialism, and cartography in shaping perceptions of the ocean and its human-nature relationships. Drawing on Postcolonial Science and Technology Studies (PCSTS) and Decolonial Theory, it scrutinizes historical mapping practices, revealing how they perpetuated ontological hierarchies and controlled narratives of the ocean. Through archival research spanning from the Revolution to colonial exploration, the paper exposes how maps framed the ocean as a controllable entity, obscuring socio-cultural dimensions of biodiversity. Focusing on a case study in Northern Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, the authors explore an Empatheatre mapping process, that challenges Western ontologies and promotes counter-hegemonic cartographic practices. Situating this within critical cartography and PCSTS literature, the paper reveals how colonial projects molded perceptions of oceanic space and influenced environmental governance. In the South African context, the ocean is haunted by a violent history of racial exclusion and ecological exploitation. Initiatives like Operation Phakisa’s Blue Economy plan underscore the tension between economic growth and ecological sustainability, leading to rapid coastal developments. Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) emerges as a tool to reconcile these interests, yet its implementation raises questions about inclusivity and community participation. Introducing the Empatheatre method, characterized by a ‘Call and Response’ approach, the paper invites local communities to co-create maps reflecting their concerns and relationships with the ocean. Through attentive listening and collaborative storytelling, Empatheatre challenges traditional consultation methods, prioritizing meaningful engagement and collective meaning-making. Mapping in this context is not merely a static representation but a dynamic process of collective thinking and relationality. By foregrounding the social, cultural, and ecological context, Empatheatre’s approach redefines the mapmaker-map relationship and empowers communities as active agents in shaping their narratives. The transformative potential of Empatheatre lies in its ability to shift power dynamics and foster empathy between diverse stakeholders. Through performative storytelling and visual representations, Empatheatre creates space for marginalized voices and alternative modes of knowledge transmission. In conclusion, this paper advocates for a decolonial approach to oceanic cartographies that acknowledges diverse ontologies and fosters inclusive governance structures.

Enhancing left ventricular segmentation in echocardiography with a modified mixed attention mechanism in SegFormer architecture

Echocardiography is a key tool for the diagnosis of cardiac diseases, and accurate left ventricular (LV) segmentation in echocardiographic videos is crucial for the assessment of cardiac function. However, since semantic segmentation of video needs to take into account the temporal correlation between frames, this makes the task very challenging. This article introduces an innovative method that incorporates a modified mixed attention mechanism into the SegFormer architecture, enabling it to effectively grasp the temporal correlation present in video data. The proposed method processes each time series by encoding the image input into the encoder to obtain the current time feature map. This map, along with the historical time feature map, is then fed into a time-sensitive mixed attention mechanism type of convolution block attention module (TCBAM). Its output can serve as the historical time feature map for the subsequent sequence, and a combination of the current time feature map and historical time feature map for the current sequence. The processed feature map is then input into the Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) and subsequent networks to generate the final segmented image. Through extensive experiments conducted on two different datasets: Hamad Medical Corporation, Tampere University, and Qatar University (HMC-QU), Cardiac Acquisitions for Multi-structure Ultrasound Segmentation (CAMUS) and Sunnybrook Cardiac Data (SCD), achieving a Dice coefficient of 97.92 % on the SCD dataset and an F1 score of 0.9263 on the CAMUS dataset, outperforming all other models. This research provides a promising solution to the temporal modeling challenge in video semantic segmentation tasks using transformer-based models and points out a promising direction for future research in this field.

AU3-GAN: A Method for Extracting Roads from Historical Maps Based on an Attention Generative Adversarial Network

In recent years, the integration of deep learning technology based on convolutional neural networks with historical maps has made it possible to automatically extract roads from these maps, which is highly important for studying the evolution of transportation networks. However, the similarity between roads and other features (such as contours, water systems, and administrative boundaries) poses a significant challenge to the feature extraction capabilities of convolutional neural networks (CNN). Additionally, CNN require a large quantity of labelled data for training, which can be a complex issue for historical maps. To address these limitations, we propose a method for extracting roads from historical maps based on an attention generative adversarial network. This approach leverages the unique architecture and training methodology of the generative adversarial network to augment datasets by generating data that closely resembles real samples. Meanwhile, we introduce an attention mechanism to enhance UNet3 + and achieve accurate historical map road segmentation images. We validate our method using the Third Military Mapping Survey of Austria-Hungary and compare it with a typical U-shaped network. The experimental results show that our proposed method outperforms the direct use of the U-shaped network, achieving at least an 18.26% increase in F1 and a 7.62% increase in the MIoU, demonstrating its strong ability to extract roads from historical maps and provide a valuable reference for road extraction from other types of historical maps.

The role of historical cartography to evaluate the landscape evolution in the last two centuries: a case study in central Italy

The study of landscape evolution in areas characterised by long-term anthropic presence needs a multidisciplinary approach, including the investigation of historical cartography. This work highlights the effectiveness of coupling the old cadastres and land registers within a GIS platform to reconstruct a digitised land use map to be compared with present-time data. The method proposed here can be applied wherever historical maps are available. The case study, I am going to discuss, is in Central Italy (Rieti) and the Gregorian Cadastre of the Papal State (1819) is chosen to be georeferenced and vectorised. The quality-quantitative results depict a rural world with few remnants from the past, with significant landscape changes compared to modern data. These findings provide relevant information for planning processes, nature conservation, and land management.

Historical maps improve the identification of forests with potentially high conservation value

AbstractThe EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 aims to better protect natural ecosystems with high biodiversity and climate change mitigation potential. To achieve this goal, it is crucial to identify forests worth protecting, such as those characterized by long continuity and old age. Here, we propose a robust approach that combines historical maps from the mid‐19th century with remote sensing data to identify areas that have been forested for over 150 years, aiming to reduce the need for detailed and time‐consuming field investigations in potential conservation areas. We tested this approach in a 20,000 km2 region in the Polish Carpathians, an area likely containing many unprotected forests of high conservation value, where historical maps from the mid‐19th century are representative of much of Central Europe. Our results showed that an area of approximately 4200 km2 has been continuously forested since at least the mid‐19th century. Currently, 50% of these forests are outside protected areas, representing an important conservation opportunity. More generally, our approach can support the identification of valuable forests worth protecting before they are lost and provide useful insights for policymakers and stakeholders in the ongoing debate on the challenges of improving forest conservation in the Carpathians, and Europe more widely.

Analysis of Land Use Changes in the Sado Estuary (Portugal) from the 19th to the 21st Century, Based on Historical Maps, Fieldwork, and Remote Sensing

This study analyses land use changes in the Sado Estuary (West-Central Portugal) based on a multi-temporal analysis of 19th century cartographic data and 21st century remote sensing land use maps, updated by fieldwork. A GIS plot of land use evolution is summarized in a quantitative table. The comparison shows the changes in land use, with increasing occupation by human economic activities, including extensive agriculture and forestry, as well as localized urbanization and industrialization. The main elements of the landscape impacted by anthropogenic uses were (i) hydrography—river dams affected the flow dynamics and sedimentary processes in the estuary; (ii) vegetation—increasing agriculture and forestry reduced the area of native vegetation, which is now mostly occupied by vineyards, pine forests and cork oaks; (iii) wetlands—tidal and alluvial plains are being occupied by rice cultivation, aquaculture, industries, and ports; (iv) coastal dunes—new developments are occupying large areas of Holocene coastal dunes; and (v) natural environment—mining and dredging have affected some habitats and biodiversity. This analysis is intended to help the territorial organization of present and future economic activities, as well as to reduce environmental and social problems, thus promoting the long-term sustainability of this rapidly evolving region.

After effects of historical grassland on soil organic carbon content and plant growth in croplands in southern Germany determined using satellite data

Numerous studies have reported that grasslands harbor higher soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks compared with arable land; however, the relevant carbon dynamics and sink persistence remain unclear.Herein, arable fields characterized by historical grassland zones (h_GL; grassland use decades ago) and permanent arable land zones (h_CL) were examined. The h_GL zones were determined using historical maps. The change in land use from grassland to cropland occurred 30–50 years ago.In eight arable fields, SOC and total nitrogen (TN) stocks in the topsoil were analyzed at a high spatial resolution. Additionally, remote sensing via satellites was employed to determine the biomass yield at a high spatial resolution using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). In all the fields, the mean SOC content of the h_GL zones (1.81 %, n = 97 measuring points) was higher than the mean SOC content of the h_CL zones (1.52 %, n = 220). Furthermore, the mean relative NDVI was higher in the h_GL zones than in the h_CL zones. SOC and NDVI were positively correlated (up to r = 0.79), as well as TN and NDVI (up to r = 0.72). To evaluate the first dataset, zonal soil samples were collected from the h_GL and h_CL zones from 14 arable fields to determine the SOC and TN content. The mean SOC content of the h_GL zones was 1.92 % and that of the h_CL zones was 1.39 %—a difference of absolute SOC stocks in the topsoil of 23.8 t ha−1 (bulk density: 1.5 g cm−3).The work combines the knowledge of historical soil maps, remote sensing applications and georeferenced soil sampling and shows that SOC stocks in grassland have a high persistence and can have positive impact on yields even decades after a land use change. Historical land use proved to be a major factor for spatial SOC variability at the study site.

THE NARRATIVE IN T. KESKISARJA’S BOOK “THE WAR OF THE HATS”

The research is carried out within the framework of a narratological analysis, the material for which was T. Keskisarja’s military historical monograph “The War of the Hats.” Keskisarja’s work is a historical narrative with literary features. The narrative strategies implemented in the text are considered.The starting point of the research was the juxtaposition of historical and literary narratives, scientific and artistic styles. Keskisarja’s book is dedicated to the Russian-Swedish war of 1741–1743 (known as the War of the Hats), which Sweden began in the hope of regaining the territories lost during the Northern War (1700–1721).The scenes of the past are presented mainly through the decisions of military and civil courts, clergy records, various documents (letters, orders, petitions), historical maps. Keskisarja uses interpretation as the main tool for analyzing archival materials, which makes it possible to reason about human experience.The method used by Keskisarja to present archival data to the 21st-century reader through the prism of a novel with the features of a psychological analysis fully meets the needs of the present time. The fascinating manner of narration, combined with the historian’s professionalism gives the reader a completely adequate idea of the political situation in Europe and the tragic events of the 18th century.Keskisarja uses the expressive means of fiction, inserts a fictional, independent, third-party observer into the historical narrative — a “sentient being” who evaluates events and conducts a dialogue with the reader. Such features of the text under study as dialogicality, anthropocentricity, emotionality, and hybridity are noted. The details of the fates of real people give the narrative volume and expressiveness. The author of the monograph does not “invent” certain events of the described reality — he conjectures and interprets them, trying to discover their meaning, their connection with the past and the future.

대형언어모델(LLM)의 역사지리 지식과 AI 역사지도 제작 가능성의 모색

The purpose of this study is to analyze the current state of historical geographic knowledge of Large Language Model (LLM) and to explore whether it is possible to create AI historical maps using LLM historical geographic knowledge. First, I analyzed the answers to historical geographic queries by point, line, and area geometry type for OpenAPI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and Naver's ClovaX, which are major LLM-based GPT services, and estimated the causes of errors. Second, to explore the possibility of AI historical mapping, I created a map of Eupchi(邑治, administrative center) in Gyeonggi-do during the Joseon Dynasty. Then, I compared the current location information of the Eupchi provided by LLM with the results of the Eupchi restored by historical GIS for each county. The results showed that LLM is capable of answering a limited number of queries related to historical geographic information in Korea. However, various errors were found, the main reasons for which are, first, that the characteristics of geographic data are difficult to describe in text alone, and second, that the current LLM technology has limitations in handling historical geographic information consisting of multiple time layers, and third, there is a lack of publicly available historical geographic information. To improve these issues, I propose the construction of historical GIS (HGIS) layers on an ongoing basis and the knowledge expansion of LLM models through semantic data of historical geography.

ТАРИХИ КАРТАЛАРДАҒЫ АРАЛ ТЕҢІЗІ АКВАТОРИЯСЫНЫҢ ДИНАМИКАСЫ

The global environmental crisis of the Aral Sea has garnered the attention of researchers in recent decades, leading to an increase in studies on changes in the water area and its environmental impact. While most research on the Aral Sea focuses on the past fifty years, there is a lack of information on quantitative changes from its inception to becoming an environmental disaster. Our aim is to utilize historical maps to examine the Aral Sea's area in different years and trace its evolution before the environmental crisis. By reviewing scientific papers and maps using international search engines and electronic resources, we analyzed the area of the Aral Sea on historical maps with the ArсGIS 10.4.1 GIS program. The data from 1716 to 1967 reveals that the area was 10 320 km2 in 1716, expanding to 20 538 km2 in 1742 and reaching a peak of 71 009 km2 in 1848-1849. Subsequently, the area decreased slightly to 63 691 km2 by 1907 before rising again to 66 836 km2 by 1967. It is worth noting that pre-1848-1849 historical maps may have more inaccuracies due to limited scientific knowledge and mapping techniques.

6. Conclusion

The proposed development at Beaverbank Place, Canonmills, Edinburgh led to the excavation of the remains of the 19th-century Beaverbank Tannery. Accompanying historical research allowed the history of the ownership and tenancies of the buildings and various businesses to be traced from 1807 to 1959. This included the early 19th-century Clark’s Mill linen bleachers and the 1868 tannery built by the Johnston family and later leased by family firms of the Pringles and Walkers. A period of abandonment between 1913 and 1915 was followed by the repurposing of the building as a sawmill and cooperage. Part of the site changed again to become a motor garage in 1928. The remains can be matched well with historic map evidence and appear to relate predominantly to the late 19th-century tannery structures. Remains were found of approximately 100 tanning pits set out in a grid pattern, with further features related to drainage, paving and other structures. Very little environmental or artefactual evidence was recovered to shed light on specific practices, materials used or materials produced. There were also scant structural remains that could be related to the earlier linen bleachers and to the later motor garage.

8. References

The proposed development at Beaverbank Place, Canonmills, Edinburgh led to the excavation of the remains of the 19th-century Beaverbank Tannery. Accompanying historical research allowed the history of the ownership and tenancies of the buildings and various businesses to be traced from 1807 to 1959. This included the early 19th-century Clark’s Mill linen bleachers and the 1868 tannery built by the Johnston family and later leased by family firms of the Pringles and Walkers. A period of abandonment between 1913 and 1915 was followed by the repurposing of the building as a sawmill and cooperage. Part of the site changed again to become a motor garage in 1928. The remains can be matched well with historic map evidence and appear to relate predominantly to the late 19th-century tannery structures. Remains were found of approximately 100 tanning pits set out in a grid pattern, with further features related to drainage, paving and other structures. Very little environmental or artefactual evidence was recovered to shed light on specific practices, materials used or materials produced. There were also scant structural remains that could be related to the earlier linen bleachers and to the later motor garage.

7. Acknowledgements

The proposed development at Beaverbank Place, Canonmills, Edinburgh led to the excavation of the remains of the 19th-century Beaverbank Tannery. Accompanying historical research allowed the history of the ownership and tenancies of the buildings and various businesses to be traced from 1807 to 1959. This included the early 19th-century Clark’s Mill linen bleachers and the 1868 tannery built by the Johnston family and later leased by family firms of the Pringles and Walkers. A period of abandonment between 1913 and 1915 was followed by the repurposing of the building as a sawmill and cooperage. Part of the site changed again to become a motor garage in 1928. The remains can be matched well with historic map evidence and appear to relate predominantly to the late 19th-century tannery structures. Remains were found of approximately 100 tanning pits set out in a grid pattern, with further features related to drainage, paving and other structures. Very little environmental or artefactual evidence was recovered to shed light on specific practices, materials used or materials produced. There were also scant structural remains that could be related to the earlier linen bleachers and to the later motor garage.

The Manganari's Legacy: an atlas of the Black Sea, Drawn from Nature

This article delves into the historical and cartographic significance of the Manganari Atlas, a monumental work that marked a pivotal moment in the maritime cartography of the Black Sea during the nineteenth century. Originating from the Russian Empire's strategic desire to enhance navigation and assert its presence in the Black Sea, the atlas represents not only a technical achievement in mapping but also a cultural and political artifact of its time. Through a meticulous analysis of the atlas, this study highlights the challenges encountered in its creation, the technical innovations employed, and the political motivations driving its development. The atlas is examined not merely as a collection of maps but as a synthesis of the cultural, linguistic, and geopolitical landscape of the era, reflecting the Russian Empire's aspirations. The panoramic images by Kukharevsky are particularly noted for their potential to aid in coastal geomorphological studies and the reconstruction of various geographical landscapes. The article also addresses the necessity of understanding the technical aspects of cartography for accurate analysis and comparison of historical maps.

5. Discussion

The proposed development at Beaverbank Place, Canonmills, Edinburgh led to the excavation of the remains of the 19th-century Beaverbank Tannery. Accompanying historical research allowed the history of the ownership and tenancies of the buildings and various businesses to be traced from 1807 to 1959. This included the early 19th-century Clark’s Mill linen bleachers and the 1868 tannery built by the Johnston family and later leased by family firms of the Pringles and Walkers. A period of abandonment between 1913 and 1915 was followed by the repurposing of the building as a sawmill and cooperage. Part of the site changed again to become a motor garage in 1928. The remains can be matched well with historic map evidence and appear to relate predominantly to the late 19th-century tannery structures. Remains were found of approximately 100 tanning pits set out in a grid pattern, with further features related to drainage, paving and other structures. Very little environmental or artefactual evidence was recovered to shed light on specific practices, materials used or materials produced. There were also scant structural remains that could be related to the earlier linen bleachers and to the later motor garage.

Cowhides and motorcars

The proposed development at Beaverbank Place, Canonmills, Edinburgh led to the excavation of theremains of the 19th-century Beaverbank Tannery. Accompanying historical research allowed the history ofthe ownership and tenancies of the buildings and various businesses to be traced from 1807 to 1959. Thisincluded the early 19th-century Clark’s Mill linen bleachers and the 1868 tannery built by the Johnstonfamily and later leased by family firms of the Pringles and Walkers. A period of abandonment between1913 and 1915 was followed by the repurposing of the building as a sawmill and cooperage. Part of thesite changed again to become a motor garage in 1928. The remains can be matched well with historic map evidence and appear to relate predominantly to thelate 19th-century tannery structures. Remains were found of approximately 100 tanning pits set out in a gridpattern, with further features related to drainage, paving and other structures. Very little environmental orartefactual evidence was recovered to shed light on specific practices, materials used or materials produced. There were also scant structural remains that could be related to the earlier linen bleachers and to thelater motor garage.

3. Historical documentary evidence

The proposed development at Beaverbank Place, Canonmills, Edinburgh led to the excavation of the remains of the 19th-century Beaverbank Tannery. Accompanying historical research allowed the history of the ownership and tenancies of the buildings and various businesses to be traced from 1807 to 1959. This included the early 19th-century Clark’s Mill linen bleachers and the 1868 tannery built by the Johnston family and later leased by family firms of the Pringles and Walkers. A period of abandonment between 1913 and 1915 was followed by the repurposing of the building as a sawmill and cooperage. Part of the site changed again to become a motor garage in 1928. The remains can be matched well with historic map evidence and appear to relate predominantly to the late 19th-century tannery structures. Remains were found of approximately 100 tanning pits set out in a grid pattern, with further features related to drainage, paving and other structures. Very little environmental or artefactual evidence was recovered to shed light on specific practices, materials used or materials produced. There were also scant structural remains that could be related to the earlier linen bleachers and to the later motor garage.