Sarah Parcak

Sarah H. Parcak

Parcak in 2014
Born Bangor, Maine U.S.
Occupation Assistant Professor, Archaeologist, Egyptologist, Space Archaeologist
Spouse(s) Greg Mumford[1]

Sarah Helen Parcak (born Bangor, Maine), assistant professor of Anthropology and Director of the Laboratory for Global Observation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is an American archaeologist, space archaeologist,[2] and Egyptologist, who uses satellite imaging to identify potential archaeological sites in Egypt and Rome. In partnership with her husband, Dr. Greg Mumford, she directs Survey and Excavation Projects in the Fayoum, Sinai, and Egypt's East Delta.

Education

Parcak received her Bachelor's degree in Egyptology and Archaeological Studies from Yale University in 2001 and her Ph.D. from Cambridge University. She is an assistant professor of Anthropology in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB); prior to that she was a teacher of Egyptian art and history at the University of Wales, Swansea.[3][4]

Career

From 2003 to 2004, Parcak used a combination of satellite imaging analysis and surface surveys to detect 132 prospective sites of archaeological interest, some dating back to 3,000 B.C.[5]

In partnership with her husband, Dr. Greg Mumford, she directs Survey and Excavation Projects in the Fayoum, Sinai, and Egypt's East Delta. They have used several types of satellite imagery to look for water sources and possible archaeological sites.[1][5] According to Parcak, this approach reduces the time and cost for determining archaeological sites compared to surface detection.[6]

In 2007 she founded the Laboratory for Global Health Observation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.[1][7]

Documentaries

In May 2011 the BBC aired a documentary, Egypt's Lost Cities, describing BBC sponsored research carried out by Parcak's UAB team for over a year using infra-red satellite imaging from commercial and NASA satellites.[8] The programme discussed the research and showed Parcak in Egypt looking for physical evidence. The UAB team announced that they had discovered 17 pyramids, more than 1,000 tombs and 3,000 ancient settlements outside Sa el-Hagar, Egypt.[2] The Minister of State for Antiquities, Zahi Hawass, commented that the sites had not yet been checked and verified by his Ministry.[9]

In May 2012 she was the subject of a half-hour program on CNN's The Next List which profiles innovators, visionaries, and agents of change from around the world who are mapping the course to the future with their ideas.[10][11]

She was the focus of "Rome's Lost Empire", a TV documentary by Dan Snow, first shown on BBC Four on 31 December 2013. She prospectively identified several significant sites including the arena at Portus, the lighthouse and a canal to Rome beside the river Tiber.[12]

Publications

In spring 2009 her book Satellite Remote Sensing for Archaeology was published by Routledge, describing the methodology of satellite archaeology.[1] A review in Antiquity described it as focusing "more on technical methodology than interpretation and analysis," described Parcak's work as, "written in a lively style that makes a highly technical subject accessible to a general audience," and concluded that it was "a good introduction for undergraduate students of archaeology, anthropology and geography."[13]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 UNESCO History, 2 Nov 2013, Dr. Sarah Parcak and Gregory Mumford visit HIST
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cronin, Frances (May 25, 2011). "Egyptian pyramids found by infra-red satellite images". BBC News(Bbc.co.uk). Retrieved December 10, 2012. Dr Sarah Parcak Space Archaeologist
  3. ↑ From the UNLV Department of Art website
  4. ↑ Hawass, Zahi. "BBC Satellite Project". Zahi Hawass.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "University of Alabama at Birmingham Media Relations". Main.uab.edu. April 23, 2007. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Survey and Excavation Projects in Egypt website". Deltasinai.com. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  7. ↑ [pdf. The Laboratory for Global Health Observation]
  8. ↑ "Egypt's Lost Cities". BBC One(Bbc.co.uk). June 3, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  9. ↑ Hawass, Zahi. "The BBC Satellite Project". Zahi Hawass.
  10. ↑ Alex WePrin (7 October 2011). "CNN Planning New Weekend Program, The Next List". TV Newser.
  11. ↑ "This week on 'The Next List': a space archaeologist". CNN. May 22, 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  12. ↑ BBC 4, 31 December 2013, Rome's Lost Empire
  13. ↑ Donoghue, Daniel Review of SARAH H. PARCAK. "Satellite remote sensing for archaeology", Antiquity, Volume 084 Issue 325 September 2010

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sarah Parcak.