Applicability of scientific techniques of geodesis and geoinformation in archaeology: Gerga Kome sacred area and its surroundings

The applicability of geodesy and geoinformation scientific techniques in archaeology was evaluated through the example of geodesy and geoinformation studies conducted at the Gerga Kome Sacred Area, located in the Çine district of Aydın province in the present day. Based on the data obtained from the geodetic studies conducted at the Gerga Kome Sacred Area, three regions, namely the "North-South Sector," "East-West Sector," and "Sacred Area Central Region," along with the distribution of architectural structures/elements on the topography and their archaeological evaluations were discussed. The first part of the study reviewed and summarized previous scientific research related to our thesis topic. In this way, the findings and approaches previously obtained were taken into account to support the results of our study. The second part examined the origin of cartography and land development activities, along with the technical aspects and measurement tools employed in ancient urban planning, and the legal principles established for land development. The third part addressed the contributions of geodesy and geoinformation scientific techniques to the field of archaeology, including technological measurement instruments used today and examples of geodesy and geoinformation studies in archaeological sites. The fourth part analyzed the topographic features of the Gerga Kome Sacred Area and its surrounding terrain. The fifth part focused on the unique rural landscape arrangements of the Gerga Kome Sacred Area. Through the geodetic and geoinformational examinations conducted based on the topographic features of the Gerga Kome Sacred Area and the distribution and functionality of architectural structures/elements on the site, the aim was to identify the reasons behind the selection of this sacred area by people of the period and to determine the effects of local identity and beliefs on land development activities. In line with this approach, the architectural identity features and regional characteristics of the Gerga Kome Sacred Area, situated in a rural region, were revealed.