A REMOTE SENSING (RS) APPROACH USING NORMALIZED DIFFERENCE VEGETATION INDEX AND NORMALIZED DIFFERENCE WATER INDEX (NDVI & NDWI) FOR MAPPING THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL LANDSCAPE OF LORALAI DISTRICT, BALOCHISTAN

Abstract

The remote sensing imagery of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDVI & NDWI), and field explorations has given a richer understanding of the archaeological landscape of the Loralai district in Balochistan, Pakistan. A systematic survey was conducted by the first author in 2020, 2021, and 2022, examining a 379 sq. km area around Borai and Mekhtar tehsils over three weeks, which yielded 27 archaeological sites. The current location of archaeological sites does not necessarily represent their original environmental context, as landscapes and river systems shifted in proto-historic times. Generally, the remotely sensed data revealed that most archaeological sites are currently associated with water sources and arable land areas. The exact understanding of the archaeological landscape can be gained via geoarchaeological and palaeoenvironmental studies.