Abstract: Areas of Huata, Coata and Paucarcolla are covered by amazing drawings. For these regions, Google Maps has enough high resolution to have a detailed survey. In the book, the reader can see a show of images obtained by enhancing the satellite imagery. Each image has coordinates and scale.
Abstract: Terraced hills, a network of earthworks, sometimes creating geoglyphs, and ancient ruins are the structures we can observe with the satellites imagery of Google Maps. After the previous publications on the earthworks and geoglyphs , let us survey specific area with more details. Here we show satellite imagery, enhanced with freely available image processing software, of the area near Sillustani, the peninsula of the Laguna Umayo, in Puno region of Peru. Besides Sillustani, interesting places are the Mesa Isla and Atuncalla.
Abstract: A network of ancient earthworks covers a large part of the land near the Titicaca Lake. The slopes of hills are criss-crossed with terrace walls and the surfaces of the plains covered with raised fields, indicating that this was once a highly productive agricultural place for the south central Andes. Using the Google Maps satellite imagery, we discover that some landforms are geoglyphs, with a clear symbolic function. Among them, there are animals, where ponds are their eyes.
Notes: Available also from http://www.lulu.com/product/a-copertina-morbida/geoglyphs-of-titicaca/12817110
Abstract: An image from the International Space Station shows the huge reservoir of the Merowe Dam. This image is recent, dating 5 October 2010. The dam is located near the Fourth Cataract of the river, in that part of Nubia desert where the river Nile is creating the Great Bend, a contorted path through the bedrocks of Bayuda Massif. The satellite imagery of Google Maps, which is few years old, shows the region during the building of the dam, with the Nile and river banks creating a fertile strip of land with many villages. In the Google images, it is possible to see the paleochannels of the Nile, hosting cultivated fields (we consider as "paleochannels" the old dry riverbeds)...
Abstract: BACKGROUND: This paper discusses an image-processing method applied to skin texture analysis. Considering that the characterisation of human skin texture is a task approached only recently by image processing, our goal is to lay out the benefits of this technique for quantitative evaluations of skin features and localisation of defects. METHODS: We propose a method based on a statistical approach to image pattern recognition. The results of our statistical calculations on the grey-tone distributions of the images are proposed in specific diagrams, the coherence length diagrams. RESULTS: Using the coherence length diagrams, we were able to determine grain size and anisotropy of skin textures. Maps showing the localisation of defects are also proposed. CONCLUSION: According to the chosen statistical parameters of grey-tone distribution, several procedures to defect detection can be proposed. Here, we follow a comparison of the local coherence lengths with their average values. More sophisticated procedures, suggested by clinical experience, can be used to improve the image processing.
Abstract: Interesting landforms created by an ancient network of earthworks are shown, using Google satellite imagery enhanced by an image processing. This network covers a large part of the land near the Titicaca Lake. Satellite images clearly display the slopes of hills criss-crossed with terrace walls and the surfaces of the plains covered with raised fields, indicating that this was once a highly productive agricultural place for the south central Andes. Some of the landforms are rather remarkable, having a clear symbolic function. Among them, there are structures which seem to represent birds, where ponds are their eyes.
Abstract: The paper proposes an ancient landscape design as an example of graphic design for an age and place where no written documents existed. It is created by a network of earthworks, which constitute the remains of an extensive ancient agricultural system. It can be seen by means of the Google satellite imagery on the Peruvian region near the Titicaca Lake, as a texture superimposed to the background landform. In this texture, many drawings (geoglyphs) can be observed.
Abstract: A sketch, found in one of Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks and covered by the written notes of this genius, has been recently restored. The restoration reveals a possible self-portrait of the artist, drawn when he was young. Here, we discuss the discovery of this self-portrait and the procedure used for restoration. Actually, this is a restoration performed on the digital image of the sketch, a procedure that can easily extended and applied to ancient documents for studies of art and palaeography.
Abstract: In the ancient Egypt seven goddesses, represented by seven cows, composed the celestial herd that provides the nourishment to her worshippers. This herd is observed in the sky as a group of stars, the Pleiades, close to Aldebaran, the main star in the Taurus constellation. For many ancient populations, Pleiades were relevant stars and their rising was marked as a special time of the year. In this paper, we will discuss the presence of these stars in ancient cultures. Moreover, we will report some results of archeoastronomy on the role for timekeeping of these stars, results which show that for hunter-gatherers at Palaeolithic times, they were linked to the seasonal cycles of aurochs.
Abstract: In this paper, we discuss the presence of symmetries in images engraved on ancient seals, in particular on stamp seals. Mainly used to secure the containers from tampering and for owner's identification, these objects appeared during the 5th millennium BC in Mesopotamia. Usually the seals were engraved with simple images, suitable to communicate an immediate information. Rotational symmetries are already displayed by the most ancient stamp seals, whose images reach a quasi-perfect symmetry in their small circular or ovoid spaces. Bilateral symmetries are quite common in Egyptian scarab seals.
Abstract: Several devices for substrate texture detection based on diffractive optics, for paper, textiles
and non-wovens have been proposed in the past for direct inspection during the production processes. In
spite of the presence of devices totally based on image processing, the use of diffractive optics cannot be
considered surpassed for many reasons. Compared with image processing procedures, it is less sensitive
to vibrations and does not suffer from the presence of ambient light. Based on transmitted light, it can
give information on changes in refractive indexes, thickness variation and surface conditions. We study
the use of optical Fourier spectrum to identify textures of polymer films. As the power spectrum reveals,
the texture is seldom homogeneous. Here we report investigation on several substrates and on thin ink
coatings on substrate. Role of bulk and surface conditions is analysed.
Abstract: In this paper, we discuss the presence of symmetries in images engraved on ancient seals, in particular on stamp seals. Mainly used to secure the containers from tampering and for owner's identification, these objects appeared during the 5th millennium BC in Mesopotamia. Usually the seals were engraved with simple images, suitable to communicate an immediate information. Rotational symmetries are already displayed by the most ancient stamp seals, whose images reach a quasi-perfect symmetry in their small circular or ovoid spaces. Bilateral symmetries are quite common in Egyptian scarab seals.
Abstract: Written words probably developed independently at least in three places: Egypt, Mesopotamia and Harappa. In these densely populated areas, signs, icons and symbols were eventually used to create a writing system. It is interesting to see how sometimes remote populations are using the same icons and symbols. Here, we discuss examples and some results obtained by researchers investigating the signs of Harappan civilization.
