8 March 2026
The American Center of Research held a five-day workshop titled “Introduction to Geographic Information Systems for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage” from February 8 to 12, 2026 as a collaborative project between the ACOR and Global Digital Heritage (GDH). The workshop brought together nine participants—four heritage professionals from Syria’s Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM) and five from Jordan’s Department of Antiquities (DoA)—for an intensive introduction to geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial thinking in archaeological and cultural heritage contexts.
Co-led by Helen O’Brien, coordinator of the Archaeology Center Program at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona, and Matthew Vincent, project director at ACOR and scientific director with Global Digital Heritage, the workshop provided hands-on training in fundamental GIS concepts, spatial data collection and management, and the application of geospatial technologies to heritage documentation and site analysis. Participants worked through practical exercises using both desktop GIS software and field-based mobile applications, learning to create, analyze, and visualize spatial data relevant to their ongoing heritage projects.
The workshop emphasized critical thinking about how spatial relationships and geographic context inform archaeological interpretation and heritage management decisions. Through collaborative exercises and case studies drawn from regional archaeological sites, participants developed skills in digital mapping, spatial analysis, and data-driven approaches to understanding cultural landscapes.
