Mapping Africa’s Endangered Archaeological Sites and Monuments (MAEASaM) project
Origins Centre is growing and adding a research component to its wing.
The Mapping Africa’s Endangered Archaeological Sites and Monuments (MAEASaM) project aims to undertake systematic analysis of the state of heritage sites through the interpretation of satellite and aerial images in conjunction with regional maps and archival databases.
In the first phase the project will focus on eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa. These are Mali, Senegal, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Botswana. The Origins Centre in collaboration with partners in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Uppsala will coordinate the digitising and synthesis of information for southern Africa.
The MAEASaM project is a partnership between eight academic institutions, with the University of Cambridge serving as the lead and coordinating institution. The collaborating partners are L’Institut Fondamental d’Afrique Noir (IFAN), Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar; the British Institute in Eastern Africa, Nairobi; the Institute of Archaeology, UCL, UK; the Department of Archaeology, University of York; the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter; and the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, Uppsala University; and the Origins Centre, Wits University.
The project works in partnership with national custodians and universities in the eight countries where
it operates. MAEASaM is funded by Arcadia - a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin.