Historical geographic information system

Historical geographic information system

A historical geographic information system (also written as historical GIS or HGIS) is a geographic information system that may display, store and analyze data of past geographies and track changes in time. It can be regarded as a subfield of historical geography and geographic information science.

GIS was originally developed for use in environmental sciences, military and for computer assisted cartography. The tools developed for these uses are ill suited for the features of historical data.

Techniques used in HGIS

* Digitization and georeferencing of historical maps. Old maps may contain valuable information about the past. By adding coordinates to such maps, they may be added as a feature layer to modern GIS data. This facilitates comparison of different map layers showing the geography at different times. The maps may be further enhanced by techniques such as rubbersheeting, which spatially warps the data to fit with more accurate modern maps.
* Reconstruction of past boundaries. By creating polygons of former administrative sub-divisions and borders, aggregate statistics can be compared though time.
* Georeferencing of historical microdata (such as census or parish records). This enables the use of spatial analysis to historical data.

Notable Historical GIS projects

* Great Britain Historical GIS, A GIS enabled database holding diverse geo-referenced maps, statistics, gazetteers and travel writing, especially for the period 1801-2001 covered by British censuses. Public access via the [http://www.VisionOfBritain.org.uk Vision of Britain] site. Created and maintained by Portsmouth University.
* China Historical GIS similar project for Imperial China developed by the universities of Harvard and Fudan, China.
* David Rumsey Historical Map Collection, one of the world's largest map collections, which has digitized and georeferenced a large part of its collection and published it on the internet.
* Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative (ECAI) a clearinghouse for the exchange of metadata of Historical GIS. Maintained by the University of California, Berkeley.
* HGIS Germany Institute of European History (Mainz) and Institute i3mainz at the University of Applied Sciences [ [http://www.hgis-germany.ieg-mainz.de HGIS Germany] (in German)]
* Belgian Historical GIS tracks the development of administrative boundaries in Belgium since 1800. Developed by the University of Ghent [Web site for the [http://www.flwi.ugent.be/hisgis/start_en.htm Belgian Historical GIS] ]
* The National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS) system for displaying and analyzing Census tracts and tract changes in the US.
* HistoAtlas is an open historical geographical information system that tries to build a free historical atlas of the world.

oftware or web services developed for Historical GIS

* TimeMap — A Java open-source applet (or program) for browsing spatial-temporal data and ECAI data sets [ [http://www.timemap.net Project homepage] ] Developed by the department of archaeology University of Sydney.
* Version 4+ of Google Earth added a time line feature that enables simple temporal browsing of spatial data [Announcement of the feature [http://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives/2006/09/google_earth_4_time.html at the Google Earth blog] ]

ee also

* GIS in archaeology

Literature

* Ian N. Gregory, Paul Ell: "Historical GIS: Technologies, Methodologies, and Scholarship" (Cambridge Studies in Historical Geography) 2008 ISBN: 978-0521671705
* Anne Kelly Knowles: "Past Time, Past Place: GIS for history" A collection of twelve case studies on the use of GIS in historical research and education. ESRI press 2002 ISBN 1589480325
* Anne Kelly Knowles, Amy Hillier eds.: "Placing History: How Maps, Spatial Data, and GIS Are Changing Historical Scholarship" 2008 ISBN 978-1589480131
* Ian N. Gregory: [http://hds.essex.ac.uk/g2gp/gis/index.asp "A place in History"] A short introduction to HGIS by the lead developers of GBHGIS ISSN 1463-5194
* Ott, T. and Swiaczny, F.: "Time-integrative GIS. Management and analysis of spatio-temporal data", 2001 Berlin / Heidelberg / New York: Springer ISBN 3540410163
* Feature edition of Historical GIS in the journal Social Science History 24 2000, Introduction by Anne Kelly Knowles.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.his-gis.net/ Gateway for Historical Geographical-Information-Systems (GIS) in history, for Historical Cartography and for Historical Geography]

* [http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/HISTORY-GIS.html History-GIS Mailing List]
* [http://groups.google.com/group/hgis Historical Geographic Information Systems Online Forum on Google]
* [http://www.szady.prv.pl Geohistory - Historical GIS] (in Polish)


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • National Historical Geographic Information System — The National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS) is a historical GIS project to create and freely disseminate a database incorporating all available aggregate census information for the United States between 1790 and 2000. The… …   Wikipedia

  • China Historical Geographic Information System — The China Historical Geographic Information System (CHGIS) is a Historical GIS project for creating a database of populated places and historical administrative units for the period of Chinese history between 222 BCE and 1911 CE. The project… …   Wikipedia

  • Geographic information system — GIS redirects here. For other uses, see GIS (disambiguation). A geographic information system, geographical information science, or geospatial information studies is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present… …   Wikipedia

  • Geographic information systems in China — Geographic information systems (GIS) are becoming an increasingly important component of business, healthcare, security, government, trade, media, transportation and tourism industries and operations in China and GIS software are playing an… …   Wikipedia

  • information system — Introduction       an integrated set of components for collecting, storing, processing, and communicating information (information science). Business firms, other organizations, and individuals in contemporary society rely on information systems… …   Universalium

  • Texas Natural Resources Information System — Infobox Company company name = TNRIS company company type = State Government foundation = Austin, Texas (1968) location = Austin, Texas, USA key people = Jim Scott, Director industry = Geographic Information Systems (GIS) products = Historical… …   Wikipedia

  • National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis — The National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA) was founded in 1988 and hosted at three member campuses: The University of California, Santa Barbara; the State University of New York at Buffalo; and the University of Maine.… …   Wikipedia

  • Great Britain Historical GIS — The Great Britain Historical GIS (or GBHGIS), is a spatially enabled database that documents and visualises the changing human geography of Great Britain, mainly over the 200 years since the first census in 1801. The project is currently based at …   Wikipedia

  • Outage management system — An Outage Management System (OMS) is a computer system used by operators of electric distribution systems to assist in restoration of power. Contents 1 Major Functions of an OMS 2 OMS Principles and Integration Requirements 3 OMS Benefits …   Wikipedia

  • Map Overlay and Statistical System — The Map Overlay and Statistical System (MOSS), is a GIS software technology. Development of MOSS began in late 1977 and was first deployed for use in 1979. MOSS represents a very early public domain, open source GIS development predating the… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”