Abstract:

A geographical information system (GIS) is more than a sophisticated software
program; it is a powerful tool that can be used effectively in geocultural landscape research. Geocultural landscape researchers analyze the historical content of a present landscape and its landscape evolution over time; they strive to reconstruct historical states of a landscape, using different sources, methods and techniques developed in various disciplines such as archaeology, geography, history, planning sciences as well as in related auxiliary sciences. The general interest of this study is the application of geoinformation technology in the geocultural landscape research.
The introductory chapter overviews different functions of a GIS and demonstrates its role in a geocultural landscape analysis. The differences between methodology, science and GIS as a tool are presented, specifically dealing with research issues with a time and space component, as well as their representation in a computer-based system. The chapter concludes with a summary of research issues that may concern the interdisciplinary teams of both landscape researchers and geoinformation scientists.