APPLICATION OF DIGITAL HERITAGE DOCUMENTATION FOR CONDITION ASSESSMENTS AND MONITORING CHANGE IN UZBEKISTAN

Abstract. Cultural heritage is facing irreversible changes due to anthropogenic and natural impacts. Condition assessment is a holistic approach to analyse the historic buildings, structures or sites to record changes and understand their deterioration and causes. Detailed documentation is an essential first step for mapping the condition, analyse, give a diagnosis and propose conservation measures. However, not all the time the appropriate documentation is available or recorded towards this means, making difficult a proper assessment. This paper presents a review of digital documentation tools supporting a systematic assessment of the condition and changes of historic structures. The application aerial and close-range photogrammetry and panoramic photography is illustrated using two case studies within the World Heritage properties in the Central Asia region, Itchan Kala and the Historic Centre of Bukhara in Uzbekistan.