Satellite-derived vegetation indices used in archaeological research

Over the past 50 years, various satellite missions have collected and provided data about our planet. Since the late 1980s, this data has also been used for archaeological research. The idea has emerged that archaeology can successfully use not only data from the visible spectrum but also from the infrared, NIR, and by combining data from several spectral channels. Thus, the application of vegetation and soil indices in archaeological studies gradually began. This report aims to present the possibilities for using vegetation indices in archaeological research generated from different satellite platforms. Several limitations in the use of vegetation indices for archaeological purposes are also noted, as well as some approaches to overcoming them. The study was conducted by searching for scientific publications with relevant keywords in established academic journals in databases such as ScienceDirect, Scopus, WoS, MDPI, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar. The analysis is based on information extracted from scientific literature presenting the achievements of various researchers in this field. Many of the studies are still experimental, aiming to refine the methodology for applying vegetation indices in archaeology. The main vegetation indices that have found application at this stage for identifying different archaeological structures are presented. The main satellite platforms used to generate the vegetation indices applied in archaeological research are also listed. This publication may be useful for future work in this direction. In a broader sense, it contributes to improving knowledge transfer within interdisciplinary research.