Placing Objects in Time Placing Objects in Time and Space Via A and Space Via A

Landscape ApproachLandscape Approach

Archaeological Survey and Archaeological Survey and SamplingSampling

Jun Ueno Sunseri, UCSC, 2005

Topics to CoverTopics to Cover

• What we are looking for ?– Archaeological sites, landscapes, and

regions

• How do we find them?– Survey and sampling

• Processing what we’ve found: tools and approaches– GIS applications, syntheses, interpolations

WhatWhat are we looking for? are we looking for?• Sites: places

with archaeologically discernible human behavior– Large sites:

dense concentrations of artifacts, architecture, activity areas

WhatWhat are we looking for? are we looking for?• Sites: places with

archaeologically discernible human behavior– Small sites:

perhaps one clear activity or maybe ONLY occur away from big sites (mines, cemetaries, fields, etc.)

WhatWhat are we looking for? are we looking for?• Landscapes:

natural and cultural - ”canvas” for spatial patterning– Ritual

Landscapes: Indigenous knowledge systems

WhatWhat are we looking for? are we looking for?• Landscapes:

natural and cultural - ”canvas” for spatial patterning– Ethnic

Landscapes: Intersections of resources, cultures, and politics

WhatWhat are we looking for? are we looking for?• Landscapes:

natural and cultural - ”canvas” for spatial patterning– Settlement

ecology: culturally-constructed product of peoples’ lives in the environment

WhatWhat are we looking for? are we looking for?

• Culturally -constructed regions– the relation of sites

to each other (networks)

– Relations to the environment (clay sourcing)

– Multiple cultures on the landscape

• Frontiers• Routes

HowHow do we find them? do we find them?

• Survey : attempt to create more complete picture of human behavior in 2D– Remote sensing: aerial photography,

satellites, etc. – Surface inspections: on foot, by vehicle, by

boat – Non-invasive technologies: Ground

penetrating radar, magnetic interferometer, etc.

Archaeological SurveyArchaeological Survey

• Remote sensing– Aerial Photography

(Early example: Charles Lindbergh)

– More recently, satellite imagery

• NASA databases• decommisioned military

images:800,000 Cold War CORONA images) [e.g. Tell Brak, Syria]

Archaeological SurveyArchaeological Survey• Surface

inspections: on foot, by vehicle, by boat – Ground truth

of some remote sensing

– Design for maximum use of human and time resources

Archaeological SurveyArchaeological Survey

• Non-invasive technologies: Ground penetrating radar, magnetic interferometer, etc.– reduces excavation and

increases happiness with some communities

– saves time and money on sampling (sometimes)

SamplingSampling

• Getting part of a region or site with time and money constraints

• Systematic: space sample units evenly – squares, transects, etc.

• Random: gain representative sample of large areas– based on probability theory

SamplingSampling• Selective: research or community specific

ProcessingProcessing What We Find: GIS What We Find: GIS

• Interpolation: data about “non sites” and the “scatter between”

• Synthesis: various analyses (faunal, ceramic, lithic) can be integrated into a multi-dimensional understanding of a site/region/era

• Multiple scales of utilization for an analytical tool: regional, site sized, bones

• GIS as an analytical tool for landscape research– Geomorphology,

salvage archaeology, and placita-level landscape analysis

• GIS as an analytical tool for landscape research– Valley level

analysis of agricultural patterns related to different settlement groupings

Request for LoanersRequest for Loaners

• El Rito, NM – summer Anth 3 course• Diversity of students/goals of project• Rio Arriba economics

Would you please consider giving or loaning your course texts and reader to El Rito students for the summer? I will assume responsibility for the safe return of loaner materials.

BREAK TIMEBREAK TIMEThank you!