Advances and changes in the surveying and mapping of Guatemalan archaeology aided by new information technologies

Summary

Guatemalan archaeology is benefiting from new technologies for the monitoring and measurement of spatial information. Traditionally, archaeologists have relied on specialists in mapping and surveying to record spatial data and use it as the basis for the study of distribution of cultural traits. However, advances in mapping technology which allow non-specialists to collect multiple data points in shorter amounts of time is greatly aiding archaeologists working at sites in Guatemala. Other advances include the introduction of the new information technology, which provide users with free software, geographic navigation programs, and tutorials. Likewise, access to base maps in analogue and digital format have been improved, which in terms of accuracy, are presented in a local projection supported by a relatively new geodetic network. Institutions and projects that conduct archaeological research are increasingly using such technologies, with individual users being non-specialists or local specialized archaeologists. In this paper, I discuss the use of some of these new technologies by archaeologists working at specific sites in Guatemala, as well as the impact this technology is having on our interpretations of architecture and landscapes in the past.

SAA 2015 abstracts made available in tDAR courtesy of the Society for American Archaeology and Center for Digital Antiquity Collaborative Program to improve digital data in archaeology. If you are the author of this presentation you may upload your paper, poster, presentation, or associated data (up to 3 files/30MB) for free. Please visit http://www.tdar.org/SAA2015 for instructions and more information.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Ancient Architecture and Spatial Technology: A Global Perspective

Keywords

Spatial Coverage