Boulders, outcrops, caves: a proposed method for documentation of cultural landscape features demonstrated in San Diego County, California

Summary

Ubiquitous cultural features such as mortars, basins and slicks on rock outcrops, boulders, and cave floors attest to the long history of human use of landscape features. Although widely noted, methods for systematic investigation of such features lag behind well-developed study protocols for other archaeological material categories. Answers to questions such as how cultural landscape features were manufactured, how they were used, and how they were incorporated into the spatial organization of sites remain speculative. Even accurate documentation of such features is rare; this, along with terminological issues, hinders intersite comparison and regional synthesis. As a first step in addressing the situation, we recently piloted a new methodology for the efficient and precise documentation of cultural landscape features at two sites in San Diego County, California. In this paper, we describe steps in the creation of a high-resolution model of each site, of specific rock outcrops or boulders within each site, and of individual cultural features by using Structure from Motion photogrammetry. Use of a handheld microscope camera improves discrimination between culturally-modified and natural stone surfaces, as well as providing a basis for suggesting wear mechanisms. We present preliminary comparisons between the two sites and some possible interpretations.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Bedrock features (mortars, slicks and grooves): Documentation, analysis and interpretation

Keywords

Spatial Coverage