Cache Cave in Context: 3D Scanning Complex Cave Environments for Mapping and In-Situ Documentation of Artifacts

Summary

The spatial documentation at Cache Cave entailed the mapping of the cave’s interconnecting passages and shelters, its taphonomic environment, and the archaeology present at the site. Due to its complex formation and small spaces, the overall cave structure could not be recorded by more traditional mapping methods. Through the use of three-dimensional (3D) scanning during the Spring and Summer of 2014, a multi-scalar, high resolution approach was used to capture both the interior structure and depositional environment of the cave and map artefacts both in context and in-situ. Scanning, therefore, took place during excavation to document archaeological assemblages and artifacts as they were uncovered. This paper discusses field methodology and procedures for scanning Cache Cave and its archaeology and outlines future analyses beyond simple 3D visualization. One of the main goals of the scanning project is to use the outputs to provide a more accurate, visual context for post-excavation analyses to inform research elsewhere. Finally, the data will provide the opportunity for in-depth spatial analysis to aid in the investigation of the archaeological remains, both in context and in-situ, to provide clues to Cache Cave’s relevance to hunter-gatherer storage, use of space, and complexity.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Cache Cave in Context: Unveiling New Discoveries in South Central California

Keywords

Spatial Coverage