Integrated Geophysical Surveys at Archaic and Formative Archaeological Sites in Tumbes, Peru

Summary

In this poster, we interpret data collected through nondestructive geophysical methods at the prehistoric sites of Santa Rosa and El Porvenir in the northern region of Tumbes, Peru. In late May and early June 2014, a program of integrated geophysical survey incorporating magnetometer and ground penetrating radar sought to identify subsurface archaeological features at the two sites. Previous excavations at these sites provided material data dating from 4750 BC and revealed architectural shifts and changes in settlement patterns in the Archaic and Formative periods. Geophysical mapping at Santa Rosa displays subsurface geological features and possibly, previously unknown anthropogenic features such as a circular structure similar to one found during excavations in 2007. El Porvenir, excavated in 2006, revealed an elliptical structure with a clay floor and hearth. Integrated survey at this site attempts to define features such as shell deposits, hearths, and floors. This integrated geophysical survey will aid future excavations at these prehistoric sites, furthering understanding of regional cultural variations during the Archaic and Formative periods in far northern Peru.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage