Prehistoric Rootpaths in Costa Rica: Transportation and Communication in a Tropical Forest

Author(s): Thomas Sever

Year: 2016

Summary

The objective of this research is to understand human adaptation and survival in a tropical forest environment that was buried through time by six volcanic eruptions. Through the use of remote sensing and GIS technology an ancient footpath network has been discovered that connects villages, cemeteries, springs, and other cultural features upon a forested landscape. A combination of aerial and satellite data was used to locate archeological features invisible to the human eye. This information allowed us to document social integration and cultural development with quantitative information from a landscape perspective.

Cite this Record

Prehistoric Rootpaths in Costa Rica: Transportation and Communication in a Tropical Forest. Thomas Sever. Presented at The 81st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, Orlando, Florida. 2016 ( tDAR id: 403577)

Keywords

Geographic Keywords
Central America

Spatial Coverage

min long: -94.702; min lat: 6.665 ; max long: -76.685; max lat: 18.813 ;