From the Empirical to the Conjectural: Using Spatial Analysis to Determine Population Settlement Patterns on the Uncharted Mesa Verde Landform

Summary

A consistent issue that arises in archaeological studies is the absence of a complete set of data on which to perform analyses. Data may be unavailable for a variety of reasons, but its absence often inhibits complete understanding of a population in a defined area. In southwestern Colorado, survey coverage on the Mesa Verde landform is limited to the extent of Mesa Verde National Park, and therefore settlement studies are limited to less than one third of the prominent landform. To fully understand the size and expanse of habitations that were present in this area, this case study extrapolates settlement information from the recorded to help understand the settlements that could possibly lie in what is unrecorded. Utilizing geospatial analyses, multiple dimensions of settlement choices, and overarching settlement patterns, this poster will present potential demographic and settlement characteristics from A.D. 600-1280; and further include potential placement of habitation sites and various types of public architecture that may exist beyond the boundaries of Mesa Verde National Park.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage