From compass to LiDAR: 40 years of mapping the Tarascan cities of the Malpaís of Zacapu, Northwestern Mexico.

Summary

Since their discovery in the late XIXth century, the large prehispanic urban settlements located close to the modern town of Zacapu (State of Michoacán, Mexico) have confronted the archaeologists to a great challenge: mapping, and understanding 200 hectares of dense and well preserved urban features founded on the Malpaís of Zacapu (a complex formed by ancient lava flows). Interpreted as premises of the Tarascan State (occupation 1250-1450 AD), these cities constitute an unprecedented regional urban transition.

In 1983, more systematic archaeological surveys and excavations were initiated at the region, starting 30 years of mapping method applications and tests aiming to assess this important archaeological data.

After 30 years of fieldwork, the Malpaís of Zacapu sector has been covered by a full high-resolution LiDAR map that opened various analysis opportunities, and archaeological record confirmation or correction.

In this presentation we aim to reconstruct the evolution of mapping methodologies used between 1983 and 2015, and present the advances of the LiDAR data analysis conducted since 2015. The case of Malpaís Prieto, one of the most important agglomerated settlements on the Malpaís terrain will be presented as a case-study.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

Keywords

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 15758