New Methods of Mound Detection in the Maya Lowlands: UAV Survey and Settlement Mapping at Altar de Sacrificios, Petén, Guatemala

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2019: General Sessions" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Over the last decade, the use of lidar has dramatically changed our understanding of the size and extent of ancient settlements in the Maya lowlands. This technology, however, has yielded equivocal results in secondary-forest growth and recently deforested environments. In these settings, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveys facilitate a more effective and efficient methodology for generating high-resolution imagery to identify archaeological and geomorphological features of interest as well as monitor site destruction. In this poster, we present the results of recent UAV surveys conducted in a 20 km2 study area surrounding the site of Altar de Sacrificios in southwest Petén, Guatemala. Results from the survey and total station mapping have documented extensive low-density settlement dispersed along the Pasión Salinas, and Usumacinta rivers far beyond previous estimates of the city’s size. The high-resolution digital elevation model generated from these images also captures geomorphological features that help us interpret the relationship between the ancient settlement and relic river courses. Lastly, we also use multitemporal images to quantify deforestation over the last five decades and mound erosion due to recent mechanized plowing. This presentation addresses the implications of these results and highlights the application of regional UAV survey methodology in the Maya lowlands.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 24002