Cultural Resource Protection in Iowa Using Hand-Held LiDAR Technology

Summary

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

A primary focus of cultural resource protection in Iowa is on prehistorically constructed burial mounds and other earthworks that are important to Native communities, past and present. This involves monitoring the condition of these earthworks and considering all potential impacts given their location and landowner maintenance strategies. This poster summarizes an example of the application of hand-held light detecting and ranging (LiDAR) technology to our preservation efforts. The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Office of Location and Environment and the University of Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist conducted a LiDAR survey of previously recorded site 13WA28, which consists of four Woodland-period conical mounds. The data showed subtleties in mound form resulting from construction and environmental impacts not readily visible to the naked eye. Mound size and shape can be more accurately quantified with three-dimensional data as opposed to the traditional method of measuring mound diameter and height. LiDAR survey data allows for evaluation of subtle changes over time with a high degree of accuracy, and can also detect more subtle mounds that would otherwise be missed using other traditional assessments. Future earthwork studies should use this technology to improve our understanding of change over time and our stewardship practices.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

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

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 23540