Cut and Fill-adelphia: Measuring Topographic Change since the 19th Century in Philadelphia

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Urban Archaeology: Down by the Water" , at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Urban landscapes are some of the most intensely modified contexts in which archaeological sites are located. These modifications can dramatically impact the preservation of sites. Methodologically characterizing such changes allow archaeologists to strategically direct their efforts away from areas where disturbance has erased most changes to the archaeological record. One such methodology, a Cut and Fill analysis, measures the change in relative elevation over time; describing how much earth has been added or removed at a given locale. In Philadelphia, this methodology gives archaeologists the opportunity to more accurately and effectively plan field efforts. By arithmetically comparing a 19th-century contour drawing of central Philadelphia with a modern high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM), AECOM archaeologists have successfully modeled where historic surfaces have been buried or destroyed. When compared to buried surfaces previously identified archaeologically, these findings prove to be accurate.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2020   •
• Urban Archaeology: Down by the Water

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 463