Damage on the Jicalán Viejo Complex by Land Use from 1970 to 2021: A Modern Mapping Assessment

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Technological Transitions in Prehispanic and Colonial Metallurgy: Recent and Ongoing Research at the Archaeological Site of Jicalán Viejo, in Central Michoacán, West Mexico" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In 2003, a field survey at the site of Jicalán Viejo was carried out, inspired by ethnohistorical interpretations of the Lienzo of Jicalán, also known as Lienzo de Jucutacato. One of this site’s most outstanding characteristics was the evidence of copper smelting, including slag deposits discarded as waste piles, remains of a ceremonial mound, and diverse lithic tools scattered on the surface. In terms of architectural structures, a colonial habitational site with well-preserved architectural remains was located. However, almost 20 years after that fieldwork, the site looks quite different, with discrete, barely visible wall foundations, fragments of copper slag dispersed by agricultural activities, and devastated remains of habitational structures. In 2021 a UAV photogrammetry survey calibrated with an RTK system was conducted. The processed results (a 3D point cloud, high-resolution models) were combined with the 2003 fieldwork data, a 1969 aerial photograph, and Google earth multitemporal satellite images. Detailed cartographical data have allowed us to reconstruct the 2003 scenery despite the systematic damage and draw a complete picture of ancient Jicalán’s landscape.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Technological Transitions in Prehispanic and Colonial Metallurgy: Recent and Ongoing Research at the Archaeological Site of Jicalán Viejo, in Central Michoacán, West Mexico   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 36539.0