The Presidio de San Carlos and Lafora’s 1771 Model: A Case Study in Combining Historical Documents, Archaeological Data, and Digital 3D Mapping

Summary

This is a poster submission presented at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The rediscovery of a model plan by the Spanish military engineer Nicolás de Lafora for the building of presidio fortifications provides an important link between the Regulations of 1772 and presidios built after that date. The plan is the only known document that presents a visual representation of the new Spanish design for fortifications in the region and was issued to presidio captains with the regulations, providing the first attempt to standardize presidio architecture in the Interior Provinces of New Spain. This poster will present a GIS model that combines the historical document, digital mapping techniques including LiDAR and 3D modeling, and the results of recent archaeological investigations at Presidio de San Carlos, in the present state of Chihuahua, Mexico to understand how Lafora’s plan was modified to fit a specific location. The poster will also showcase how these mapping techniques can assist in the archaeological interpretation of post-1772 presidios.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2023   •
• 2023 SHA Poster Submissions

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow