Mapping the Internal Structure of Hopewell Tumuli in the Lower Illinois River Valley through Archaeological Geophysics

Herrmann, Jason T.; King, Jason; Buikstra, Jane E.

doi:10.7183/2326-3768.2.3.164

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 29 publications

(16 reference statements)

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“…Even in other cases, such as Cahokia or the Collins Mound site, where the characteristics of archaeological features make them more difficult to distinguish, aerial thermal data nonetheless can reveal features that are not evident in other geophysical or aerial data. Moreover, the fact that thermal imagery can now be collected very rapidly over large areas at relatively low cost means that it can quite easily be included in multisensor approaches to archaeological prospection (e.g., Gaffney et al 2012; Herrmann et al 2014; Kalaycı and Sarris 2016; Kvamme 2006a).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Archaeological Aerial Thermography in Theory and Practice

Casana¹,

Wiewel

Cool³

et al. 2017

Adv. archaeol. pract.

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Since the 1970s, archaeologists have known that thermal infrared images have the potential to reveal archaeological features ranging from buried architecture to concentrations of surface artifacts and cultural landscape elements such as roads, fields, or earthworks. Despite a long history of experimental research in archaeological aerial thermal imaging (e.g., Bellerby et al. 1990; Buck et al. 2003; Giardino ABSTRACTWhile a long history of experimental data shows that aerial thermal images can reveal a wide range of both surface and subsurface archaeological features, technological hurdles have largely prevented more widespread use of this promising prospecting method. However, recent advances in the sophistication of thermal cameras, the reliability of commercial drones, and the growing power of photogrammetric software packages are revolutionizing archaeologists' ability to collect, process, and analyze aerial thermal imagery. This paper provides an overview of the theory behind aerial thermography in archaeology, as well as a discussion of an emerging set of methods developed by the authors for undertaking successful surveys. Summarizing investigations at archaeological sites in North America, the Mediterranean, and the Near East, our results illustrate some contexts in which aerial thermography is very effective, as well as cases in which ground cover, soil composition, or the depth and character of archaeological features present challenges. In addition, we highlight novel approaches for filtering out noise caused by vegetation, as well as methods for improving feature visibility using radiometric thermal imagery.Si bien una larga historia de datos experimentales muestra que las imágenes térmicas aéreas pueden ser utilizadas para detectar una amplia gama de rasgos arqueológicos tanto superficiales como subsuperficiales, los obstáculos tecnológicos han en gran parte impedido la adopción generalizada de este prometedor método de prospección. Sin embargo, los recientes avances en la sofisticación de las cámaras térmicas, la fiabilidad de los drones comerciales y el creciente poder de los paquetes de software fotogramétricos han puesto al alcance de los arqueólogos la capacidad de recopilar, procesar y analizar imágenes térmicas aéreas. Este artículo ofrece una visión general de la teoría detrás de la aplicación de la termografía aérea en la arqueología, así como una discusión de un conjunto emergente de métodos desarrollados por los autores para llevar a cabo prospecciones remotas. Se resumen las investigaciones realizadas en sitios arqueológicos de Norteamérica, el Mediterráneo y el Cercano Oriente, cuyos resultados ilustran casos en los que la termografía aérea es muy eficaz, así como contextos en los que la cubierta vegetal, la composición del suelo o la profundidad y características específicas de los rasgos arqueológicos presentan desafíos. Destacamos nuevos avances para filtrar el "ruido" causado por la vegetación y métodos para mejorar la visibilidad de los rasgos arqueológicos utilizando imágenes térmi...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Archaeological Aerial Thermography in Theory and Practice

Casana¹,

Wiewel

Cool³

et al. 2017

Adv. archaeol. pract.

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“…Studies of Havana Hopewell Middle Woodland mound sites in the Illinois and Mississippi River valleys are no exception, employing geophysical survey primarily at extant rather than leveled earthworks. Magnetometry and other methods have discerned internal features of mounds at four sites in the lower Illinois River valley (Herrmann et al 2014; King et al 2017; McKinnon et al 2016). Likewise, McCullough's (2018) geophysical survey of the extant Nadine Mound Group (11HE69) on the Mississippi River bluffs in western Illinois detected central (presumably mortuary) features and possible accretional mound stages.…”

Section: Detecting Leveled Moundsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geophysical Detection and Assessment of Leveled Mounds: An Example from the Upper Mississippi Valley

Green

Wiewel²,

Vore³

2021

Am. Antiq.

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Most earthen burial mounds of eastern North America have been destroyed—or have they? We review geophysical methods for assessing whether leveled mounds retain intact deposits or features. Magnetic survey holds promise for locating and evaluating leveled mounds because it is rapid and sensitive to magnetic variations associated with anticipated features such as pits and deposits of mound fill. As a case study, we discuss our magnetic survey of the Gast Farm site (13LA12) in eastern Iowa. The survey covered 8.64 ha, encompassing loci of one previously reported mound and possible geometric earthworks as well as Middle and Late Woodland habitation areas. Interpretation of survey results incorporated quantitative differentiation of magnetic anomaly types using GIS techniques, along with standard visual inspection. We found no evidence of geometric earthworks but identified at least six leveled mounds. Displaced mound fill appears to account for the earthwork-like features. We conclude that leveled mounds are detectable and may retain subsurface integrity. Their associated features, including burials, may be identifiable even when above-ground evidence has disappeared.

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“…Importantly, they also have determined that, for at least one Crystal River's mounds, the earliest construction episodes are formally identical (albeit smaller) than later ones, suggesting a high degree of architectural planning. A combination of geophysical techniques has allowed for even more detailed interpretations of Middle Woodland mound and earthwork construction sequences in Illinois (Herrmann et al 2014) and Kentucky (Henry 2011;Henry et al 2014); there is every reason to think a similar approach would produce useful data at Middle Woodland sites in the Southeast.…”

Section: Mapping ''Invisible'' Architecturementioning

confidence: 99%

Local and “Global” Perspectives on the Middle Woodland Southeast

Wright

2016

J Archaeol Res

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During the Middle Woodland period, from 200 BC to AD 600, south-eastern societies erected monuments, interacted widely, and produced some of the most striking material culture of the pre-Columbian era, but these developments are often overshadowed by the contemporaneous florescence of Hopewell culture in Ohio. I argue that the demonstrable material links between the Middle Woodland Southeast and Midwest demand that we cease to analyze these regional archaeological records in isolation and adopt multiscalar perspectives on the social fields that emerged from and impacted local Middle Woodland societies. In synthesizing recent research on Middle Woodland settlement, monumentality, interaction, and social organization, I make explicit comparisons between the Middle Woodland Southeast and Ohio Hopewell, revealing both commonalities and contrasts. New methodological approaches in the Southeast, including geophysical survey techniques, Bayesian chronological modeling, and high-resolution provenance analyses, promise to further elucidate site-specific histories and intersite connectivity. By implementing theoretical frameworks that simultaneously consider these local and global dimensions of Middle Woodland sociality, we may establish the southeastern Middle Woodland period as an archaeological context capable of elucidating the deep history of the Eastern Woodlands as well as long-standing issues surrounding middle-range societies.

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Mapping the Internal Structure of Hopewell Tumuli in the Lower Illinois River Valley through Archaeological Geophysics

Cited by 13 publications

References 29 publications

Archaeological Aerial Thermography in Theory and Practice

Archaeological Aerial Thermography in Theory and Practice

Geophysical Detection and Assessment of Leveled Mounds: An Example from the Upper Mississippi Valley

Local and “Global” Perspectives on the Middle Woodland Southeast

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