The lowland Maya settlement landscape: Environmental LiDAR and ecology

Schroder, Whittaker; Murtha, Timothy; Golden, Charles; Hernández, Armando Anaya; Scherer, Andrew; Morell-Hart, Shanti; Zambrano, Angélica M. Almeyda; Broadbent, Eben N.; Brown, M. Kathryn

doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102543

Cited by 13 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 98 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Importantly, the demonstrated patterns of settlement and agriculture in the study area are not singular: the three neighboring kingdoms show dramatically contrasting patterns of urbanization, relationships between urban and hinterland settlement, and organization of agricultural production. Considered in the context of a growing body of airborne lidar data in southeastern Mesoamerica, the research results presented here further refine our understanding of the complexity and diversity of environmental conditions, settlement patterns, population densities, urban form, and land use among the precolonial Maya [7][8][9][10][11]. After an introduction to the study region, we present the results of our spatial analyses, followed by a synthetic discussion of the implications for understanding the Classic period Maya as well as the importance of this work for modern communities in the study area.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 54%

“…The analyses presented here build on a decade of research in the neotropics and elsewhere that have demonstrated the unprecedented ability of lidar to penetrate the often-dense jungle canopy, facilitating the identification of premodern architecture and anthropogenic landscape modifications through the production of 'bare earth' digital elevation models (DEMs) e.g., [7][8][9][10][11]22]; though for alternative terminology see [23,24]. We analyzed airborne lidar data collected in June 2019 by the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping (NCALM) using their three wavelengths (532, 1064, and 1550 nm) Titan MW LiDAR unit.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Airborne Lidar Survey, Density-Based Clustering, and Ancient Maya Settlement in the Upper Usumacinta River Region of Mexico and Guatemala

Golden

Scherer

Schroder³

et al. 2021

Remote Sensing

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We present results from the archaeological analysis of 331 km2 of high-resolution airborne lidar data collected in the Upper Usumacinta River basin of Mexico and Guatemala. Multiple visualizations of the DEM and multi-spectral data from four lidar transects crossing the Classic period (AD 350–900) Maya kingdoms centered on the sites of Piedras Negras, La Mar, and Lacanja Tzeltal permitted the identification of ancient settlement and associated features of agricultural infrastructure. HDBSCAN (hierarchical density-based clustering of applications with noise) cluster analysis was applied to the distribution of ancient structures to define urban, peri-urban, sub-urban, and rural settlement zones. Interpretations of these remotely sensed data are informed by decades of ground-based archaeological survey and excavations, as well as a rich historical record drawn from inscribed stone monuments. Our results demonstrate that these neighboring kingdoms in three adjacent valleys exhibit divergent patterns of structure clustering and low-density urbanism, distributions of agricultural infrastructure, and economic practices during the Classic period. Beyond meeting basic subsistence needs, agricultural production in multiple areas permitted surpluses likely for the purposes of tribute, taxation, and marketing. More broadly, this research highlights the strengths of HDBSCAN to the archaeological study of settlement distributions when compared to more commonly applied methods of density-based cluster analysis.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 54%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Airborne Lidar Survey, Density-Based Clustering, and Ancient Maya Settlement in the Upper Usumacinta River Region of Mexico and Guatemala

Golden

Scherer

Schroder³

et al. 2021

Remote Sensing

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Two other lidar datasets, both collected for forestry and ecology purposes, partially overlap our study area. In 2013, as part of its AMIGA-Carbproject, NASA use its G-LiHT sensor suite to fly three narrow transects that partially impinged on our study area [ 20 – 22 ]. About 21 km 2 extend beyond the limits of the NCALM dataset.…”

Section: Methods: the Lidar Datasetmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lidar survey of ancient Maya settlement in the Puuc region of Yucatan, Mexico

Ringle

Negrón

Ciau³

et al. 2021

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The application of lidar remote-sensing technology has revolutionized the practice of settlement and landscape archaeology, perhaps nowhere more so than in the Maya lowlands. This contribution presents a substantial lidar dataset from the Puuc region of Yucatan, Mexico, a cultural subregion of the ancient Maya and a distinct physiographic zone within the Yucatan peninsula. Despite the high density of known sites, no large site has been fully surveyed, and little is known about intersite demography. Lidar technology allows determination of settlement distribution for the first time, showing that population was elevated but nucleated, although without any evidence of defensive features. Population estimates suggest a region among the most densely settled within the Maya lowlands, though hinterland levels are modest. Lacking natural bodies of surface water, the ancient Puuc inhabitants relied upon various storage technologies, primarily chultuns (cisterns) and aguadas (natural or modified reservoirs for potable water). Both are visible in the lidar imagery, allowing calculation of aguada capacities by means of GIS software. The imagery also demonstrates an intensive and widespread stone working industry. Ovens visible in the imagery were probably used for the production of lime, used for construction purposes and perhaps also as a softening agent for maize. Quarries can also be discerned, including in some cases substantial portions of entire hills. With respect to agriculture, terrain classification permits identification of patches of prime cultivable land and calculation of their extents. Lidar imagery also provides the first unequivocal evidence for terracing in the Puuc, indeed in all northern Yucatan. Finally, several types of civic architecture and architectural complexes are visible, including four large acropolises probably dating to the Middle Formative period (700–450 B.C.). Later instances of civic architecture include numerous Early Puuc Civic Complexes, suggesting a common form of civic organization at the beginning of the Late Classic demographic surge, (A.D. 600–750).

show abstract

“…Similar surveys have been performed in Central and South America, as in the case of Kuelap (Perú), where a multifunctional complex was discovered next to a fortress [17,18] (p. 12). Moreover, the use of LiDAR in Mayan areas facilitated the analysis of the relationship between environmental, cultural, and archaeological variables, which enabled researchers to deduce factors such as population density [19] (p. 17).…”

Section: Lidar a Tool Tailored To The Inaccessibility Of The Terrainmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the former, by using this technology, the difficulties posed by the forest canopy were overcome, leading to the discovery and verification of a large amount of archaeological evidence, from a Gallo-Roman settlement to roads and quarry faces, which has rewritten the area's history [23] (pp. 14,19). A similar study was performed in Garonne, but with a major difference: instead of using a more expensive mode of transport, LiDAR was carried by a drone, which increases its economic accessibility.…”

Section: Lidar a Tool Tailored To The Inaccessibility Of The Terrainmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revealing Archaeological Sites under Mediterranean Forest Canopy Using LiDAR: El Viandar Castle (husum) in El Hoyo (Belmez-Córdoba, Spain)

Checa

Moreno-Escribano

Gasparini

et al. 2021

Drones

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Light detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology is a valuable tool for archaeological prospection in areas covered by dense vegetation. Its capacity to penetrate dense forest environments enables it to detect archaeological remains scattered over orographically complex areas. LiDAR-derived digital terrain models (DTMs) have made an exceptional contribution towards identifying topographic landscapes of archaeological interest. In this study, we focus on an area of intense historic settlement from the Chalcolithic to the Middle Ages, which today is completely covered by Mediterranean forest. Due to the dense canopy, and the fact that it is a protected area on private land, it has never been analyzed. To reveal the settlement, we primarily used a series of LiDAR mapping surveys to gather data and analyzed other open access remote sensing resources from the National Geographic Institute of Spain (IGN). The IGN LiDAR data proved to be of particular interest. These resources enabled us to detect an ancient fortress (El Viandar Castle) and its surrounding settlement. LiDAR, in conjunction with other products, was fundamental in identifying the site. Equally, the mapping surveys enabled us to analyze the limits and scope of the IGN airborne LiDAR and other free access remote sensing products. Our background in this research demonstrates that low-cost products applied to LiDAR research in archaeology have major limitations when it is necessary to have a high level of spatial resolution in order to define the layout and the main components of an archaeological site.

show abstract

The lowland Maya settlement landscape: Environmental LiDAR and ecology

Cited by 13 publications

References 98 publications

Airborne Lidar Survey, Density-Based Clustering, and Ancient Maya Settlement in the Upper Usumacinta River Region of Mexico and Guatemala

Airborne Lidar Survey, Density-Based Clustering, and Ancient Maya Settlement in the Upper Usumacinta River Region of Mexico and Guatemala

Lidar survey of ancient Maya settlement in the Puuc region of Yucatan, Mexico

Revealing Archaeological Sites under Mediterranean Forest Canopy Using LiDAR: El Viandar Castle (husum) in El Hoyo (Belmez-Córdoba, Spain)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About