Track: Ecology, Conservation, and Archaeology
Using GIS To Predict Prehistoric Site Locations: A Case Study in the Upper Chesapeake Bay
Konnie WescottJames Kuiper
Predictive mapping to locate unrecorded prehistoric archaeological sites using GIS is becoming increasingly popular among archaeologists. The technique uses knowledge of the environmental variables influencing activities of original inhabitants. This information is used to produce layers in a GIS that map the distribution of those variables. The set of GIS layers is then analyzed to locate new areas where combinations of environmental variables match patterns observed in known sites. This paper describes the analysis process in more detail and documents a study to map the potential occurrence of prehistoric sites in a largely unsurveyed area of 39,000 acres in the Upper Chesapeake Bay. The analysis was based on environmental data from over 500 known sites in other parts of the region. The study results corresponded well with known sites in the study area and can be used to more effectively plan field surveys.
Konnie Wescott
Argonne National Laboratory
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Argonne, IL 60439-4832
USA
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E-mail: wescott@anl.gov