Authors

A. F. Chase; D. Z. Chase; J. J. Awe; J. F. Weishampel; G. Iannone; H. Moyes; J. Yaeger; K. Brown; R. L. Shrestha; W. E. Carter;J. F. Diaz

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

Remote Sens.

Keywords

LiDAR; Maya archaeology; landscape archaeology; settlement patterns; AIRBORNE LIDAR; ARCHAEOLOGICAL LANDSCAPE; POLITICAL-ORGANIZATION; CLASSIC MAYA; CARACOL; EXCAVATIONS; VEGETATION; GUATEMALA; ORIGINS; FORM; Remote Sensing

Abstract

During April and May 2013, a total of 1057 km(2) of LiDAR was flown by NCALM for a consortium of archaeologists working in West-central Belize, making this the largest surveyed area within the Mayan lowlands. Encompassing the Belize Valley and the Vaca Plateau, West-central Belize is one of the most actively researched parts of the Maya lowlands; however, until this effort, no comprehensive survey connecting all settlement had been conducted. Archaeological projects have investigated at least 18 different sites within this region. Thus, a large body of archaeological research provides both the temporal and spatial parameters for the varied ancient Maya centers that once occupied this area; importantly, these data can be used to help interpret the collected LiDAR data. The goal of the 2013 LiDAR campaign was to gain information on the distribution of ancient Maya settlement and sites on the landscape and, particularly, to determine how the landscape was used between known centers. The data that were acquired through the 2013 LiDAR campaign have significance for interpreting both the composition and limits of ancient Maya political units. This paper presents the initial results of these new data and suggests a developmental model for ancient Maya polities.

Journal Title

Remote Sensing

Volume

6

Issue/Number

9

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

8671

Last Page

8695

WOS Identifier

WOS:000343093800034

ISSN

2072-4292

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