Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
labour sources influence transport pathways, so the location and size of
villages may have also contributed to route choice. Some routes
appear
possible but seasonal variations change their viability.
Floodplains, swamps and river positions could all change over millennia.
Using GIS, allowed us to establish a viable database of terrain features that
included signs of a feature's past position, as in the example of ox bow lakes or
lagoons. So it is possible to interpret past landscape features and take these
into account during the analysis process.
This investigation was a theoretical exercise using GIS technology as an
analytical and management research tool. It was limited as later comments will
highlight.
In modern times, hauling large stones over long distances would be a
mechanised process. Therefore our expectations of what was possible, in terms
of capability, time frames and commitment, could be vastly different from
those of prehistoric societies. With a limited archaeological record, our
database and GIS software, allows interpretative analyses and comparative
testing of potential scenarios to provide testable outcomes on the question of
land transport routes.
E
STABLISHING THE
D
ATABASE
1:250000 and 1:50000 survey maps were sourced to establish the database
comprising themes of contours, rivers, swamps, soil types and vegetation
(Figure 1). This data was combined with historical observations and
contemporary archaeological surveys of land features where possible.
Nevertheless these sources would not portray or indicate prehistoric terrain
conditions, while hydrology dynamics would change the position of swamps
and oxbow lakes on the floodplains. Such positional changes could not be
expected to materially affect analytical outcomes, as pathways would shift
marginally within the same area to suit these changes.
The management advantages of GIS database are well known (Longley et
al. 2001) but its application to the Olmec research should be explained. The
regional nature of the stone transport in Mesoamerica posed particular
elements for which GIS tools were well suited. Nevertheless considerable
scanning of hard copy maps and data processing was needed to form a
comprehensive geo-database. In the early stages of this process it was evident
that the resolution would determine interpretation quality required to generate
a usable terrain model. This necessity became a compromise between
