An Unexplored Realm in the Heartland of the Southern Gulf ... - Famsi

Surface Mapping and Terrain Modeling
The overall objectives for GPS and total station mapping of the topography and
terrain modeling at El Marquesillo were to: 1) provide horizontal and vertical control for
the site; 2) locate and bound surface features; and 3) collect data with attribute
information for merging in a Geographic Information System (GIS). In other words, the
collected accurate spatial data could be visualized in a variety of formats. One method is
terrain modeling, or the analysis of ground-surface relief and pattern through numerical
techniques (Moore et al. 1991; Price 1998). GIS technology enables terrain-modeling
results to be combined with other spatial and attribute datasets, such as tabular and
descriptive information, which can be linked in the GIS to real-world locational data
(Pike 1995). Using the plot by the ‘X, Y’ coordinate feature in the ESRI ArcMap 8.0 and
higher software, survey data from the Southern Gulf Lowlands can be collected,
processed, and presented in one integrated format for all surveys. Site locations can be
shown using the reported UTM or Latitude/Longitude coordinates that have been
processed and brought into the same coordinate system. The combination of spatial data
collected from multiple surveys can assist with understanding settlement pattern
development and changes across the landscape. Note that on several maps the specific
locational coordinates are not shown. This information has been intentionally omitted due
to the sensitivity of the site and the potential for misuse of these data. Readers who desire
further information regarding this matter may contact the author through the Department
of Anthropology at the University of South Florida.
The goals of the site-specific mapping portion of El Marquesillo’s project were to:
(1) understand the prehistoric site layout with respect to the landscape; (2) integrate the
119