3D Geophysical Imaging
of Early Maya
Paleoenvironments at Los Naranjos, Honduras
Tiffany Tchakirides
Cornell University, Department of
Earth
and Atmospheric Sciences
Ithaca, NY
The
core of my study is to use geophysics to reconstruct the topographic and
geographic environment at the Early Maya site of Los Naranjos, Honduras at the
time of occupation and to map modifications to that configuration over time.
Geophysical methods have proven to be effective in supporting archaeology in
numerous locations, but their application to studies in the Maya world has been
limited to date. New insight on the influence of environment (especially
paleoterrain) on cultural exploitation can be gained. Three-dimensional
Ground-Penetrating Radar data will be systematically collected over key portions
of the site, calibrated by targeted excavations to establish stratigraphic
control and identification of artifacts. GPR will be augmented by further
magnetometry surveys to help identify subsurface structures. Selected high
resolution seismic surveys will be carried out to identify stratigraphy and
geological structure (faults) at depths too great for GPR. The relatively novel
element of this research, at least in archaeology, is the “horizon slice”, an
extraction of all of the reflected signals that correspond to the same
geological or anthropological stratum, regardless of its geometry in space. By
extracting reflection amplitude and horizon geometry, one can construct a 3D
rendering of a particular surface, along with a representation of physical
variations within that surface. At a site like Los Naranjos, simple time or
depth
slices are unlikely to convey the lateral changes in surface properties or
usage; horizon slicing is needed to sort out the nature and usage of various
stratal surfaces across space and through time.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90060©2006 AAPG Foundation Grants-in-Aid