GEOPHYSICS, GIS AND ARCHAEOLOGY: INSIGHTS INTO A PREHISTORIC CULTURAL AND NATURAL LANDSCAPE IN SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS

The value of geophysical remote sensing in archaeological applications is increasingly recognized as American archaeologists discover the utility and efficiency of these powerful tools in locating and analyzing subsurface features. Results from four geophysical technologies (electrical resistance, magnetometry, electromagnetic conductivity and magnetic susceptibility) are examined as they relate to the identification, location and excavation of prehistoric houses and other features associated with a Caddo ceremonial mound center in Southwest Arkansas. Seventeen geophysical anomalies have been interpreted as Caddo structures on the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Grandview Prairie property. To date, eleven have been confirmed through excavations. Three structures have been excavated completely revealing numerous artifacts, architectural features and intrasite details that add to the understanding of Caddo life ways 600 years ago. The research methodology integrates digital tools and datasets including a statewide database of archaeological sites, a geographic information system, precision surveying and mapping, ethnographic and archaeological research, and exploratory data analysis.