Boots on the Ground: Survey in the Maya Forest

Our last three Lab Notes show how large, medium-sized, and even some smaller structures can be clearly seen in the El Pilar LiDAR images. Recognizing ancient Maya structures from the air and finding them on the ground are two different tasks, however, as we learned from survey in different areas of the Reserve. One complicating factor, which we might tend to forget while looking at crisp LiDAR survey images, is the density of the forest that surrounds the site. Here is what you would see if you ventured into low-lying seasonal wetlands northeast of central El Pilar:

 

What you are looking at is a GPS waypoint, marked by flagging tape on a conveniently located tree. Even in relatively open areas like this one, visibility was limited to a few meters around you in every direction. We cut lines through the forest, anchored by GPS waypoints, to create a survey grid, and then we scoured the areas between the paths for signs of ancient Maya occupation.

 

Our survey teams consisted of two archaeologists and two or three workmen, but we were rarely all in the same place at the same time. The photo above shows a team on a survey line before heading off into a grid square. We split up to cover as much ground as possible and only regrouped to clear and map any mounds that we discovered.

 

Small, low mounds were difficult to recognize in the forest - in fact, you're looking at one now. The red-and-black backpack near the center of the photo is sitting on the highest point of this mound, and surveyor Walter Padilla is standing at its base. This mound was less than a meter high and barely visible beneath the debris from surrounding trees, and its LiDAR signature was ambiguous at best. We don't know why the ancient Maya built this structure and others like it in the low-lying area northeast of El Pilar, and our current project is aimed at addressing this sort of question. With a more complete survey and more detailed architectural maps, we will be able to build better models of how the ancient Maya interacted with the environment around their city centers.