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A new methodology for geoglyph research: Preliminary survey results and practical workflow from the Quilcapampa Geoglyph Survey (Sihuas Valley, Peru)

2016; Elsevier BV; Volume: 10; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.jasrep.2016.09.002

2352-4103

Peter Bikoulis, Felipe Gonzalez-Macqueen, Giles Spence-Morrow, Willy Yépez Álvarez, Stefanie Bautista, Justin Jennings,

Archaeology and ancient environmental studies

With the exception of the Nazca Lines, geoglyphs in the Andes have tended to be studied without regard to their position in the landscape. The objective of the Quilcapampa Geoglyph Survey is to better contextualize rock art by identifying and then mapping areas of high concentration of geoglyphs on the broad pampa surrounding the middle Sihuas Valley in southern Peru. This paper outlines our workflow that combines World View 2 satellite images, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photography, and pedestrian survey to rapidly assess a 250 km2 region. Aided by previous surface survey, the satellite imagery effectively located areas of high concentration of geoglyphs that could then be flown over by the UAV whose high resolution camera allows for the capture of features and details not readily identifiable via satellite. The documentation of Sihuas' geoglyphs aids both academic and conservation efforts in this region of Peru.