Addressing the problem of disappearing cultural landscapes in archaeological research using multi-scalar survey

Abstract

Climate change and anthropogenic activities are actively destroying the archaeological record. The dramatic disappearance of archaeological landscapes becomes particularly problematic when they are also unrecorded. Hidden from view and eroding, these disappearing landscapes likely hold answers to important anthropological questions. As such, disappearing landscapes present a major challenge for twenty-first century archaeology. Left unchecked, this phenomenon will increase the severity of bias in our knowledge of the past. In this paper we use a case study from Pinckney Island in the American Southeast to illustrate how the problem of hidden and disappearing landscapes can be addressed through multi-scalar surveys. Specifically, by combining aerial LiDAR, pedestrian survey, and micro-artifact approaches, the identification of hidden and disappearing cultural materials (including permanent settlements and ephemeral artifact scatters) can be alleviated.

Keywords:

• Climate change
• cultural heritage
• multi-scale analysis
• hidden landscapes
• disappearing landscapes
• South Carolina

Acknowledgements

We want to thank Scott M. Fitzpatrick and the anonymous referees who provided invaluable feedback on earlier drafts of this manuscript. We also thank the staff of Pinckney Island, especially Richard Karnaski, for allowing us access and providing background information.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 2 mm is the threshold for microartifacts according to Dunnell and Stein (1989).

Additional information

Funding

Funding for surveys in South Carolina was supported through National Geographic Grant Reward Number HJ-107R-17 and Binghamton University. DSD was supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Grant No. NNX15AK06H issued through the PA Space Grant Consortium.