Detecting and mapping a buried building with GPR at an ancient village in Northwestern Argentina

BONOMO, NÉSTOR; OSELLA, A.,; RATTO, NORMA

JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE

ACADEMIC PRESS LTD-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Año: 2010 vol. 37 p. 3247 - 3255

0305-4403

A large area beyond the northern limit of the site was explored with the GPR method in order to detect unreported buildings. The exploration showed signals of mud-walls in a sub-sector located relatively far from the previously known buildings. A detailed GPR survey was performed in this sub-sector, and the results showed that the signals corresponded to a large dwelling with several rooms. The discovery of this dwelling has considerably extended the size of the site, showing that the village at least had twice the originally assumed size. High density surveys were acquired at different parts of the building in order to resolve structures. Interpreted maps of the buried structures were obtained. Different characteristics of the walls were satisfactory determined, in spite of the low permittivity contrast at the wall interfaces and the noticeable spatial fluctuations of the GPR reflections due to wall collapses.Systematic excavations confirmed the GPR maps providing further relevant archaeological information about the characteristics of the walls and the occupational floor, as well as material for radiocarbon analyses. These analyses indicated that the discovered building was occupied until about AD 880. This fact extends 180 years the previously known period for the village, and also for the settlements in the region (formerly, AD 200 to AD 700). The performed investigations moreover confirmed different architectural characteristics assumed for Palo Blanco, related to the internal and external layouts. Interconnection between the rooms without intermediary courtyards seems to indicate a better use of the internal spaces and a more integrated spatial conception in Palo Blanco than in other villages of the region.