Contribution to an archaeological map of the mid Limay basin

Abstract

Patagonian archaeology includes several valuable applications of Geographical Information Systems. But mapping, the necessary previous step to analysis, is not always detailed. The case of the middle Limay river basin is presented. The research team has been working in the region for decades, as well as other scholars have, both during and before this time. Only in recent years has been possible to involve direct positioning devices (like GPS) in surveys. Because of that,  a considerable amount of information is embedded in conventional cartography, site forms, survey logs and other documents. Part of the data was previously entered in digital databases, and made available to study. The task at hand consisted in developing a georreferenced database of sites by means of digitizing documentation, inventorying and cross-referencing observations, and marking them on satellite images accessed online. We emphasize the importance of keeping simple work processes, the convenience of registering of each mark with precision, and the value of ‘digging’ in the archaeological files. The result -provisory because of its possibility of improvement- is a start point for future research, cultural resource management, or divulgation.