Cited by 0Archaeology and Cultural HeritageArchaeological Research and ProtectionHistorical and Architectural Studies

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Auswertung einer Prospektionsmaßnahme am Chimborazo

Open access
Herzog, Irmela, Yépez, Alden·2016·Freie Universität Berlin

Abstract

Im Jahr 2012 gewann Alden Yépez bei einer Prospektionsmaßnahme an der Südflanke des höchsten Berges von Ecuador, dem Gletscher Chimborazo, Erkenntnisse zu zwölf archäologischen Fundstellen. Diese orientieren sich an einem mittels GPS dokumentierten Altweg, der an der höchsten Fundstellengruppe, vermutlich Kultstätten der Inka, endet. Um auf Basis des Altweges die damaligen Bewegungsmuster zu ermitteln, kommen in diesem Artikel diverse Rechenmethoden zum Einsatz. Auch spätere Wege am Berghang des Chimborazo werden zum Vergleich analysiert. Die so ermittelten frühen Bewegungsmuster bilden die Grundlage für die Erstellung einer Erreichbarkeitskarte. Nur eine der Fundstellengruppen im Umfeld eines Höhleneinganges liegt in schlecht erreichbarem Gebiet. Hier spielen vermutlich Sichtbarkeitsaspekte eine wichtige Rolle.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This paper evaluates a 2012 archaeological prospection on the south flank of Chimborazo, Ecuador, using a GPS-documented old path and twelve find sites to model past movement with least-cost and visibility methods. It finds that no cost model exactly reconstructs the old path, that visibility likely shaped the ascent to Machai cave, and that only one find-site group lies in poorly accessible terrain.

Key findings

  • The 2012 prospection documented twelve archaeological find sites along a GPS-recorded old path ending at the highest find-site group, presumably Inca cult sites.
  • No calculated route was close to the old path at all points; the wide bend crossing the quebrada northwest of find-site group F1 was never correctly reconstructed. The best approximation there came from the ASTER DEM with a “Polynom 6. Grades” cost function, though the ASTER DEM is considered likely inaccurate at that spot.
  • Viewshed results: from F0 no part of the old path is visible; from F1 find sites up to 1.3 km is visible; from F3 find sites at most 0.2 km; from an observation point at Machai cave (F2) up to 4.5 km is visible.
  • Only one find-site group, near a cave entrance, lies in poorly accessible terrain; visibility aspects probably played an important role there. Attempts to reconstruct glacier-ice transport routes were also unsuccessful.

Methods

  • Prospection data from 2012 on the south flank of Chimborazo: a GPS-documented old path, twelve find sites, and comparison with later trekking and glacier-ice routes.
  • Elevation data included a contour-line DEM from official topographic maps, an ASTER DEM, and a 1:20,000 trekking map from Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf based on aerial images; the contour-line DEM was used for main analyses, with some calculations on ASTER data.
  • Path and accessibility analyses used cost functions including Langmuir, Tobler, and a 6th-degree polynomial; GRASS GIS r.walk with 24 neighbor cells; custom software; cost-based kernel density estimation for an accessibility map; and Vertical Mapper viewshed analysis with an assumed eye height of 2 m.

Limitations

  • The paper states that exact reconstruction of the old path’s cost factors was not successful, possibly because ritual paths need not optimize distance like transport routes; ice routes also reconstructed poorly, suggesting the data basis is too imprecise or incomplete or that unidentified factors are missing.
  • The paper states that height data may have too low resolution, and that the visibility result should be interpreted cautiously because the old path lies at the edge of the calculated viewshed, with vegetation and DEM inaccuracies potentially changing the result.
  • The paper notes that some interesting old-path points had only two to four measurements, that the ASTER DEM shows terraces, that the trekking map covers only part of the study area and could not be used for comparative calculations, and that watercourses were excluded due to discrepancies between maps.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

DataCite · 10.17169/refubium-374

Cites

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

0 of 2 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Findingown data

    The old path ends at the highest site group.

    “Diese orientieren sich an einem mittels GPS dokumentierten Altweg, der an der höchsten Fundstellengruppe, vermutlich Kultstätten der Inka, endet.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    The trekking map created at Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf from aerial images shows contour lines whose geometry largely matches those on the topographic maps.

    “Diese an der Heinrich-Heine Universität in Düsseldorf aufgrund von Lutbildern erstellte Trekking-Karte zeigt Höhenlinien, die sich in ihrer Geometrie weitgehend mit denjenigen auf den topographischen Karten decken.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Only one of the site groups in the vicinity of a cave entrance lies in poorly accessible terrain.

    “Nur eine der Fundstellengruppen im Umfeld eines Höhleneinganges liegt in schlecht erreichbarem Gebiet.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Findingown data

    In 2012, Alden Yépez gained knowledge of twelve archaeological sites during a prospection on the south flank of Chimborazo.

    “Im Jahr 2012 gewann Alden Yépez bei einer Prospektionsmaßnahme an der Südflanke des höchsten Berges von Ecuador, dem Gletscher Chimborazo, Erkenntnisse zu zwölf archäologischen Fundstellen.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    In the study area, almost all elevation values are determined from five or more measurements.

    “Im Untersuchungsgebiet sind fast alle Höhenwerte aufgrund von fünf oder mehr Messungen ermittelt, doch für ein paar interessante Stellen des Altweges liegen nur zwei bis vier Messergebnisse vor.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • It may state two separate claims as one. 13
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 6
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingown data

    West of site group F1, these calculated routes follow a quebrada and change banks multiple times.

    “Westlich der Fundstellengruppe F1 folgen diese errechneten Routen einer Quebrada, und wechseln dabei mehrfach von einem Ufer des Wasserlaufs auf das andere -was sicherlich nicht realistisch ist.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingown data

    The ASTER-DGM and the contour-line DGM both exhibit terraces.

    “Im Eifer der Berechnungen fiel zunächst gar nicht auf, dass das ASTER-DGM wie das Höhenlinien-DGM Terrassen aufweist.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingown data

    A part of the development paths leads to site group F3; these paths describe a corridor in the vicinity of the start points in which the old path is also located.

    “Ein Teil dieser Erschließungswege führt zur Fundstellengruppe F3, dabei beschreiben diese Wege im näheren Umfeld der Ausgangspunkte einen Korridor, in dem sich auch der Altweg befindet.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingnone given

    In the continuation to the east, the trekking round path around Chimborazo is not well approximated by the development paths; the calculated paths appear much smoother.

    “Auch in der Fortsetzung nach Osten wird der Trekking-Rundweg um den Chimborazo durch die Erschließungswege nicht gut angenähert, die errechneten Wege erscheinen viel glatter.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The terraces in the ASTER-DGM and contour-line DGM are obviously naturally formed, possibly by volcanic eruptions.

    “sondern die Terrassen sind offensichtlich auf natürlichem Wege entstanden, evtl.durch Vulkanausbrüche.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim. It may be too vague to check against evidence. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The paper may give no reason why it holds.

    Interpretationnone given

    Visibility aspects presumably play an important role for that site group near the cave entrance.

    “Hier spielen vermutlich Sichtbarkeitsaspekte eine wichtige Rolle.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation

    Transport of glacier ice from Chimborazo to the valley is documented in several YouTube contributions.

    “Den Transport von Gletschereis vom Chimborazo ins Tal ist in mehreren YouTube-Beiträgen dokumentiert.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [18]

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The failure to reconstruct the old path can have many reasons, especially because paths made for cultic purposes need not optimize route length as transport paths do.

    “Dies kann an vielerlei Gründen liegen, zumal bei Wegen aus kultischem Anlass eine Optimierung der Wegstrecke nicht zwingend Vorteile erbringt wie bei Transportwegen.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: The GPS-documented old path is a prehistoric route whose course reflects past movement patterns.
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Interpretationown data

    The cave is clearly higher than 2 m and should therefore be visible.

    “Die Höhle ist deutlich höher als 2 m (vgl.Abb.3), und sollte deshalb sichtbar sein.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The paper may give no reason why it holds. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Premisenone given

    Nowadays donkeys transport glacier ice to the markets in the valley; this was not possible before the arrival of the Spaniards in South America.

    “Heutzutage übernehmen Esel den Transport des Gletschereises zu den Märkten im Tal -dies war vor der Ankunt der Spanier in Südamerika nicht möglich.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Interpretationreasoning

    On the trekking map, one path is explicitly designated Camino de los Hieleros, and another path with the same signature also ends in the glacier zone, so it is also assumed to be an ice path.

    “Auf der Trekking-Karte ist ein Weg explizit als Camino de los Hieleros bezeichnet, ein anderer Weg mit gleicher Signatur endet ebenfalls in der Gletscherzone -weshalb auch in diesem Fall anzunehmen ist, dass es sich um einen Eisweg handelt.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Interpretationreasoning

    At least one other section of the old path is shaped by other factors: the ascent to the rock cave Machai runs through difficult terrain and is probably determined by visibility relations.

    “Zumindest eine andere Teilstrecke ist durch andere Faktoren geprägt: Der Aufstieg zur Felsenhöhle Machai verläut durch schwieriges Gelände und ist wohl eher durch die Sichtbarkeitsbeziehungen bestimmt.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: The GPS-documented old path is a prehistoric route whose course reflects past movement patterns.
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Therefore other factors probably determined the construction of this section of the old path, and visibility relations probably played an essential role in this area.

    “Deshalb liegt die Vermutung nahe, dass andere Faktoren die Konstruktion dieser Teilstrecke des Altweges bestimmt haben -und aufgrund des vorhergehenden Abschnittes erscheint es wahrscheinlich, dass die Sichtbarkeitsbeziehungen in diesem Bereich des Altweges eine wesentliche Rolle spielten.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: The GPS-documented old path is a prehistoric route whose course reflects past movement patterns.
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Since transport paths for glacier ice were also not well reconstructable, although they run partly through terrain with high accessibility values, it is to be assumed that the data basis is too imprecise or incomplete.

    “Da aber auch die Wege zum Transport von Gletschereis nicht gut rekonstruierbar waren, obwohl sie streckenweise durch Gelände mit hohen Erreichbarkeitswerten verlaufen, ist zu vermuten, dass die Datenbasis zu ungenau oder unvollständig ist.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: The GPS-documented old path is a prehistoric route whose course reflects past movement patterns.
  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The paper may give no reason why it holds. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Interpretationreasoning

    For glacier ice transport, the optimal path is presumably used because the ice should be brought to the valley as quickly and without detours as possible.

    “Es ist zu vermuten, dass für den Gletschereis-Transport der optimale Weg genutzt wird, weil das Eis möglichst schnell und ohne Umwege ins Tal gebracht werden sollte.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
15 of 15
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The GPS-documented old path is a prehistoric route whose course reflects past movement patterns.

    “Um auf Basis des Altweges die damaligen Bewegungsmuster zu ermitteln, kommen in diesem Artikel diverse Rechenmethoden zum Einsatz.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The physiological cost function derived from athletic men applies to the people who used the old path.

    “Das beste Rekonstruktionsergebnis für einige Teilstrecken des Altweges liefert unseres Erachtens eine Kostenfunktion, die die Hangneigung bewertet und auf physiologischen Messungen an sportlichen Männern beruht.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Modern trekking and glacier-ice paths are comparable analogues for analyzing movement patterns on the old path.

    “Um das Bewegungsmuster auf dem Altweg weiter zu analysieren, werden zum Vergleich andere Wege in der Umgebung des Chimborazo herangezogen, nämlich Wege, die dem Transport von Gletschereis dienen (Camino de los Hieleros) und Trekking-Wege.”
3 of 3

Citations

Cites

Still being checked.

Research works printed but not linked: 15

  1. Conolly und Lake 2006 James Conolly und Mark Lake. Geographical Infor- mation Systems in Archaeology. Cambridge: Cam- bridge University Press, 2006.
  2. Herzog 2011 Irmela Herzog. "Erreichbarkeit im Bergischen Land". Archäologie im Rheinland 2010 (2011), 29-31.
  3. Herzog 2013a Irmela Herzog. "Least-cost Networks". In Archaeo- logy in the Digital Era. CAA 2012 -Proceedings of the 40th Conference. Hrsg. von Graeme Earl, Tim Sly, Angeliki Chrysanthi, Patricia Murrieta-Flores, Constantinos Papadopoulos, Iza Romanowska und David Wheatley. Amsterdam: Amsterdam Universi- ty Press, 2013, 237-248.
  4. Herzog 2013b Irmela Herzog. "The Potential and Limits of Opti- mal Path Analysis". In Computational Approaches to Archaeological Spaces. Hrsg. von Andrew Bevan und Mark Lake. Left Coast Press, 2013, 179-211.
  5. Herzog 2013c Irmela Herzog. "Theory and Practice of Cost Func- tions. In Fusion of Cultures. CAA 2010 -Procee- dings of the 38th Conference". In Fusion of Cultures. CAA 2010 -Proceedings of the 38th Conference. Hrsg. von Francisco Contreras, Mercedes Farjas und Francisco Javier Melero. BAR International Series 2494. Granada, 2013, 375-382.
  6. Herzog und Yépez 2013 Irmela Herzog und Alden Yépez. "Least-Cost Ker- nel Density Estimation and Interpolation-Based Density Analysis Applied to Survey Data". In Fusion of Cultures. CAA 2010 -Proceedings of the 38th Con- ference. Hrsg. von Francisco Contreras, Mercedes Farjas und Francisco Javier Melero. BAR Interna- tional Series 2494. Granada, 2013, 367-374.
  7. Kantner und Hobgood 2003 John Kantner und Ronald Hobgood. "Digital Technologies and Prehistoric Landscapes in the American Southwest". In The Reconstruction of Ar- chaeological Landscapes through Digital Technologies. Hrsg. von M. Forte und P.R. Williams. BAR Int. Ser. Vol. 1151. Proc. 1st Italy-United States Work- shop, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, Nov. 1-3 2001. Oxford: Archaeopress, 2003, 117-124.
  8. Eric Langmuir. Mountaincraft and Leadership. Revi- sed Third Edition. Leicester: Cordee, 2004.
  9. Marco Llobera und T.J. Sluckin. "Zigzagging: Theoretical Insights on Climbing Strategies". Jour- nal of Theoretical Biology 249 (2007), 206-217.
  10. Lock und Pouncett 2010 Gary Lock und John Pouncett. "Walking the Ridgeway Revisited: The Methodological and Theoretical Implications of Scale Dependency for the Derivation of Slope and the Calculation of Least-Cost Pathways". In Making History Interac- tive. CAA 2009 -Proceedings of the 37th Conference. Hrsg. von Bernhard Frischer, Jane Webb Crawford und David Koller. BAR International Series S2079. Oxford: Archaeopress, 2010, 192-203.
  11. Alberto E. Minetti, Christian Moia, Guido S. Roi, Davide Susta und Guido Ferretti. "Energy Cost of Walking and Running at Extreme Uphill and Downhill Slopes". Journal of Applied Physiology 93 (2002), 1039-1046.
  12. Nicholas Tripcevich. Workshop 2009, No. 1 - Viewshed and Cost Distance. 2009. URL: http : / / mapaspects.org/book/export/html/3743 (besucht am 01. 10. 2015).
  13. Wheatley und Gillings 2002 David Wheatley und Mark Gillings. Spatial Techno- logy and Archaeology. The Archaeological Applications of GIS. London und New York: CRC Press, 2002.
  14. Devin A. White und Sarah L. Surface-Evans, Hrsg. Least Cost Analysis of Social Landscapes. Archaeological Case Studies. Salt Lake City: The University of Utah Press, 2012.
  15. Klemen Zakšek, Elise Fovet, Laure Nuninger und Tomaž Podobnikar. "Path Modelling and Settle- ment Pattern". In Layers of Perception. CAA 2007 - Proceedings of the 37th Conference. Hrsg. von Axel Posluschny, Karsten Lambers und Irmela Herzog. Kolloquien zur Vor-und Frühgeschichte 10. Bonn: Habelt, 2008, 309-315.

Cited by

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Metadata

Authors
Herzog, I., & Yépez, A.
Venue
Freie Universität Berlin
Publisher
Freie Universität Berlin
Published
2016
Pages
181-201
OpenAlex
W2740835445
Cited by
0
References
0
FWCI
0.00
Type
book chapter
Language
de
Open access
Locations
  • edoc Publication server (Humboldt University of Berlin) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • Refubium (Universitätsbibliothek der Freien Universität Berlin) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Universitätsbibliothek der FU Berlin Hochschulschriftenstelle u. Dokumentenserver (cc-by)
  • edoc Publication server (Humboldt University of Berlin)
  • Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Exzellenzcluster 264 Topoi eBooks
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology (arts and humanities) › Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
  • Social Sciences › Archeology › Archaeological Research and Protection
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology (arts and humanities) › Historical and Architectural Studies
Keywords
Chimborazo, archaeological site, movement patterns, accessibility maps, visibility, cave entrance, high-altitude archaeology

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