[Paper Review] Andean terraced hills (a use of satellite imagery)

Amelia Carolina Sparavigna|arXiv (Cornell University)|Oct 25, 2010

Environmental and Cultural Studies in Latin America and Beyond3 citations

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how free satellite imagery, particularly from Google Maps, can be used to map and analyze ancient Andean terraced hills near Lake Titicaca, revealing patterns of human-modified landscapes and archaeological features. The study shows that satellite data enable large-scale, non-invasive documentation of terraced agriculture and ceremonial sites, supporting archaeological and historical research in remote regions.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this paper is in stimulating the use of satellite imagery, in particular the free service of Google Maps, to investigate the distribution of the agricultural technique of terraced hills in Andean countries, near Titicaca Lake. In fact, satellite maps can give a clear view of the overall surface modified by human work, being then a precious help for on-site archaeological researches and for historical analysis. Satellite imagery is also able to give the distribution of burial and worship places. The paper discusses some examples near the Titicaca Lake.

Motivation & Objective

• To promote the use of free satellite imagery, such as Google Maps, for archaeological and historical research in Andean regions.
• To document the spatial distribution of terraced hills as evidence of ancient agricultural practices near Lake Titicaca.
• To identify and map burial and worship sites using satellite image analysis.
• To support on-site archaeological investigations with remote sensing data.
• To demonstrate the value of accessible satellite technology in studying artificial landforms in remote, high-altitude regions.

Proposed method

• Utilization of free satellite imagery from Google Maps to visually inspect and map landforms around Lake Titicaca.
• Application of image processing techniques to enhance visibility of subtle human-made features in satellite images.
• Systematic visual analysis of terrain patterns to identify terraced agricultural structures.
• Correlation of observed patterns with known archaeological sites to validate findings.
• Use of geographic coordinates and visual comparison to locate and document burial and worship places.
• Integration of satellite observations with existing archaeological knowledge for contextual interpretation.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How can satellite imagery be used to map and analyze ancient terraced agricultural systems in the Andes?
• RQ2 What is the spatial extent and distribution of human-modified terraced hills near Lake Titicaca?
• RQ3 Can satellite images reveal the location of pre-Columbian burial and worship sites?
• RQ4 To what extent can free satellite tools support non-invasive archaeological research in remote regions?
• RQ5 How does satellite-based mapping compare to traditional field survey in identifying artificial landforms?

Key findings

• Satellite imagery provides a clear and comprehensive view of large-scale human modifications to the landscape, particularly terraced hills.
• The distribution of terraces near Lake Titicaca reveals extensive, long-standing agricultural activity in the region.
• Burial and worship sites were successfully identified through visual analysis of satellite images, indicating their presence in specific topographic settings.
• The use of free satellite tools enables researchers to conduct preliminary surveys without field access, reducing initial research costs.
• Image analysis confirmed the presence of artificial landforms that align with known archaeological sites, validating the method's reliability.
• The study demonstrates that satellite imagery is a valuable, accessible tool for documenting and analyzing pre-Columbian human land use.