Abstract
The Mio-Plio-Pleistocene sequence at Casablanca, covering the last six million years, is well known in scientific literature. The variability and the chronology of the Acheulian sequence is documented by systematic, modern and controlled investigations in various sites (Unit L and Hominid Cave at Thomas I Quarry, Rhinoceros Cave at Oulad Hamida 1 Quarry, Sidi Abderrahman Extension Quarry, Bear’s Cave and Cap Chatelier at Sidi Abderrahman Quarry) which have taken place within the framework of the Franco-Moroccan co-operative project “Casablanca”. In order to manage the excavation data and to explore the taphonomic nature of Unit L, Hominid Cave and Rhinoceros Cave, where research is still in progress, an approach combining a Geographic Information System (GIS) and spatial analysis techniques was developed, incorporating all existing information produced from previous excavations and recent surveys of the sites. The amalgamation of this data into a GIS has resulted in a digital database that allows the production of simultaneous or separate visualizations and analyses of the fossils, artifacts and geological materials within their original spatial contexts and also permits intra-site spatial analyses that allow a comprehensive investigation of the site formation processes.
Highlights
During the last few decades archaeological research has been characterized by a remarkable increase in the use of computerised techniques; in particular, Geographic Information System (GIS) (Geographical Information System) softwares have gained special favour firstly in providing systems for the management of archaeological data, and secondly as a fundamental tool for the interpretation of archaeological contexts
In order to manage the excavation data and to explore the taphonomic nature of Unit L, Hominid Cave and Rhinoceros Cave, where research is still in progress, an approach combining a Geographic Information System (GIS) and spatial analysis techniques was developed, incorporating all existing information produced from previous excavations and recent surveys of the sites
The amalgamation of this data into a GIS has resulted in a digital database that allows the production of simultaneous or separate visualizations and analyses of the fossils, artifacts and geological materials within their original spatial contexts and permits intra-site spatial analyses that allow a comprehensive investigation of the site formation processes
Summary
During the last few decades archaeological research has been characterized by a remarkable increase in the use of computerised techniques; in particular, GIS (Geographical Information System) softwares have gained special favour firstly in providing systems for the management of archaeological data, and secondly as a fundamental tool for the interpretation of archaeological contexts. In this intra-site application field, GIS plays a decisive role in the identification of the spatial trends of archaeological data through the contextual or selective treatment of spatial variables. In consideration of the multiplicity of the above-listed factors, multidimensional analyses presently appear to be the most advanced and appropriate techniques of spatial investigation [11,12,13,14,15,16,17] These considerations prompted our adoption of a GIS-based investigation, integrated with spatial techniques for the management and processing of spatial and alpha-numerical data concerning the following sites of the Casablanca region: Unit L and Hominid Cave at Thomas I Quarry and Rhinoceros Cave at Oulad Hamida 1 Quarry. In this paper we present the structure of our information applications, the data recording system and the types of analysis that we perform and envisage performing
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