Abstract
The virtual removal of forest canopies through light detection and ranging (lidar) has enhanced archaeological interpretations of settlement patterns in tropical zones. Although lidar collections of Indigenous landscapes in the Caribbean Archipelago are limited, resolutions from open-access lidar datasets reveal coarse regional settlement patterns and large-scale architecture planning. In this article we inspect the Caguana Ceremonial complex in Utuado, Borikén (Puerto Rico), using a 2016 lidar dataset available through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration portal. Visual comparisons between known Indigenous sites, surface anomalies, and site inspections in the three sectors under study identified plazas, possible ancient paths into the Caguana complex, a possible agricultural area west of the site, and the ANG-4 site. This study, the first application of lidar inspections in Puerto Rican archaeology, demonstrates that open-access data can help guide research and save time in field surveys, thus improving our ability to protect the Indigenous cultural heritage hidden under forest canopies.
Highlights
Caguana was and continues to be recognized as a highly important Indigenous ceremonial complex
In this report we explore the Indigenous architecture and surrounding landscape at the site of Caguana in Borikén, the largest island of the archipelago of Puerto Rico, through the inspection of an openaccess 2016 lidar digital elevation model (DEM)
The goal of this study is to test whether the resolution of the dataset is sufficient to inform analyses of the archaeology of this well-known site
Summary
Caguana was and continues to be recognized as a highly important Indigenous ceremonial complex. The known complex includes 12 delimited spaces marked as rectangular, square, or circular architectural features of trampled floors delimited by mounds or stones, some with petroglyphs (Oliver 2019, 2005; Oliver et al 1999). It is well known that human activity has affected and obscured the ancient landscape, yet numerous sites have been recorded in the complex’s vicinity (Oliver 2019; Oliver et al 1999; RiveraCollazo et al 2018). Indigenous communities of Borikén today actively care for the site and celebrate its spiritual significance through regular ceremonies that support social cohesion and community identity. In this report we explore the known megalithic complex (Oliver 2021) and its surrounding areas for evidence of ancient anthropogenic features
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