Recent Directions and Future Developments in Geographic Information Systems for Historical Archaeology

Abstract

Geographic information systems (GIS) have become a core tool of archaeology by allowing the rapid comparison of complex datasets and supporting wholly new forms of analysis. This development is not surprising, since archaeology was one of the first disciplines to embrace the new technology as it became more commonplace in the 1980s. The past three decades have seen a proliferation of archaeological GIS studies, with the majority focusing on prehistoric contexts. While early examples of GIS for historical archaeology do exist, serious engagement with the technology did not emerge until the 2000s. The following article provides a much needed overview of the current state of archaeological GIS for historical archaeology. This includes a brief summary of previous and ongoing research to demonstrate the unique possibilities that emerge when historical archaeologists utilize GIS to its fullest potential. This overview groups the use of GIS into three familiar categories of inventory, geospatial analysis, and mapmaking. Building on this overview, the author examines emerging uses of GIS for historical archaeology. These new directions rely on historical archaeology’s unique approach to studying the past, which relies upon the combination of artifacts, documents, and ethnohistory. These emerging forms of practice include counter-mapping, new forms of immersive 3-D GIS, and the possibilities of computer simulation. The article concludes with a frank discussion of the challenges that may hinder these potentials and the possibility for theory building between historical archaeology and other disciplines.