Archaeology, Volcanism, and Remote Sensing in the Arenal Region, Costa Rica
Published on 1. August 2014
Book
Paperback/Softback
360 pages
978-0-292-70435-0 (ISBN)
Description
How humans adapt to life in an area prone to natural disasters is an intriguing study for the social sciences. In this volume, experts from several disciplines explore the adaptation process of prehistoric societies in the volcanic Arenal region of Costa Rica from about 2000 BC to the Spanish Conquest at about AD 1500.
The data in this volume come from a survey of the region conducted with the latest remote sensing technology. Sheets and his coauthors have compiled a detailed record of human settlements in the area, including dozens of archaeological sites and a network of prehistoric footpaths that reveals patterns of travel and communication across the region. The Arenal peoples prospered in their precarious environment apparently by taking advantage of food and lithic resources, keeping population levels low, and avoiding environmental degradation. These findings will interest a wide interdisciplinary audience in anthropology and archaeology, earth sciences, technology, geography, and human ecology.
The data in this volume come from a survey of the region conducted with the latest remote sensing technology. Sheets and his coauthors have compiled a detailed record of human settlements in the area, including dozens of archaeological sites and a network of prehistoric footpaths that reveals patterns of travel and communication across the region. The Arenal peoples prospered in their precarious environment apparently by taking advantage of food and lithic resources, keeping population levels low, and avoiding environmental degradation. These findings will interest a wide interdisciplinary audience in anthropology and archaeology, earth sciences, technology, geography, and human ecology.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Austin, TX
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 280 mm
Width: 216 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
910 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-292-70435-0 (9780292704350)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Payson Sheets is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Brian R. McKee received his Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Arizona.
Content
Chapter 1. The Proyecto PrehistOrico Arenal: An Introduction (Payson D. Sheets)
Chapter 2. The Eruption of 1968 and Tephra Stratigraphy of Arenal Volcano (William G. Melson)
Chapter 3. Archaeological Survey in the Arenal Basin (Marilynn Mueller)
Chapter 4. Tronadora Vieja: An Archaic and Early Formative Site in the Arenal Region (John E. Bradley)
Chapter 5. Excavations at Sitio BolIvar: A Late Formative Village in the Arenal Basin (John W. Hoopes and Mark L. Chenault)
Chapter 6. The Silencio Site: An Early to Middle Polychrome Period Cemetery in the Arenal Region (John E. Bradley)
Chapter 7. Proyecto PrehistOrico Arenal Excavations in the Santa Rosa River Valley (John W. Hoopes and Mark L. Chenault)
Chapter 8. Remote Sensing in the Arenal Region (Brian R. McKee and Thomas L. Sever)
Chapter 9. Prehistoric Footpaths in Costa Rica: Remote Sensing and Field Verification (Brian R. McKee, Thomas L. Sever, and Payson D. Sheets)
Chapter 10. Ceramic Analysis and Culture History in the Arenal Region (John W. Hoopes)
Chapter 11. Chipped Stone Artifacts from the Cordillera de TilarAn (Payson D. Sheets)
Chapter 12. Precolumbian Ground, Polished, and Incised Stone Artifacts from the Cordillera de TilarAn (Mark L. Chenault)
Chapter 13. Prehistoric Jewelry from the Arenal Basin (Marilynn Mueller and Mark L. Chenault)
Chapter 14. Phytolith Records from the Proyecto PrehistOrico Arenal (Dolores R. Piperno)
Chapter 15. Pollen Evidence for Prehistoric Environment and Subsistence Activities (Karen H. Clary)
Chapter 16. Macrobotanical Remains of the Proyecto PrehistOrico Arenal (Nancy Mahaney, Meredith H. Matthews, and Aida Blanco Vargas)
Chapter 17. Summary and Conclusions (Payson D. Sheets)
References Cited
Notes on Contributors
Index
Chapter 2. The Eruption of 1968 and Tephra Stratigraphy of Arenal Volcano (William G. Melson)
Chapter 3. Archaeological Survey in the Arenal Basin (Marilynn Mueller)
Chapter 4. Tronadora Vieja: An Archaic and Early Formative Site in the Arenal Region (John E. Bradley)
Chapter 5. Excavations at Sitio BolIvar: A Late Formative Village in the Arenal Basin (John W. Hoopes and Mark L. Chenault)
Chapter 6. The Silencio Site: An Early to Middle Polychrome Period Cemetery in the Arenal Region (John E. Bradley)
Chapter 7. Proyecto PrehistOrico Arenal Excavations in the Santa Rosa River Valley (John W. Hoopes and Mark L. Chenault)
Chapter 8. Remote Sensing in the Arenal Region (Brian R. McKee and Thomas L. Sever)
Chapter 9. Prehistoric Footpaths in Costa Rica: Remote Sensing and Field Verification (Brian R. McKee, Thomas L. Sever, and Payson D. Sheets)
Chapter 10. Ceramic Analysis and Culture History in the Arenal Region (John W. Hoopes)
Chapter 11. Chipped Stone Artifacts from the Cordillera de TilarAn (Payson D. Sheets)
Chapter 12. Precolumbian Ground, Polished, and Incised Stone Artifacts from the Cordillera de TilarAn (Mark L. Chenault)
Chapter 13. Prehistoric Jewelry from the Arenal Basin (Marilynn Mueller and Mark L. Chenault)
Chapter 14. Phytolith Records from the Proyecto PrehistOrico Arenal (Dolores R. Piperno)
Chapter 15. Pollen Evidence for Prehistoric Environment and Subsistence Activities (Karen H. Clary)
Chapter 16. Macrobotanical Remains of the Proyecto PrehistOrico Arenal (Nancy Mahaney, Meredith H. Matthews, and Aida Blanco Vargas)
Chapter 17. Summary and Conclusions (Payson D. Sheets)
References Cited
Notes on Contributors
Index