| Sumario: | Traditional models of Woodland Period (1000 BC to AD 1000) prehistoric site-settlement for the southeastern U.S. interior Lower Coastal Plain hypothesized an area void of substantial use by prehistoric populations. Brooks and Scurry (1978) proposed an alternative model that hypothesized fall and early winter intensive utilization of the Lower Coastal Plain interriverine oak-hickory habitats for deer and other resources. This model, which was augmented by GIS analysis, identified key environmental parameters such as soils drainage, distance to ecotones, relative elevation, slope and aspect for the prediction of Woodland Period prehistoric site locations. The model was tested using stratified sampling techniques for several study areas and has been cited in a variety of cultural resources management assessment plans. However, until recently the model was not validated. This study presents the result of the model validation analysis. GIS was used to combine soils, ecotone, slope and aspect data to produce high probability site location zones for the Coastal Plain of South Carolina. Archaeological site data from the Statewide Archaeological Site Inventory were stratified by cultural affiliation, physiographic province and hydrologic basin to test the model and determine if there is a difference in predictability of site locations by time period or physiographic zone. The results of this analysis indicated that all prehistoric sites were statistically more likely to be found in the high probability zones and there was no significant difference between Early, Middle and Late Archaic Period from Woodland Period site locations.
|
|---|