Electrical Resistivity Surveying and Pseudo-Three-Dimensional Tomographic Imaging at Sitio Drago, Bocas del Toro, Panama

• Published in: Archaeological prospection Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 49 - 58
• Main Authors: Wake, Thomas A., Mojica, Alexis O., Davis, Michael H., Campbell, Christina J., Mendizabal, Tomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01-01-2012; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: archaeology; Bocas del Toro; Electrical resistivity; electrical resistivity mapping; Geophysical prospection; Panama; pseudo-three-dimensional tomographic imaging; Sitio Drago; Surveying
• ISSN: 1075-2196; 1099-0763
• DOI: 10.1002/arp.1417

ABSTRACT
Results of electrical resistivity surveying and pseudo‐three‐dimensional tomographic imaging at the 15 ha Pre‐Hispanic archaeological site of Sitio Drago, Isla Colon, Bocas del Toro province, Panama are presented. The site was occupied between ad 690–1410 and represents the largest known nucleated settlement in the province. A low mound in the centre of the site was selected for intensive electrical surveying in order to locate buried archaeological features. A series of surveys were conducted, including electrical resistivity mapping and pseudo‐three‐dimensional tomographic imaging. The results revealed a group of resistivity anomalies associated with buried archaeological features. Based on these results, archaeological excavations were targeted that uncovered a cluster of coral slab structures, each containing human remains. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.