Huasteca Mapping Project
Integrating new interdisciplinary evidence on pre-Columbian artworks with photogrammetric maps of ancient Huastec settlements
Project Details
- Categories
- Years 2023 – ongoing
- Status
- Organizer
Río Pantepec near Doctor Montes de Oca, Huasteca region, Veracruz, Mexico, 2023. Photo: Gerardo Gutierrez
About
Goal
This pilot project will document Huastec material culture and produce photogrammetric maps to demonstrate the scale and settlement patterns of archaeological sites in the Huasteca region. A new regional map locating analytical data on stone and clay samples will be a first step to identifying possible quarries and sources that could eventually be linked to pre-Columbian sculptures and clay vessels. The purpose is to identify sites that could be further explored with Lidar mapping (3D topographical images).
Background
The Huasteca region is located in northeastern Mexico along the Gulf coast. It is a multiethnic region, just as it was in the past, with numerous Indigenous languages including Teenek still spoken today. Far less is known about the Huasteca’s archaeological past than about other regions in Mesoamerica. Archaeology is underfunded in the region, though salvage projects are more prominent in coastal regions where the development of extensive port systems endanger ancient sites and cultural patrimony.
Team
Internal Co-Lead
Kim Richter, Getty Research Institute
External Co-Lead
Gerardo Gutierrez, University of Colorado, Boulder
Project Participant
Irad Flores, Universidad Veracruzana
Administrative Support
Alicia Maria Houtrouw, Getty Research Institute
Carlie Rose, Getty Research Institute
Contact the Team
Kim Richter, PhD
Sr. Research Specialist, Getty Research Institute