So, I finally completed my thesis entitled, Distributional Archaeology and Subsurface Structure Function at El Baul, Cotzumalguapa, Guatemala. As I mentioned before, I presented a paper of some of the results from my thesis at the recent SAA conference in Atlanta, GA. I'm glad to have the thesis complete, but there is still a great deal of work that can be done using the data I collected. Perhaps if I should decide to continue in academia I may be able to continue working in Guatemala. The full potential of studies similar to the one I conducted at the site of El Baul has yet to be realized. Using geophysical prospecting, the distribution of surface artifacts, and soil chemistry it is possible to map site structures and determine structure function without costly excavations. From data such as this, predictive models could be generated to determine the locations of particular types of structures associated with particular kinds of prehistoric cultural activities.
I may get an opportunity very shortly to conduct a similar study on a known site at Camp Pendleton. We will be conducting GPR, magnetometry, coring, surface survey, and subsurface testing. The results should be interesting. These types of studies that incorporate what Kvamme (2005) has referred to as "data fusion" should be the next great wave in archaeological investigation.
