Abstract:
This research analyzes the spatial distribution of ancient Maya wetland agricultural fields using remotely sensed and geospatial data. The Maya constructed wetland agricultural fields during the cultural periods known as the Preclassic and the Classic. The extent of these fields is still unclear, as is the approximate size of the population they once supported. The study of these wetland agricultural fields will help to understand how the Maya civilization was able to thrive in an inhospitable environment for thousands of years, and why their population sharply declined around 900 AD. Since 1981, remotely sensed imagery such as synthetic aperture radar (SAR), multispectral, and lidar has been used to study Maya wetland agriculture. This research will employ several types of satellite imagery and a number of geospatial data sources to locate and predictively model the ancient fields, and analyze the spectral reflectance of their soils.
