Preliminary Results of Magnetic Gradiometry and Photogrammetric Imagery from La Playa, Sonora, Mexico (SON F:10:3)

Covering an area of nearly ten square kilometers, La Playa (SON F:10:3) is one of the most important archaeological sites in northwest Mexico. While La Playa has been best known for its Early Agricultural occupation, this research, funded through National Geographic, targets the poorly understood origins of the Trincheras Tradition. This poster presents initial results of magnetic gradiometry and photogrammetric imagery collected from the site in April 2017 as part of the ongoing binational project Proyecto La Playa. Along with magnetic gradiometry data collection, several unmanned aerial vehicle flights with a Trimble UX5 captured photogrammetric images of the site. This data has yielded the possible presence of irrigation canals, pithouses, and thermal features. With erosion damaging much of La Playa, this research documents at-risk features for future excavation

La Playa Archaeological Project

Imagery and data generated via remote sensing at La Playa, Mexico. These files consist of orthophotos and digital surface models produced from UAV flights conducted April 15-18, 2017