Mapping

Making a map that identifies past human action on a landscape is an essential archaeological skill.  Recording artifact and site locations and drawing a sketch and location map with GIS software: (1) contributes to preserving and protecting a site, (2) is essential for interpreting the site as a part of a large human and environmental landscape, and (3) informs our interpretations of past human decisions and actions.  Making a map is a work of science and art. 

Learning Objective:  Produce archaeological sketch maps and location maps using a GPS and GIS software necessary to report the results of archaeological field survey work.     

Required Map Elements:

• 8" x 11", portrait page orientation 
• Descriptive title, 11-12 point font, centered at bottom of map 

          For the first mapping exercise on Tutt Circle, go ahead and make up the title. You don't need to figure out the details of the 
​          below.  
          EXAMPLE:           
                5EP1234 Sketch Map
                CC 02 2020 Class II Survey
                Colorado College, 14 E Cache La Poudre St.
                6th PM, T 14S, R 66W, Section 8
                USGS Quadrangle: Pikeview
                El Paso County, Colorado

• Map scale (meters or kilometers, use numbers set at traditional break points such as 50, 100, 150 meters, not 35, 80 meters). Distance numbers on top of scale bar and meters or kilometers label below. 
  • Use 1:24,000 ft for Location maps; Sketch map scale based on site of site. 
• North arrow 
• Name of the map author (or mapping team) and the date map produced below north arrow. 
• Graticules with tick marks (use even numbers; match northing/easting increments). Reduce number from the sketch map to the Location and Survey maps. 
• Legend: Identifies all symbols that appear on the map (use USGS map symbols as available and see below) - no box around legend for simplicity
• Sufficient topographic detail to find the location and describe the features or location of the artifacts (e.g., base layers)
• Inset location maps for Location and Survey maps; not needed for Sketch maps
• For Location map add text below the scale specifying the contour interval of the 1:24000 topographic map. 

Now that you have all the required elements, find portions of elements that you can eliminate such as boxes around your legend or map. ​

See: Sample maps in Canvas/Dropbox for examples and review How to Read a Topo Map

SYMBOLOGY:

Buildings: black rectilinear outlines (label features in the map in addition to the legend: Feature 1, possible chimney)
Site boundary: Brown polygon with smooth edges
Trash scatter: black polygon with pattern inside
Glass: Dot, green
Metal scrap: triangle, gray
Wood scrap: brown square
Ephemeral Wash: diagonal black lines, with border, slanting left
Contour lines: brown with elevation in line (match measurement system with graticules; don't mix meters with intervals)
Perennial stream: blue line
Intermittent stream: blue dashed line
Trees: green, symbol as preferred
Linear feature: red, dashed line (label with interpretation or linear feature number)
mining pit: brown octagon ​
Survey area: black enclosed polygon with diagonal lines

NOTE:  Use a descriptive label for all artifacts and features in the map when you enough space. For example, "Brown bottle" is more helpful for documenting a site than "Glass artifact." 

DATE (FILE) MANAGEMENT:

At the end of the block, your GIS files will become part of the field work record. Please organize your projects, shapefiles, and maps so that others (in weeks or years) will be able to open up your map or use your shapefiles to produce other maps or make corrections/additions to yours.  
Folders: 
     Docs
     GPS_Data
     Maps
     Raster
     Shapefiles


MAPPING EXAM: 
You will spend considerable time learning how to acquire spatial data and produce accurate symbolic representations of past human activity. The mapping exam is an opportunity for you to demonstrate and solidify your ability and confidence in map making.  During a 3-hour period you will collect GPS points, lines, and polygons, import these data into ArcMap, and produce a Sketch map. You will work alone (not asking others for help) and will have full access to the internet and your field notebook, with any notes/instructions you have written for yourself. 

rubric

LEARNING OUTCOME

EXCELLENT

SATISFACTORY

UNSATISFACTORY

Produce an archaeological sketch and location map

• Map contains all required elements listed above.
• Map is an accurate representation of the site, balancing the need for detail and the requirement of simplicity.
• Map is aesthetically pleasing: it is readable and the size of the elements reflects a clear hierarchy of the importance of each element.
• You have implemented a clear and helpful data management system. 

• Map contains most of the required elements listed above.
  
• Map is mostly an accurate representation of the site but there inaccuracies or errors in omission of key aspects of the site.
  
• Map is readable but lacks aesthetic qualities. 
  
• You have mostly implemented a data management system. 

• The map contains some of the required elements listed above.
  
• Map is not a sufficiently accurate or thorough representation of the site.
  
• Map has problems with readability and is not visually appealing.
  
• Data management is incompletely demonstrated.