HR: 0800h
AN: GP31B-0841    [Abstracts]
TI: Archaeomagnetic Study of La Campana in Western Mesoamerica
AU: Lopez-Loera, H
EM: secdir2@geofisica.unam.mx
AF: Instituto Potosino de Investigaci¢n Cient¡fica y Tecnologica, San Luis Potos¡, IPCyT, San Luis Potosi, 0100 Mexico
AU: * Urrutia-Fucugauchi, J
EM: juf@geofisica.unam.mx
AF: Laboratorio de Paleomagnetismo y Geof¡sica Nuclear, Instituto de Geof¡sica, Universidad Nacional Aut¢noma de M‚xico, Cd Universitaria s/n Del Coyoacan, D.F., Mexico, 04510 Mexico
AU: Arciniega-Ceballos, A
EM: maac@geofisica.unam.mx
AF: Laboratorio de Paleomagnetismo y Geof¡sica Nuclear, Instituto de Geof¡sica, Universidad Nacional Aut¢noma de M‚xico, Cd Universitaria s/n Del Coyoacan, D.F., Mexico, 04510 Mexico
AU: Soler-Arechalde, A
EM: anesoler@geofisica.unam.mx
AF: Laboratorio de Paleomagnetismo y Geof¡sica Nuclear, Instituto de Geof¡sica, Universidad Nacional Aut¢noma de M‚xico, Cd Universitaria s/n Del Coyoacan, D.F., Mexico, 04510 Mexico
AB: Results of an archaeomagnetic and magnetometric prospecting study of sediments and archaeological remains from La Campana in western Mesoamerica are presented. La Campana is in the northern suburbs of the city of Colima over a terrain characterized by volcanic debris avalanche deposits. Our study area of about 12,600 m2 is divided into two sections corresponding to the main archaeological site and to potential extensions. We report measurements of soil magnetism on 6 vertical profiles in the archaeological excavations, and from a grid of surface sampling in the unexcavated northern area. In the main sector, excavations have uncovered three large structures made mainly of rounded volcanic boulders and built over large platforms. Southern structure consists of a pyramid (25x25 m at its base) and an adjacent structure (at least 30x15 m). Central structure is a pyramid (20x20 m) with stair-like side accesses. Northern structure is a large complex extending over an area at least 40x30 m. In the sector of the open plaza, a magnetic survey using the vertical gradient method reveals an elongated shallow linear feature, which corresponds to a channel network constructed with flat volcanic slabs. Inverted conical openings that ended in a small well are connected to the channel network, which was apparently designed to collect water from rain and distribute it to the surrounding. Rock-magnetic data provide information on landscape change and susceptibility enhancement in archaeological soils. Archaeological remains extend over an area, considerably larger than that excavated, which is manifested in susceptibility enhancement in the top soils. The characteristics and size of pyramidal structures, plazas and channel network and the apparent overall extension of the archaeological site indicates that La Campana constituted a major urban and ceremonial center in westernmost Mesoamerica.
DE: 1500 GEOMAGNETISM AND PALEOMAGNETISM
DE: 1503 Archeomagnetism
DE: 1512 Environmental magnetism
DE: 1540 Rock and mineral magnetism
SC: Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism [GP]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting