Aerial Archaeology in Mexico
Prehistoric Aztec painting
The 1995 Casas Grandes/Cerros de Trincheras Aerial
Photo Expedition
Aerial Reconnaissance and Photography of Some
Prehistoric Mexican archaeological sites in the Casas Grandes
area, September 1995
In September of 1995 archaeologists John Roney and Rudi Benskin
teamed up with Tom Baker and Ben Benjamin to fly an airplane across
the U.S. Border into northern Mexico, for the purpose of photographing
some archaeological sites in the Casas Grandes area. A number
of "cerros de trincheras" ("entrenched mountains")
of which John Roney has undertaken a survey, as well as the famous
ruins of Casas Grandes (Paquime) near the modern town of the same
name, were photographed. A brief aerial reconnaissance an adjacent
valley also revealed a large number of buried prehistoric sites.
The cerros de trincheras sites, some of which may date back thousands
of years, are modified hills with what appear to be defensive
earthworks and stone walls on their flanks and crests, though
some of the features may be agricultural terracing. Casas Grandes
is a large late prehistoric ruin (circa 1050-1340 AD) that may
have cultural or trade links to Chaco Canyon in the American Southwest,
and has ancient roads similar to Chaco's leading from it to other
sites in the area.
Reflecting the speed and mobility of aircraft, the aerial photo
project took only 3 days, and resulted in the photography of eight
known trincheras sites, plus a new one found from the air, as
well as the ruins of Casas Grandes and other sites of that era.
A short exploratory flight southward down the Rio Casas Grandes,
along eastern face of the Sierra Madres, revealed large number
of buried prehistoric sites, some with what appeared to be ballcourts
of the Casas Grandes type, as well as agricultural features.
Map showing distribution of Cerros
de Trincheras sites (20K)
View Aerial Photos
of three Cerros de Trincheras sites
More information about the Mexico
aerial expedition
John Roney on Cerros de Trincheras
sites, with aerial photos.
Cerros de Trincheras: prehistoric
farms, forts, or fortified farms? - Tom Baker
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