GIS Modeling of Colonial Mobility: The Royal Road to Peru through the Abreu Gorge (Salta, Argentina)
This study examines colonial roads in northwestern Argentina, focusing on the connection between the Lerma and Calchaquí valleys via the Camino al Peru through the Quebrada de Abreu. To evaluate circulation within this mountainous landscape, we used documentary sources from the Historical Archive of...
Guardado en:
| Autor principal: | |
|---|---|
| Formato: | Artículo revista |
| Lenguaje: | Español |
| Publicado: |
Instituto de Arqueología, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Universidad de Buenos Aires
2026
|
| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://revistascientificas.filo.uba.ar/index.php/Arqueologia/article/view/16709 |
| Aporte de: |
| Sumario: | This study examines colonial roads in northwestern Argentina, focusing on the connection between the Lerma and Calchaquí valleys via the Camino al Peru through the Quebrada de Abreu. To evaluate circulation within this mountainous landscape, we used documentary sources from the Historical Archive of Salta, archaeological surveys, and GPS-tracked horseback transit records. A Geographic Information Systems (GIS) approach combined with multivariate statistics was used to model mobility costs, considering slope, vegetation, and transit logistics. The results demonstrate that traditional Least Cost Path (LCP) models based solely on slope do not adequately explain historical circulation. The probability distribution of slopes, together with the speeds observed in actual horseback travel, suggest that movement did not necessarily follow the least costly routes. Comparative analyses of different LCP models underscore the need to integrate alternative slope data distributions to improve the reconstruction of historical roads. The findings indicate that colonial roads reflect a complex interplay of environmental, economic, and social factors, with the use of horses playing a key role in shaping the landscape. Finally, this study highlights the importance of GIS in historical archaeology as an essential tool for understanding mobility during the colonial period.
. |
|---|