Unstructured satellite survey detects up to 20% of archaeological sites in coastal valleys of southern Peru

Abstract

Satellite survey is widely used for archaeological site discovery, but the efficacy of the method has received little systematic investigation. In this analysis, twelve study participants of different experience levels performed an unstructured remote survey of 197 km2 in the Sama and Moquegua valleys of south central Peru where previous pedestrian surveys recorded 546 archaeological sites. Results indicate an average site discovery rate of 9.3% (0–18%, 95% range). The most experienced participants detect up to 20% (17–22%) of known archaeological sites. These detection rates can be used to derive reliable site frequency estimates on the Andean coast, which can be used in planning and budgeting for field efforts and estimating demographic patterns at large spatial scales that are difficult to achieve through pedestrian survey. More generally, this analysis offers a method for deriving correction terms specific to other parts of the world. Additionally, the results can serve as a baseline for evaluating the effectiveness of emerging artificial intelligence routines for archaeological site detection.