In this lab, predictive modeling was used to determine potential site locations in the Tangle Lakes Archaeological District in Alaska. Predictive modeling is a useful tool for estimating the amount of time and money needed to devote to any given area, as well as the amount of field survey effort. It is used to suggest broad trends in settlement patterns and resource utilization. However, it should be used as a supplementary tool for guiding and informing field surveys. It can not justify the development, avoidance, or destruction of an area without conducting field survey beforehand. Being only one tool, it generates only one possible interpretation and should not be taken as a definitive explanation.
The weighted overlay model I created, though a simplistic version, is significant in that it provides a model for determining archaeological site locations in a site dense area. The Tangle Lakes Archaeological District contains the densest known concentration of archaeological sites in the American subarctic, with over 600 sites identified. A model like this could help identify potential site locations as well as help park officials designate visitor friendly trails to prevent disruption and negative impact of sites. My model is seen below:
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