Paper short abstract:

This paper looks at how UK theoretical discussions concerning landscape archaeology can enhance North American GIS and the archaeological interpretations by using specific examples of my work within CRM.

Paper long abstract:

Cultural resource management (CRM) in the United States has facilitated the expansion of geographic information systems (GIS) within the archaeological community, especially in terms of spatial database management and spatial modelling. Today, for many of the private firms and universities, GIS has become an integral part of the research involved in the study of past human culture. Spatial analysis is becoming more and more of an 'assumed' cost within excavation and survey budgets. This is also enhanced by economical, high resolution datasets available through, for example, the United States Geological Survey. All of these datasets allow archaeologists to readily create environmental variables as input for spatial analyses over large landscapes and use them as a means to gain a better understanding about past environments and cultures. At the same time, UK based archaeological theories have come a long way in their discussion and study of the cognitive landscape and the application of GIS to dynamic human processes. These perspectives can be combined with the high resolution US datasets to allow for a more comprehensive study of past human culture. Drawing on specific examples of my work as an archaeologist and GIS technician for 6 years within CRM in the US and as a UK-based researcher for the past 3 years, I will present how UK theoretical discussions and issues concerning landscape archaeology can enhance North American GIS and the archaeological interpretations.