JERS-1画像によるマヤ文明遺跡の検出-宇宙考古学におけるSARデータ利用の試み-

抄録

A number of distinct signatures suspected of relating to Maya relics are observed over northern Yucatan Peninsula, serendipitously, during the geological study on JERS-1/SAR imagery. Among other things, ancient roadways (“sacbe”in indigenous language) are prominent being expressed as linear features, mostly with dark tones, throughout the whole region. Preliminary interpretation shows that these archaeological lineaments might also be indications of putative causeways, moats, walls and the like constructed by Maya people in the past. Another interesting patterns to be noted are numerous bright spots which suggest remains of human dwellings consisted of aggregation of huge mounds, courtyards, buildings including pyramids, from place to place. No verification with on-site ground check is practised yet ; however, the result of correlation with existing data seems to be encouraging to demonstrate the unique potentiality of JERS-1 imagery in radar archaeology, particularly, in terms of penetration through vegetative cover.