Aplicación de un SIG a la arqueología subacuática de Menorca

Abstract

[EN] A Geographic Information System (GIS), as a software used to integrate and relate spatial variables, has tools which are widely used in archaeology, either on the land surface, to analyse the spatial distribution of artefacts/settlements, or on the marine subsurface, to explore and analyse underwater elements, providing valuable data. The Menorca (Balearic Islands, Spain) Archaeological Chart of underwater references currently consists of 285 elements that correspond to wrecks, anchorages and isolated finds from different chronological periods. The developed GIS was intended to define for the next few years the lines of research that can be promoted, as well as to recommend the vestiges that deserve to be protected. The Department of Culture of the Menorca Insular Council has, among its priority lines, the knowledge related to the underwater archaeology of the island; a primary objective list includes preserving, protecting, investigating and disseminating it. With this purpose, in recent decades, projects and works have been promoted aimed at knowing more precisely about the submerged archaeological heritage, drawing up inventories and charts that have been inserted in the Underwater Menorca Archaeological Map. The GIS project was developed to structure and analyse the information that can be extracted from the archaeological map, relating to the themes that have been incorporated from the variety of factors affecting the geophysical and environmental aspects associated with the Menorca maritime archaeology. This study focused on developing the information from the underwater archaeological map, and providing the most likely areas with findings for future surveys and research, shown as optimal areas. The archaeological chart was georeferenced and digitised into a shapefile layer to create a geographical database that could be managed in the ArcGis software. Environmental conditions of the Menorca underwater, such as wind direction, wind speed, meteotsunamis, underwater geology and oceanic currents, were analysed and spatially related using the GIS to predict potential best areas for the anchorage process. An approximation to a shoreline reconstruction (for 1000 BC period) was conducted through palaeoenvironmental interpretation, considering geomorphological features from aerial photography, erosion rates and variations in the past sea levels. Thanks to the GIS analyses, it was possible to define both the excellent conditions of some marine areas that were probably used as anchorages since ancient times, and the most likely coastline of the island that may offer new underwater remains. The analysis was adjusted to the landscape reconstruction, which was also helpful for establishing those certain optimal areas, but according to the territorial features estimated for various periods. Based on the spatial analysis of the archaeological chart underwater elements and on the analysis of optimal areas, possible anchorage places have been established, such as Ses Fontanelles, La Mola de Fornells and Cala Tamarells, where punic remains could be found. A series of areas with a higher probability of locating new underwater remains have been determined. The northern shore area, from Cap de Favaritx to Illes Bledes, was classified as the best area for finding new underwater remains. Inner bays such as Addaia, Favaritx or Fornells were the second-best area for finding remains. Stagnant waters areas, like Albufera d'es Grau or Cala n Bosch, would deserve special recognition and surveys since it is possibly one of the most inhabited areas north of the port of Mahón, due to the natural resources that lie in this territory. The GIS analysis of the findings distribution supported by palaeoenvironmental research appears to be a promising approach for underwater analysis; it provides reasonable estimations for future surveys. Constant underwater archaeological map updating and, consequently, completing the analysis of this study should be done periodically in order to classify newly surveyed areas.

[ES] La Carta Arqueológica de Menorca (Islas Baleares, España) de temática subacuática se compone actualmente de 285 elementos que corresponden a pecios, fondeaderos y hallazgos aislados de diferentes periodos cronológicos. La plataforma del Sistema de Información Geográfica (SIG) que hemos diseñado pretendía definir para los próximos años, las líneas de investigación que se pudieran promover, así como recomendar los vestigios que merecen ser protegidos. El Departamento de Cultura del Consell Insular de Menorca tiene, entre sus líneas prioritarias, el conocimiento relacionado con la arqueología subacuática de la isla, con el objetivo principal de preservarlo, protegerlo, investigarlo y difundirlo. Con este propósito, en las últimas décadas, se han promovido proyectos y trabajos encaminados a conocer con mayor precisión el patrimonio arqueológico sumergido, elaborando inventarios y catálogos que se han ido insertando en la Carta Arqueológica de Menorca. La elaboración del proyecto de SIG ha querido estructurar y poner en orden la información que puede extraerse de la Carta Arqueológica, relacionándose a las temáticas que se han incorporado de los factores que condicionan los aspectos geofísicos y medioambientales asociados a la arqueología marítima de Menorca. Los análisis calculados en el SIG, han permitido definir las excelentes condiciones de algunas zonas marinas, que pudieron utilizarse como fondeaderos desde la antigüedad, y el litoral más probable de la isla, que puede ofrecer nuevos vestigios subacuáticos.