Georeferencing and Mapping Spatial Distributions of Peruvian/Quechuan Arborglyphs in North Routt County

Arborglyphs carved by Quechuan and Peruvian sheepherders have been discovered and documented as photographs in the aspen groves of North Routt County, Colorado. This project will apply methods of Geographic Information Systems in order to analyze the spatial distribution of the glyphs and supplement anthropological ethnographic and historical research about the sheepherders in this area. By being able to plot the locations of these images, this Geographic Information Systems (GIS) project will help advance multidisciplinary research about the role that migrant sheepherders have played in the history of Routt County and Colorado. Using ArcGIS Pro and other ESRI software, we will be able to create a geodatabase and use geoprocessing tools to analyze the distribution of glyphs. With Dr. Krögel’s help, the maps can be used to deduce possible travel patterns and the cultural significance of the glyphs. By digitizing the locations of the arborglyphs and creating maps, this project will be useful for Dr. Krögel in advancing her research of Peruvian/Quechuan sheepherders culture and history in Colorado. We intend to produce accurate and intentionally designed maps of the over 100 arborglyph locations along with their corresponding photographs and descriptions. Additionally, ESRI has a platform for creating story maps that could act as a more interactive visualization of the glyphs.