Exploring the Migration of the Roanoke Colonists

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(No Transcript)
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Exploring the Migration of the Roanoke Colonists

• By Ronesha Lucas, Eunice Smith, and Malcom B.
  Mathis II
• Mentors Dr. LeCompte, Dr. San Juan, Mr. Willard,
  Dr. Zhang and Dr. Garland

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Abstract

• Historical maps, archives, genealogies, and oral
  history indicate at least four (4) sites in North
  Carolinas Dare (2), Hyde (1) and Tyrrell (1)
  Counties as Native settlements. One or more of
  these sites may have provided sanctuary for
  refugees from the ill-fated colony established on
  Roanoke Island in 1587.
• The archaeological research design of the Lost
  Colony Center for Science and Research consists
  of a predictive model using traditional data but
  also remote sensing applications, that is,
  aerial, satellite and geophysical. Environmental
  studies with remote sensing assist in confirming
  the sites as habitable. Optical imagery and
  processing provided the initial results about the
  locales being habitable (2003 URE Lost Colony
  Team).
• Prior study of high-resolution satellite imagery
  of the Buckridge site in Tyrrell County
  identified environmental characteristics
  conducive to habitation. The ridge vegetation of
  mixed trees was distinct compared to the
  surrounding wetlands. However, at the highest
  available spatial resolution (1m) the vegetative
  canopy obscured the ground at these sites. This
  study also did not address other factors related
  to habitation.
• The current study correlates remote sensing
  imagery with historical geospatial information to
  evaluate the suitability for settlement at three
  locales. For this study, settlement suitability
  is based upon observable, interdependent,
  quantifiable environmental factors governing
  habitability (settlement size and area),
  arability (soils and vegetation) and
  defensibility (geographical location and
  elevation). To determine these factors, data from
  satellite based Optical and ISAR instruments and
  aerial LIDAR are compared to observe and quantify
  the terrain and environment of the historical
  locales.

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Abstract (contd)

• Interferometric Synthetic Aperture RADAR (ISAR)
  data allows penetration of obscuring vegetative
  canopies, although at a spatial resolution (30
  m.) insufficient to detect discrete cultural
  features. Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR)
  data provides adequate spatial resolution (lt1 m.)
  but is subject to statistical uncertainties over
  small areas.
• For this study, ISAR data from NASAs Shuttle
  RADAR Topography Mission and LIDAR data from the
  North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program were
  compared to improve the site elevation accuracy.
  The use of new, public, environmental data sets
  provided the opportunity to refine the requisite
  settlement characteristics of habitability,
  arability and defensibility. The proximate
  location of sites to ECSU yielded an opportunity
  to establish ground truth for measurements made
  remotely. Once remote elevation and
  environmental data are validated, each site will
  be the focus of further in- situ study to confirm
  settlement characteristics.
• The study continues with Geophysical
  applications, especially Ground Penetrating
  Radar, and geologic core samples at the sites
  with the requisite environmental and terrain
  characteristics. The 2005 URE project initiated
  this in situ study at Croatan (Dare) and at
  Goshen Ridge (Hyde).

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History Behind the Mystery

• First attempt at New World English colonization
• 116 Colonists landed Roanoke Island, July 22,
  1587
• Elected John White Governor
• Encountered hardships
• John White returned to England for assistance,
  August 27, 1587
• At the time of my last departure from them, they
  were prepared to remove from Roanoke 50 miles
  into the main (Miller 200013).
• Spanish Armada delayed Whites return until 1590
• Colonists disappeared leaving inscription
  CROATOAN

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History Behind the Mystery

• From Sir Walter Raleigh
• What manner of forte I would haue I would haue
  It a pentangell in this manner. With, v, large
  bulwarkes the Casemates of the Boulwarkes large
  and open, with a way out of the bulwarke and an
  other Into the Streat The Collionsides or
  ocrechons, large and longe, The Curtyns sumwhat
  slant, that the yearthe may lye the faster and
  the rampir of the Curtyns very braude
• Paraphrased What manner of forte I would have I
  would have it pentagonal in this manner. With
  five large bulwarks the casemates of the bulwarks
  large and open, with a way out of the bulwark and
  another into the street The collision sides or
  orechons, large and long, the curtains somewhat
  slant, that the earth may lie that faster and the
  rampart of the curtains very broad

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History Behind the Mystery

• hould a gaynst all the forces of Indda. How I
  would haue It seated, eyther upon rocke,
  marrishe, an Iland or peninsula, if this forte
  wer In an Iland then would I have on the next
  land to It a forte, wherby I would always be sure
  of a landing assured, and of a retreat
• Paraphrased ...hold against all the Indian
  forces. I would have it seated either upon rocks,
  marsh, an island or peninsula, if this fort were
  on an island then I would have a fort next to it
  whereby I would always be sure of landing
  assured, and of a retreat

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Hypothesis

• The colonists removed to sites associated with
  Native American habitation and characterized by.
• Agricultural Suitability
• Defensibility
• Within support range of Native American allies
  (Croatan)
• Economic Prospects
• Sufficient Settlement Size
• Sites near Buxton on Cape Hatteras and near the
  Alligator River headwaters may conform to
  colonist proposed settlement requirements.

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Approach

• Locate remnant features indicating the location
  of the Lost Colony using an amalgam of remote
  sensing data processing and GIS techniques
• Data Optical imagery, LIDAR, ISA-RADAR, GPR
• GIS Technology GPS
• Archeological methodology
• Historical Map Comparison to locate known sites
• Reveal Evident Changes in Topography over 400
  years

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Relativity 4 days vs 400 years

• Changes in land over the course of four days!

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Archaeological Research Design Archeology and
Historic Preservation Secretary of the
Interior's Standards and Guidelines (48 FR
44716-44742) 1983

• Phase 1 Background Research
• Includes location of historic map-projected sites
• Previous archeological research
• High/Low probability areas
• Conventional survey
• Phase 1 Method
• Conventional Survey
• Remote Sensing identifies high probability areas
  for subsurface testing
• Phase 2 Evaluation Survey
• Phase 3 Data Recovery

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Remote Sensing

• What is Remote Sensing?
• Sources of Remote Sensing
• Aerial
• Satellite
• In-Situ Geophysical
• Types of Remote Sensing
• Optical Multi-spectral (IKONOS satellite)
• LIDAR (LIght Detection and Ranging)
• NC Floodplain Mapping Program ( NCFMP)
• ISAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar)
• Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM)
• Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)

Kolam IKONOS University of Missouri CS
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Methods

• Image Processing
• Pixoneer PG-STEAMER
• GIS Processing
• ESRI ArcMap
• Image Data Comparisons
• Satellite (IKONOS) Optical Imagery
• Satellite (SRTM) ISAR
• Aerial (NC Flood Plain Mapping Program) LIDAR
• Map Comparisons
• Historical
• Wetland
• Soil
• In Situ Data Collection
• Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)
• Mapping and Surface GPS Survey

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Methods (contd)

• Objectives for Analysis
• Measure relative
• Distances
• Elevations
• Areas
• Geo-reference Measurements (Latitude Longitude)
• Vegetation classification
• Soil Classification
• Ground-truthing

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Migration of the Alligator River, Croatan, and
Tramanscacooc 1585 and 1588
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Migration of the Alligator River, Croatan and
Tramanscacok (Cont.)Thoronton Morden Lea1685 and
Mosley 1733
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LANDSAT and Coastal Wetlands

• Hardwood Flats on the Alligator River
• Buck and Goshen Ridges

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Soil Description for Croatan

• Carteret Sand( CeA) located between forested
  dunes in the outer banks, this location is
  irregular in shape and can be used as habitat for
  wildlife.
• Conaby Muck (CnA) surface is 14 inches thick
  black in the upper part and grey in the lower,
  rare flooding soil ranges from extremely acid to
  strongly acid. Area away from the salt water
  includes vegetation ranging from greenbrier,
  eastern baccharis, black willow, blueberry,
  sawgrass and cattail. Theses varies vegetation
  can be used for weaving, carving, and building
  houses.
• Fripp Fine Sand( FrD) soil ranges from
  strongly acid to mildly alkaline, seasonal high
  water table is more than 6ft. below the surface.
  Vegetation supports pine, live oak, cherrybark
  oak hickory, black cherry and eastern redcedar.
  Cannot be used as cropland because of doughtiness
  and rapid leaching of plant nutrients.
• Ousley Fine Sand(OuB) well drained sand located
  on dunes near sound side of the Outer banks,
  strongly acid, high water range from 1.5 to 3ft.
  Used mainly as Woodland. Vegetation includes live
  oak, water oak and sweet grass. This land is
  generally not used for cropland due to its
  wetness.
• Major Crops none used.

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Soil description for Goshen Ridge

• Yeopim silt loam (YeA) rarely flooded, deepest
  of soil ranges from 3 to 54 inches. . Location
  edge of creeks and marshes along the Pungo River.
• Hydeland silt loam Scuppernong muck (HyA) rarely
  flooded, major uses cropland and woodland.
  Vegetation includes pond pine, swamp blackgum,
  switchcane, swamp chestnut oak and various other
  types. Location edge of Pocosin.
• Ponzer muck (PnA) surface layer soil ranges
  from 0-6 inches subsoil 6-21 inches, underlying
  soil ranges from 21-71 inches.
• Roper muck (RoA) rarely flooded, soil depths
  surface 0-5 inches, subsoil 5-42 inches,
  underlying 42-72 inches. Water capacity high.
  Location edge of pocosion.
• Pungo Muck(PuA) Location Pocosins and
  depressions. Soil depths surface layer 0-10
  inches. Subsoil 10-80 inches. Underlying 80-85
  inches.
• Major Crops Corn, soybean, and wheat
• Soil Thickness in soil components is rich in
  nutrients suitable for vegetation and crop
  growth.

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Soil Description of Buck Ridge1988 and 1920
scale19881 mile, 19201inch1 mile

• Augusta Fine Sandy Loam (At) level, poorly
  drained. Dark grayish brown sandy loam. Soil
  ranges from very strong to medium acidity. Winter
  coverage helps maintain productivity. 1988
• Belhaven Muck (Ba) Rarely flooded. Soil ranges
  from slightly to extremely acid.1988
• Pungo Muck(Pu) Rarely flooded. Dark grayish
  brown clay loam. Soil ranges from strongly to
  extremely acid. Used mainly as woodland.1988
• Major Crops Corn and Soybean
• Water Source Alligator River, Su and Albemarle
  Sound.
• Norfolk Fine Sand (Ns)1920

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Optical Imagery of Goshen Ridge(IKONOS Hi-Res
Panchromatic Multispectral)
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Optical Imagery of Buck Ridge(IKONOS Hi-Res
Panchromatic Multispectral)
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Elevation of Buxton

• LIDAR image data
• Shaded elevation at two foot intervals

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Elevation of Goshen Ridge

• LIDAR image data
• Shaded elevation at two foot intervals
• Low -4 ft
• High 50 ft
• Statistical Anomalies
• Obscuring vegetation
• Note Canals

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Elevation of Buck Ridge

• LIDAR imagery
• Shaded elevation at 2 foot intervals
• Statistical anomalies

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SRTM ISAR Alligator River (Unfinished Data
Buck Goshen Ridges)
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Finished SRTM ISAR Imagery http//seamless.usgs.go
v/website/seamless/viewer.php
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Results
Buck Ridge Data Table
Goshen Ridge Data Table
Croatan Data Table
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Conclusion

• Criteria for hypothesis validation
• Habitable
• Distance and area
• Arable
• Soil types and vegetation
• Defensible
• Location and elevation
• Constraints of the study
• Data
• LIDAR statistical inaccuracies
• SRTM gross spatial resolution (30 m)
• Ground-truth (GPS soil and vegetation samples)

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Recommendations

• Historical Map (GIS) Study
• Airborne ISAR data
• Ground Penetrating Radar data
• Ground-truthing
• Archaeological Survey
• Studying living descendants
• Other locations

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References

• http//www.lost-colony.com
• Miller, Lee. Roanoke Solving The Mystery Of The
  Lost Colony
• Kolam IKONOS University of Missouri CS
• Quinn, D.B. The Roanoke Voyages 1584-1590
• Cumming, W.P. The Southeast in Early Maps
• North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service,
  Soil Survey of Dare County, 1992. sheet no.20.
• North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service,
  Soil Survey of Tyrrell County 2001. sheet no.9.
• North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service,
  Soil Survey of Hyde County, 1988.
• sheet no.9.

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Acknowledgements

• Dr. Linda Hayden
• Dr. Anne Garland, Dr. Malcolm LeCompte, Dr. San
  Juan, Mr. Fred Willard
• URE-OMSS Staff
• Colleagues