GIS MODELING OF PALEO-INDIAN PERIOD CARIBOU MIGRATIONS AND VIEWSHEDS IN NORTHEASTERN LOWER MICHIGAN

A geographic information system (GIS) was used to develop a cartograph ic model of caribou movement during the Paleo-Indian and Early Archaic periods [ca. 11,000 to 9,500 years before present (y.b.p.) and 10,000 to 8,000 y.b.p.] from digital elevation data and ancillary digital da ta sets. Cartographic surfaces depicting the friction of movement for migrating caribou were generated for a study area in Presque Isle Coun ty, Michigan. Alternative optimal pathways, based on minimizing energy of movement for north-to-south and south-to-north migration, were sim ulated using cumulative cost surface calculations. Spatial relationshi ps between view-sheds from three archaeological sites and the simulate d pathways indicated that these sites were suitable locations for hunt ing caribou during the Early Holocene.