Magnetic Studies of Archaeological Sites and Materials from the Mescalero Sand Plain, Eddy County, New Mexico

The objective of the investigation was to assess the effectiveness of magnetic survey methods for detecting buried archaeological features in this region, where the formation of relatively young sand dunes is thought to have obscured the locations of many archaeological features. Magnetic survey is one of the most commonly used archaeological prospection methods due to its speed, reliability, and cost effectivness. This study was unique in that it sought not only to determine whether magnetic survey could be used to map archaeological sites int his region, but also to more fully understand the magnetic properties of natural soils and sediments as well as those modified by sedimentary rock formed in semi-arid environments that is cemented together by calcium carbonate minerals.