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Archaeological Features (archaeological + feature)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Earth and Environmental Science	88%

Selected Abstracts

FIXED-FREQUENCY RADIO-WAVE IMAGING OF SUBSURFACE ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURES: A MINIMALLY INVASIVE TECHNIQUE FOR STUDYING ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES*

ARCHAEOMETRY, Issue 1 2005
L. SOMERS
In memoriam Tony Clark Sadly, this research marked the last field visit to the test site that the authors were able to share with their colleague Tony Clark. His enthusiasm, experience and encouragement inspired us to complete this project that, to many, must have appeared as grown men at play in a sand pit. A new approach to subsurface exploration has been developed, based on fixed-frequency radio-wave illumination from a buried transmitter. Data are collected from a buried, continuous wave source with a phase-coherent surface-scanning receiver and recorded in a digital archive from which images of the archaeological features are subsequently produced. An important feature of this approach is the opportunity to separate the data collection and archive functions, which form an uncompromised record of the site, from the more subjective image formation function. This paper reports the results of a feasibility assessment programme and discusses the future application of the method to real archaeological sites. [source]

A multiscale approach for reconstructing archaeological landscapes: Applications in Northern Apulia (Italy)

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 3 2009
Marcello Ciminale
Abstract This paper is focused on the joint use of multiscale remote sensing technologies for supporting archaeological prospection. Satellite imagery, aerial photographs and high-resolution magnetic surveys were adopted for studying the Tavoliere, an extended agricultural region located in Northern Apulia (Italy) that is characterized by an abundant presence of archaeological sites. A first recognition of the archaeological features was performed by historical aerial photographs and satellite QuickBird images were used to obtain an up-to-date synoptic view of the study area. Archaeological features extracted from both aerial and satellite images, were further investigated by high-resolution magnetic survey, which provided detailed identification of buried remains. All data were stored in a GIS in order to integrate them properly. This database was used to cross-check information of different types and determine significant correlations. The multilayer analysis in the GIS environment allowed for a comprehensive reconstruction of ancient landscapes and their palaeoenvironmental context, as well as the present geomorphological and territorial setting. Moreover it represents an open information system that could always be upgraded by inputting new data from future studies. Results from our analyses suggest that this multidisciplinary and multiscale approach, in addition to its important scientific implications, could yield meaningful information for the preservation, monitoring and management of the cultural resource, from a single site to a landscape perspective; thus this integrated tool could play a strategic role in defining proper policies of sustainable development in this region. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Lightning strikes and prehistoric ovens: Determining the source of magnetic anomalies using techniques of environmental magnetism

GEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 5 2005
David Maki
Techniques of environmental magnetism were used to examine soil samples from a North American archaeological site in an effort to determine the source of magnetic field gradient anomalies. Testing revealed the source of one anomaly to be lightning-induced remanent magnetization (LIRM). This anomaly had initially been identified as a possible archaeological feature, but excavations were unable to identify a visible source. LIRM appears to be a relatively common source of anomalous signal on archaeological sites and may often be misinterpreted in magnetic imagery. Thermoremanent magnetization (TRM) was also documented and quantified in soil from archaeological hearths at the site, as were changes in the ferrimagnetic mineral concentration and coercivity spectra resulting from high-temperature enhancement within the hearths. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Bayesian models for relative archaeological chronology building

JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL STATISTICAL SOCIETY: SERIES C (APPLIED STATISTICS), Issue 4 2000
Caitlin E. Buck
For many years, archaeologists have postulated that the numbers of various artefact types found within excavated features should give insight about their relative dates of deposition even when stratigraphic information is not present. A typical data set used in such studies can be reported as a cross-classification table (often called an abundance matrix or, equivalently, a contingency table) of excavated features against artefact types. Each entry of the table represents the number of a particular artefact type found in a particular archaeological feature. Methodologies for attempting to identify temporal sequences on the basis of such data are commonly referred to as seriation techniques. Several different procedures for seriation including both parametric and non-parametric statistics have been used in an attempt to reconstruct relative chronological orders on the basis of such contingency tables. We develop some possible model-based approaches that might be used to aid in relative, archaeological chronology building. We use the recently developed Markov chain Monte Carlo method based on Langevin diffusions to fit some of the models proposed. Predictive Bayesian model choice techniques are then employed to ascertain which of the models that we develop are most plausible. We analyse two data sets taken from the literature on archaeological seriation. [source]

Sensitivity of multi-coil frequency domain electromagnetic induction sensors to map soil magnetic susceptibility

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2010
D. Simpson
Magnetic susceptibility is an important indicator of anthropogenic disturbance in the natural soil. This property is often mapped with magnetic gradiometers in archaeological prospection studies. It is also detected with frequency domain electromagnetic induction (FDEM) sensors, which have the advantage that they can simultaneously measure the electrical conductivity. The detection level of FDEM sensors for magnetic structures is very dependent on the coil configuration. Apart from theoretical modelling studies, a thorough investigation with field models has not been conducted until now. Therefore, the goal of this study was to test multiple coil configurations on a test field with naturally enhanced magnetic susceptibility in the topsoil and with different types of structures mimicking real archaeological features. Two FDEM sensors were used with coil separations between 0.5 and 2 m and with three coil orientations. First, a vertical sounding was conducted over the undisturbed soil to test the validity of a theoretical layered model, which can be used to infer the depth sensitivity of the coil configurations. The modelled sounding values corresponded well with the measured data, which means that the theoretical models are applicable to layered soils. Second, magnetic structures were buried in the site and the resulting anomalies measured to a very high resolution. The results showed remarkable differences in amplitude and complexity between the responses of the coil configurations. The 2-m horizontal coplanar and 1.1-m perpendicular coil configurations produced the clearest anomalies and resembled best a gradiometer measurement. [source]

Contiguous multi-proxy analyses (X-radiography, diatom, pollen, and microcharcoal) of Holocene archaeological features at Kuk Swamp, Upper Wahgi Valley, Papua New Guinea

GEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 6 2009
Tim Denham
Contiguous multi-proxy analyses (X-radiography, diatom, pollen, and microcharcoal) have been conducted on the fills of early, mid-, and mid-late Holocene features at Kuk Swamp, Upper Wahgi Valley, Papua New Guinea. The features are associated with key periods of archaeological interest: plant exploitation (ca. 10,000 cal yr B.P.), earliest cultivation (6950,6440 cal yr B.P.), and earliest ditches (ca. 4000 cal yr B.P.). The analyses are designed to clarify uncertainties regarding the reliability and association of different samples within feature fills for the interpretation of human activities on the wetland in the past. Methodologically, these investigations have clarified site formation processes, including pedogenesis within feature fills, which enable a better determination of archaeological associations for different samples within those fills. Substantively, the results provide higher resolution interpretations of paleoenvironments and past human activities on the wetland margin. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Detection of a low-relief 18th-century British siege trench using LiDAR vegetation penetration capabilities at Fort Beauséjour,Fort Cumberland National Historic Site, Canada

GEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 5 2009
Koreen Millard
Airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), a remote sensing data collection technique, has many applications in the field of archaeology, including aiding in the planning of field campaigns, mapping features beneath forest canopy, and providing an overview of broad, continuous features that may be indistinguishable on the ground. LiDAR was used to create a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) in a heavily vegetated area at Fort Beauséjour,Fort Cumberland National Historic Site, Canada. Previously undiscovered archaeological features were mapped that were related to the siege of the fort in 1755. Features that could not be distinguished on the ground or through aerial photography were identified by overlaying hillshades of the DEM created with artificial illumination from various angles. LiDAR provides accurate digital topographic models with the additional benefit of mapping vertical surfaces in accurate detail below the forest canopy. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Ground-penetrating radar survey of the Sny Magill Mound Group, Effigy Mounds National Monument, Iowa

GEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 4 2008
William E. Whittaker
A ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey of 101 mounds at the Sny Magill Unit of Effigy Mounds National Monument, Iowa, demonstrates that GPR can be an effective tool to evaluate the structure and condition of mounds without damaging them. Ideal survey conditions and improved processing technology allow for the identification of strata within the mounds, as well as areas of post-construction disturbance and possible archaeological features within the mounds. Provisional interpretations indicate that 60 are intact conical mounds with minimal post-construction disturbance, and two show very strong evidence of containing interior burial platforms; 29 are badly damaged by non-cultural or cultural activity; two are probable non-cultural mounds; nine are reasonably intact linear and effigy mounds; one is an excavated effigy mound. GPR and other remote-sensing techniques are highly recommended for mound investigation, but wherever possible such techniques need to be coordinated with mound excavation so as to test the remote-sensing results. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Integrating geochemistry and micromorphology to interpret feature use at Dust Cave, a Paleo-Indian through middle-archaic site in Northwest Alabama

GEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2006
Lara K. Homsey
The authors develop an integrated method using geochemistry and micromorphology to examine the use of archaeological features at Dust Cave, a Paleo-Indian through Middle Archaic (10,650,3600 cal. B.C.) site in northwest Alabama. Samples analyzed using ICP-AES for aluminum (Al), barium (Ba), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), sodium (Na), phosphorous (P), strontium (Sr), sulfur (S), and zinc (Zn) and suggest that cultural features differ chemically from geogenic sediments in several ways: (a) K-means cluster analyses indicate that features of known origin and suspected features of the same origin cluster together, thereby allowing for a preliminary separation into discrete functionalities; (b) phosphorus serves as an indicator of human occupation intensity; and (c) Sr/Ca and K/P ratios help identify anthropogenic materials. Micromorphological observations allow for a finer subdivision of feature types and help highlight postdepositional processes affecting cave sediments, and interpretation of activity at the site. These findings show that feature diversity and occupation intensity increased through time, peaking during the Middle Archaic. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Geoarchaeological insights gained from surficial geologic mapping, middle Moche Valley, Peru

GEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 5 2003
Gary Huckleberry
We present the results of detailed surficial geologic mapping for a 10 km2 area of alluvial (quebrada) deposits located in the middle Moche Valley of Peru, where archaeological features and deposits provide cross-cutting relationships and numerical age control for late Holocene erosion and deposition associated with El Niño. Despite surfaces containing clasts that are heavily pitted and cracked due to salt weathering, archaeological and 14C dates indicate that most quebrada landforms in the study area are late Holocene in age and may reflect enhanced alluviation associated with increased El Niño activity beginning ca. 6000 cal yr B.P. Our study provides criteria for correlative dating of other Holocene landforms in the Moche Valley area but urges caution in long-distance (>100 km) correlation because of geographic variability in surface weathering. Surficial geologic mapping aided by archaeological age control allows improved understanding of the rates of landscape change important to the development of complex irrigation-based societies in the Peruvian Desert. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

A survey in the park: Methodological and practical problems associated with geophysical investigation in a late Victorian municipal park

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 3 2010
Andrew Parkyn
Abstract The survey of Pudsey Park is a geophysical investigation of a late Victorian municipal park. The aim of the survey was to use geophysical techniques to identify the park's changing designs over a 120 year period. An initial design for the park was located during the desk-based assessment, however, it was unclear how much of the original plan had been implemented. It was suspected that Pudsey Park's design has been simplified over time. The project also aimed to identify a suitable sampling strategy for studying park and garden sites by using high-resolution surveys and multiple probe separations for varying depths of detection during earth resistance survey. It was hoped that multiple electrode separations combined with a high density survey could be used to differentiate the signal responses from the modern park designs and earlier design schemes. The choice of strategy is at a significantly higher resolution than guidelines for geophysical investigations for traditional archaeological features. The survey provided highly detailed but complicated data sets; areas of the park have had several redesigns, often where the modern scheme masks previous designs. A number of ,hard' and ,soft' landscaping features were identified including the foundations of the original bandstand (now replaced) and former flower beds. The 0.25,m probe separation surprisingly produced the most defined data with the greatest level of information due to the increased spatial resolution. The geophysical investigation is the first of its kind to investigate a Victorian municipal park in its entirety. The survey validates the importance of high-resolution survey in the study of parks and gardens and also provides a reference data set for future work where poorer documentation hinders interpretation. The geophysics data, together with the accompanying Geographical Information System database produce a unique and detailed picture of a Victorian park from its inception through 120 years of development. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

LiDAR-derived Local Relief Models , a new tool for archaeological prospection

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 2 2010
Ralf HesseArticle first published online: 11 FEB 2010
Abstract Local relief models (LRM) are proposed as a new tool for archaeological prospection. A data processing approach is presented which produces LRM from LiDAR-derived high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs). The LRM represents local, small-scale elevation differences after removing the large-scale landscape forms from the data. The LRM greatly enhances the visibility of small-scale, shallow topographic features irrespective of the illumination angle and allows their relative elevations as well as their volumes to be measured directly. This makes the LRM an improved basis for spatially extensive archaeological prospection over a wide range of landscapes. The LRM raster map of local positive and negative relief variations can be used for the mapping and prospection of archaeological features such as burial mounds, linear and circular earthworks, sunken roads, agricultural terraces, ridge and furrow fields, kiln podia and mining/quarrying sites. This approach is currently being used in a project aimed at the complete archaeological mapping and prospection of the state Baden-Württemberg (Germany), covering an area of 35,751,km2. The goal of the project is the verification and extension of the existing archaeological data base. An object-based local relief vector layer is produced as a by-product; however, due to the common amalgamation of natural and anthropogenic features this cannot be used efficiently for archaeological prospection at present. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Geophysical Archaeology Research Agendas for the Future: Some Ground-penetrating Radar Examples

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 2 2010
Lawrence B. Conyers
Abstract Archaeological geophysics research and its applications to archaeology are today positioned to move in a number of directions, building on successes in the past few decades. The basics of data acquisition, processing and interpretation are now commonplace, and along with a variety of new geophysical tools and software, readily available to most dedicated practitioners. It is now time to move beyond the basics to develop new areas of research for the coming decades. Here, we propose some future avenues that can be followed, using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) as an example. One avenue is the application of these techniques to test ideas about culture and history in ways not possible using traditional archaeological methods. Another is the application of sophisticated new equipment and three-dimensional processing methods that can produce greater precision in the products produced, while simplifying data acquisition and revealing more information about buried archaeological features. While we discuss below our ideas with regard to the future of GPR, these basic concepts and future pathways are potentially applicable to the other commonly used near-surface geophysical methods. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Three-dimensional inversion of automatic resistivity profiling data

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 4 2009
Nikos G. Papadopoulos
Abstract Geophysical investigations through mobile multi-electrode systems, such as the automatic resistivity profiling (ARP) method, can increase the size of the surveyed areas without jeopardizing the spatial resolution of the survey. The representation of the apparent resistivity data in maps corresponding to the different measuring dipoles is sufficient in most routine applications for outlining the buried archaeological structures. In specific cases where a more quantitative interpretation of the apparent resistivity data is demanded, a three-dimensional resistivity inversion can provide the necessary tool for this purpose. This work investigates the possibilities and limitations of the three-dimensional resistivity inversion in processing the ARP data. A three-dimensional finite element smoothness-constrained inversion algorithm was used. The active constraint balancing (ACB) method was also applied in order to enhance the stability and the resolving power of the inversion procedure. Resistivity models that are commonly encountered in archaeological exploration were used to generate synthetic apparent resistivity data using a three-dimensional finite element forward modelling program. Inversion of the synthetic data showed that the maximum investigation depth of the ARP method is comparable to the length of the larger receiving dipole and cannot exceed the 2,2.5,m for the particular ARP device tested in this work. Archaeological structures buried within this depth range can be effectively mapped, while the resolution of the subsurface structures is related to the data acquisition parameters. The inversion algorithm was also used to reconstruct the three-dimensional resistivity distribution from the ARP data set collected from the Andilly archaeological site in France. The results effectively showed that the three-dimensional inversion can act as a complementary tool in acquiring a more quantitative interpretation model of the buried archaeological features. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

A multiscale approach for reconstructing archaeological landscapes: Applications in Northern Apulia (Italy)

Detection of resistive features using towed slingram electromagnetic induction instruments

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 2 2009
Julien Thiesson
Abstract Slingram frequency domain electromagnetic (FDEM) instruments allow simultaneous measurement of both magnetic susceptibility and electrical conductivity, which should justify their widespread use in archaeological surveying. However, this is not the case and their application remains quite limited due to: (i) a lack of knowledge about the role of coil orientation and spacing in terms of the detection abilities for archaeological features (especially for resistive bodies); and (ii) a lack of instrumentation specifically designed for shallow targets. We present here a test of a new version of the CS60 instrument (VCP coil configuration and 0.6,m intercoil spacing) for shallow depth resistive feature detection. This experiment was undertaken on the Roman site of Vieil-Evreux where a complete series of control resistivity and radar data was obtained. Detection of buried Roman walls was successful, in accordance with what can be expected from three-dimensional modelling. This confirms that the application of this type of instrument in archaeological surveys merits to be extended significantly. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Geophysical investigation of the Environs of Rattin Castle Tower House, County Westmeath, Ireland

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 1 2009
T. O'Rourke
Abstract No visible archaeological features are today associated with Rattin Castle Tower House in County Westmeath, Ireland located near the boundary of the Pale, the area around Dublin and adjoining counties where English control prevailed. However, both magnetic and resistance data show that Rattin Castle was surrounded by a substantial bawn wall, which has since been removed. Interpretation of two-dimensional resistivity shows a deep trench at the site of the bawn wall. A small (12 by 16,m) rectangular low-resistance anomaly located outside the northern section of the bawn wall but connected to it, is interpreted as a possible gatehouse providing access to the castle. Less than 20,m from this anomaly, the course of an old military road is delineated by magnetic data but is seen most clearly on the resistance data where it is represented by two parallel low-resistance anomalies 230,m long. This road is possibly older than the castle. Rattin is associated with an extensive network of subrectangular field boundaries and enclosures, most noticeably west of the castle. The presence of the military road, potential gatehouse, substantial bawn wall and geographical location all suggest that Rattin Castle was an important strategic fortification in Ireland. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Archaeological prospecting at the Double Ditch State Historic Site, North Dakota, USA

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 1 2008
Kenneth L. KvammeArticle first published online: 14 FEB 200
Abstract A four-year programme of remote sensing at the Double Ditch State Historic Site, a fortified earthlodge village in the Great Plains of North Dakota, USA, demonstrates the importance of combined prospecting methods for understanding the multidimensional nature of complex settlements. Aerial survey from a powered parachute acquired high-resolution digital colour and thermal infrared imagery. The former distinguishes houses, borrow pits and ditches from middens and fill areas by changes in vegetation; the latter does the same through temperature variations that also highlight substantial village deposits and century-old excavations. Magnetic gradiometry reveals two previously unknown fortification systems that vastly increase the settlement's area and projected population to perhaps 2000 individuals. Vast numbers of food storage pits that supported that population are also indicated. Vertical soundings and area surveys of magnetic susceptibility aid in the understanding of storage pit magnetism and anthropogenic soil mounding and removal. A high-resolution digital model of topography documents surface expressions caused by ditches, houses, borrow pits and mounds; when combined with overlays of geophysical data understanding of remote sensing responses is improved and relationships between large mounds with village defenses are made clear. Ground-penetrating radar gives insights into mounded midden interior forms and yields details about house interior components, while electrical resistance results improve definition of middens, other depositional areas, houses and borrow pits. This multisensor remote sensing programme reduced excavation costs by allowing a wide variety of archaeological features of interest to be targeted accurately. Excavations confirmed anomaly identifications and established a chronology that documents late fifteenth century origins to an ultimate abandonment about AD 1782. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Integrated technologies for archaeological investigation; the Celone Valley project

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 3 2007
Marcello Ciminale
Abstract A non-intrusive investigation integrating complementary technologies was carried out at four vast archaeological settlements located in the northern part of Apulia (Southern Italy). An aerial photographic survey combined with a high-resolution magnetic investigation was used to detect many buried archaeological features. After processing, both crop marks and magnetic anomalies appeared very sharp and well-defined, outlining the shape and plan of the buried structures with notable accuracy. Furthermore, differential global positioning system measurements were carried out in order to geocode the magnetic grids, to orthorectify the oblique coloured photographs and to make these data sets suitable for input into a GIS; a very good spatial correlation and a more rigorous and comprehensive interpretation of the various data elements were attained. Finally, as a result of this combined and accurate multilayer analysis, an archaeological interpretation was proposed, enabling useful information to be obtained on the transformations that have occurred over time at these study sites. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Robotic total station for microtopographic mapping: an example from the Northern Great Plains

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 2 2006
Kenneth L. Kvamme
Abstract Past human activities in cultural landscapes are often expressed by subtle variations in surface topography that reflect buried archaeological features. When seen from the air under low sunlight angles, resultant ,shadow marks' form a cornerstone of site detection in aerial archaeology. Past attempts to quantify and map such variations across large archaeological landscapes have resorted to aerial photogrammetry, electronic total stations, air- and ground-based lidar, and kinematic global positioning systems. The most commonly used surveying instrument is the total station, but its slow rate of data acquisition makes it poorly suited for collecting vast amounts of elevation data over large areas, although it is often used for that task. A robotic total station, examined here, is a relatively new technology that provides a rapid survey solution. It requires only a single person to operate the total station by radio linkage from a control pad affixed to a wheeled reflector rod. As the rod is rolled over the landscape it is automatically tracked, and measurements of surface topography may be acquired to subcentimetre accuracy continuously, at a rate of one measurement per second. A case study from the Double Ditch State Historic Site in the Great Plains of North Dakota, a fortified earthlodge village with culturally significant surface expressions, exemplifies this potential. The loci of prehistoric houses, borrow pits, fortification ditches, middens and defensive mounds are clearly revealed in the topographic mapping. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Complementary integrated geophysical investigation around Al-Zayyan temple, Kharga oasis, Al-Wadi Al-Jadeed (New Valley), Egypt

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 3 2005
M. A. Atya
Abstract Qasr Al-Zayyan or Al-Zayyan temple in Al-Kharga oasis is documented as a node in the fortress chain that was built by the Romans to secure Darb Al-Arbain; the slaver's trade caravan route between Asyuit and Sudan. The historical and archaeological background of the temple is very scarce; it has been ascribed to Amenebis and was restored during the reign of Emperor Antoninus AD 138,161. In March 2001, an integrated ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and magnetic survey to the west of the temple showed the possibility of an existing structural complex intersecting the present temple at about 45°. It was interpreted as a multigate structure or a tomb complex. In March 2002, the relative topographic elevations were measured and the surface archaeological features were marked on a map. Also a complementary integrated geophysical survey including electromagnetic, geomagnetic and GPR was conducted along northern and western extensions of, and partially covering, the formerly prospected structure in the survey of 2001. It was designed to verify the structure, to define its extent on both the northern and western sides, and to decide about a possible excavation. The results verified the formerly prospected structure of 2001; some of its particular features have been detected. The structure therefore has been mapped over the surveyed area at the northern and western parts of the 2001 structure and it might extend wider than the surveyed area. The former proposition of a multigate structure becomes stronger because of its general appearance, and the idea of a tomb complex still exists owing to the presence of some depressions thought to be graves. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Identification and removal of above-ground spurious signals in GPR archaeological prospecting,

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 2 2005
Luigia Nuzzo
Abstract Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a shallow geophysical method increasingly used in archaeological prospecting to detect buried remains and to map the stratigraphy of the uppermost earth layers embodying the archaeological features. The GPR sections, however, can be contaminated by spurious correlated signals caused by above-ground obstacles (buildings, trees, fences, power lines) placed either in-line or off-line with respect to the profile (surface scattering). In the case study presented this problem is analysed for a 35,MHz GPR survey carried out for stratigraphical purposes in the archaeological site of the Roman Ships near Pisa (Italy). The investigation inside the archaeological excavation, when the level was about 5,m below the ground surface, produced a severe surface scattering problem caused by the iron sheet-piling protecting the excavation walls and bordering some of the partly excavated boats. An attempt to interpret the profiles was carried out in a zone where the relatively simple geometry of the metallic enclosure allowed understanding of the possible origin of spurious events, also thanks to the high density of profiles acquired along two orthogonal directions. Migration at the air velocity and geometrical considerations helped the identification of hyperbolic and slightly slanted features as surface scattering phenomena from different sides of the iron sheet-piling. A simple but original subtraction procedure was successful for the attenuation of some of the spurious reflections. After this partial removal, other spurious signals could be recognized more easily as well as two weak subhorizontal reflections of probable stratigraphical meaning. Subsequently, filtering procedures based on f-k and Radon transform methods were tried to further reduce the spurious signals, thus enhancing the visibility of the interesting reflections. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Electrical and magnetic response of archaeological features at the early neolithic site of Movila lui Deciov, western Romania

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 4 2004
J. M. Maillol
Abstract An archaeological geophysics survey was conducted on the early neolithic site of Movila lui Deciov, in the Province of Banat, Romania. Magnetometry and electromagnetic terrain conductivity were used for the main prospection effort, and a test of electrical resistivity imaging was conducted on a selected profile. In addition, magnetic susceptibility measurements were obtained from excavation pit samples. The magnetic survey was successful in determining the extent of the site, in delimiting zones rich in structures and artefacts, and in confirming the presence of a ditched enclosure that could be the earliest known in the region. The electromagnetic survey was limited by a lack of resolution of electrical property contrast. Detailed joint modelling of the magnetic and electrical response of the subsurface was used to confirm that electrical resistivity imaging can provide depth information to complement magnetic mapping. One of very few reported in Romania, this survey paves the way for an increased use of geophysical techniques in the cultural heritage management of this country. From a methodological viewpoint, this work further demonstrates the potential of electrical resistivity imaging in archaeology Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

GPR survey to understand the stratigraphy of the Roman Ships archaeological site (Pisa, Italy)

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 1 2003
M. T. Carrozzo
Abstract Two surveys with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) were carried out in June and December 2000 at the Roman Ships archaeological site (Pisa, Italy). Both surveys were undertaken at selected locations, placed on the plan of excavation (,5 m from the ground surface), using a GSSI Sir System2 incorporating 35, 100, 200 and 500 MHz centre-frequency antennae. The main purpose of the two surveys was to test the value of radar in respect of penetration depth and, therefore, to reconstruct the geological stratigraphy, given the general not too favourable site conditions. The results showed that most of the GPR data acquired with the 35 MHz antenna were contaminated by strong reflections caused by above-ground objects near the survey lines. In fact, the archaeological area is protected on every side by iron barriers, around 6 m high, in order to guarantee the stability of the walls and to contain the present shallow groundwater. Therefore, it is very important to recognize the reflections through air (surface scattering) and not to confuse them with the reflections from underground geological features. For this purpose higher frequency antennae, less prone to surface scattering problems, although allowing shallower penetration depths, also have been used. Their higher resolution permitted the identification of some anomalies probably related to shallow stratigraphical boundaries, as well as other anomalies probably attributable to archaeological features. Moreover, the numerous measurements carried out in the second survey to estimate the velocity of propagation of the electromagnetic waves in the ground, contributed to a better interpretation of the geology of the site. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]