The geophysical methods that are most commonly used at present are electrical resistivity, magnetics, and ground-probing radar. Recent developments in image processing and graphic representation have contributed substantially to the archaeologist’s ability to do “rescue archaeology,” that is, to carry out high-speed, nondestructive reconnaissance surveys for ancient human cultural evidence in advance of modern industrial development.
Dr. Lee Slater, an applied geophysicist in the UMKC Geosciences Department, brought a magnetometer and a ground penetrating radar (GPR) instrument and talked about how these two types of instruments can be used to help archaeologists locate artifactual concentrations.
To understand the development of prehistoric cultural and economic activities, archaeologists try to obtain as much relevant information as possible. For this purpose, large numbers of similar sites must be identified, usually by non-destructive prospection methods such as aerial photography Read More …
Archaeological geophysics is a vital part of exploring and documenting cultural heritage. Three of the most commonly used techniques are magnetometry, resistivity, and ground penetrating radar. These methods help archaeological geophysicists to unravel the complexity of many archaeological sites, including Read More …
Electromagnetic methods still need to be improved and developed for faster surveying. In all cases, increasing the rate and the significance of measurements is very much dependent on the particular conditions in open fields, and most methods are subject to Read More …