A geophysical investigation was carried across the M3 burial mound from Silvașu de Jos —Dealu Țap... more A geophysical investigation was carried across the M3 burial mound from Silvașu de Jos —Dealu Țapului, a tumuli necropolis in western Romania, where the presence of the Yamnaya people was certified archaeologically. For characterizing the inner structure of the mound, two conventional geophysical methods have been used: a geomagnetic survey and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). The results allowed the mapping of the central features of the mound and the establishment of the relative stratigraphy of the mantle, which indicated at least two chronological phases. Archaeological excavations performed in the central part of the mound accurately validated the non-invasive geophysical survey and offered a valuable chronological record of the long-forgotten archaeological monument. Geophysical approaches proved to be an invaluable instrument for the exploration of the monument and suggest a fast constructive tool for the investigation of the entire necropolis which currently has a nu...
This study presents a new way to reconstruct the extent of medieval archaeological sites by using... more This study presents a new way to reconstruct the extent of medieval archaeological sites by using approaches from the field of geoinformatics. Hence, we propose a combined use of non-invasive methodologies which are used for the first time to study a medieval village in Romania. The focus here will be on ground-based and satellite remote-sensing techniques. The method relies on computing vegetation indices (proxies), which have been utilized for archaeological site detection in order to detect the layout of a deserted medieval town located in southwestern Romania. The data were produced by a group of small satellites (3U CubeSats) dispatched by Planet Labs which delivered high-resolution images of the Earth’s surface. The globe is encompassed by more than 150 satellites (dimensions: 10 × 10 × 30 cm) which catch different images for the same area at moderately short intervals at a spatial resolution of 3–4 m. The four-band Planet Scope satellite images were employed to calculate a nu...
ABSTRACT STAR-LAB is a mobile laboratory with instrumentation suitable for archaeological fieldwo... more ABSTRACT STAR-LAB is a mobile laboratory with instrumentation suitable for archaeological fieldwork and the related analysis of materials remains, monuments and artefacts. It consists of a four-wheel drive truck equipped with state-of-the-art instruments and software to support activity in 3D data capture, advanced imaging technologies, chemical-physical analyses and near-surface geophysical survey. This self-sufficient unit offers autonomy to perform on-site analyses and provide results in real-time thus overcoming the logistical difficulties that frequently arise in archaeological and cultural heritage research. STAR-LAB is a Strategic Infrastructure project of the Science and Technology in Archaeology Research Center (STARC) of The Cyprus Institute. Geophysical survey is one of the research services integrated within STAR-LAB, which will be equipped with a magnetometer and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) system. These ground-based and near-surface sensing techniques aid in the detection, identification and analysis of archaeological sites in a non-destructive manner. At its initial stage, the STAR-LAB archaeo-geophysical program is supported by GeoSat ReSeArch (IMS/FORTH) and will coordinate a series of geophysical survey at several archaeological Cypriot sites to help in developing the service. The overall aim of the archaeological input of STAR-LAB is to promote the use of geophysical survey in Cypriot archaeological investigations by evaluating and developing best practice and assisting the archaeological community in meeting their project's goals. This presentation will introduce the research facility, the instrumentation available and some preliminary results of the geophysical surveys carried out under the above framework.
ABSTRACT Urbanisation processes as a result of population growth, migration and infrastructure in... more ABSTRACT Urbanisation processes as a result of population growth, migration and infrastructure initiatives have a direct impact to cultural heritage sites. This paper aims to monitor growth dynamics of the urbanisation process that took place in the Paphos district, southwest Cyprus during the last decades, and evaluate its impact to monuments and archaeological sites. In this extensive area, several important archaeological sites and monuments are found, while some of them are also listed in the UNESCO catalogue of World Cultural Heritage sites. GIS and remote sensing techniques have been used in order to map the listed monuments in the Paphos District, as well as to record spatial and temporal land use changes since the 1980s. The spatial patterns of urban sprawl are studied and analysed using archive time series medium resolution Landsat ETM+ and TM satellite imagery. In addition, a DMSP-OLS night-ime image was also used. Several supervised and unsupervised classification algorithms have been evaluated and examined for this purpose. Additionally, Markov equation were applied in an attempt to predict future urban expansion The final outcomes revealed that a dramatic increase of the urban areas took place in the last years in Paphos district, and as a result significant pressure is expected on archaeological sites found in the peri-urban areas.
A geophysical investigation was carried across the M3 burial mound from Silvașu de Jos —Dealu Țap... more A geophysical investigation was carried across the M3 burial mound from Silvașu de Jos —Dealu Țapului, a tumuli necropolis in western Romania, where the presence of the Yamnaya people was certified archaeologically. For characterizing the inner structure of the mound, two conventional geophysical methods have been used: a geomagnetic survey and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). The results allowed the mapping of the central features of the mound and the establishment of the relative stratigraphy of the mantle, which indicated at least two chronological phases. Archaeological excavations performed in the central part of the mound accurately validated the non-invasive geophysical survey and offered a valuable chronological record of the long-forgotten archaeological monument. Geophysical approaches proved to be an invaluable instrument for the exploration of the monument and suggest a fast constructive tool for the investigation of the entire necropolis which currently has a nu...
This study presents a new way to reconstruct the extent of medieval archaeological sites by using... more This study presents a new way to reconstruct the extent of medieval archaeological sites by using approaches from the field of geoinformatics. Hence, we propose a combined use of non-invasive methodologies which are used for the first time to study a medieval village in Romania. The focus here will be on ground-based and satellite remote-sensing techniques. The method relies on computing vegetation indices (proxies), which have been utilized for archaeological site detection in order to detect the layout of a deserted medieval town located in southwestern Romania. The data were produced by a group of small satellites (3U CubeSats) dispatched by Planet Labs which delivered high-resolution images of the Earth’s surface. The globe is encompassed by more than 150 satellites (dimensions: 10 × 10 × 30 cm) which catch different images for the same area at moderately short intervals at a spatial resolution of 3–4 m. The four-band Planet Scope satellite images were employed to calculate a nu...
ABSTRACT STAR-LAB is a mobile laboratory with instrumentation suitable for archaeological fieldwo... more ABSTRACT STAR-LAB is a mobile laboratory with instrumentation suitable for archaeological fieldwork and the related analysis of materials remains, monuments and artefacts. It consists of a four-wheel drive truck equipped with state-of-the-art instruments and software to support activity in 3D data capture, advanced imaging technologies, chemical-physical analyses and near-surface geophysical survey. This self-sufficient unit offers autonomy to perform on-site analyses and provide results in real-time thus overcoming the logistical difficulties that frequently arise in archaeological and cultural heritage research. STAR-LAB is a Strategic Infrastructure project of the Science and Technology in Archaeology Research Center (STARC) of The Cyprus Institute. Geophysical survey is one of the research services integrated within STAR-LAB, which will be equipped with a magnetometer and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) system. These ground-based and near-surface sensing techniques aid in the detection, identification and analysis of archaeological sites in a non-destructive manner. At its initial stage, the STAR-LAB archaeo-geophysical program is supported by GeoSat ReSeArch (IMS/FORTH) and will coordinate a series of geophysical survey at several archaeological Cypriot sites to help in developing the service. The overall aim of the archaeological input of STAR-LAB is to promote the use of geophysical survey in Cypriot archaeological investigations by evaluating and developing best practice and assisting the archaeological community in meeting their project's goals. This presentation will introduce the research facility, the instrumentation available and some preliminary results of the geophysical surveys carried out under the above framework.
ABSTRACT Urbanisation processes as a result of population growth, migration and infrastructure in... more ABSTRACT Urbanisation processes as a result of population growth, migration and infrastructure initiatives have a direct impact to cultural heritage sites. This paper aims to monitor growth dynamics of the urbanisation process that took place in the Paphos district, southwest Cyprus during the last decades, and evaluate its impact to monuments and archaeological sites. In this extensive area, several important archaeological sites and monuments are found, while some of them are also listed in the UNESCO catalogue of World Cultural Heritage sites. GIS and remote sensing techniques have been used in order to map the listed monuments in the Paphos District, as well as to record spatial and temporal land use changes since the 1980s. The spatial patterns of urban sprawl are studied and analysed using archive time series medium resolution Landsat ETM+ and TM satellite imagery. In addition, a DMSP-OLS night-ime image was also used. Several supervised and unsupervised classification algorithms have been evaluated and examined for this purpose. Additionally, Markov equation were applied in an attempt to predict future urban expansion The final outcomes revealed that a dramatic increase of the urban areas took place in the last years in Paphos district, and as a result significant pressure is expected on archaeological sites found in the peri-urban areas.
This edited volume (a Special Issue with "Open Archaeology" Journal) focuses on digital approache... more This edited volume (a Special Issue with "Open Archaeology" Journal) focuses on digital approaches both to ritual space and to artefacts relating to ritual practice and cult. The terms ritual and cult are used broadly to include sanctuaries, temples, and churches, as well as the domestic and funerary spheres of life. Although the main focus of the issue is the Mediterranean region, there are also relevant contributions from researchers working in other areas of the world, with a view to stimulating wider methodological dialogues and comparative approaches. The chronological range is also open, ranging from prehistory to the recent past, and including cultural heritage management.
The aim of these guidelines is to provide an overview of the issues to be considered when undertaking or commissioning geophysical survey in archaeology. As every project differs in its requirements (e.g. from fi nding sites to creating detailed maps of individual structures) and variations in geological and environmental conditions lead to different geophysical responses, there is no single ‘best’ survey technique or methodology. This guide, in its European approach, highlights the various questions to be asked before a survey is undertaken. It does not provide recipe book advice on how to do a geophysical survey or a tick list of which technique is suitable under what conditions: there is no substitute for consulting experienced archaeological geophysicists on these matters. Using geophysical techniques and methods inappropriately will lead to disappointment and may, ultimately, result in archaeologists not using them at all.
There is no formalised standard for the conduct of geophysical survey in archaeology, mainly because there are many parameters that determine the outcome, and there are various purposes for which the results may be used. A variety of geophysical techniques is available (e.g. magnetometer, earth resistance and ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey) and an archaeological geophysicist will chose a particular methodology for collecting data with any of these techniques (e.g. a gridded survey with a specific transect separation). The choices will depend on the archaeological questions being asked (whether broad, like “are there any archaeological features in this planned road corridor?” or detailed as in “is this wall foundation one brick wide or two?”). The following sections discuss the issues for consideration when selecting geophysical techniques and methodologies, but do not specify specific requirements as these will vary according to context.
This book offers the final publication of a Protopalatial edifice excavated by André Dessenne nea... more This book offers the final publication of a Protopalatial edifice excavated by André Dessenne near the Palace at Malia in 1960. The architectural study of the ruin and the detailed presentation of the material discovered by the archaeologist allows a better understanding of the role of the Dessenne Building in the settlement at the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC. Complemented by a series of archaeological soundings, the present research also provides original data regarding the occupation of Malia during the Prepalatial period, including late 3rd millennium BC large-scale levelling works that prefigurate the construction of the Protopalatial Palace. Architecture, ceramic, stone vases, weights and tools, seals and sealings, and archaeozoological and archaeobotanical remains are studied by specialists whose research coalesce into a synthesis on the Bronze Age site development. This book thus not only offers the detailed presentation of an elite structure, it sets it into a broader historical perspective and offers a revision of the Pre- and Protopalatial sequence of the occupation at the core of the settlement of Malia.
Cet ouvrage offre la publication définitive d’un ensemble architectural protopalatial découvert en 1960 par André Dessenne aux abords immédiats du palais de Malia. L’étude architecturale de la ruine et la présentation détaillée du matériel mis au jour par l’archéologue permettent de considérer le rôle du Bâtiment Dessenne au sein de l’établissement au début du IIème millénaire av. J.-C. Complétées par de nouvelles fouilles, les recherches à l’origine de cet ouvrage produisent également des données inédites sur l’occupation de Malia au Prépalatial et sur les grands travaux d’aménagement de la fin du IIIème millénaire qui préfigurent la construction du palais au Protopalatial. Architecture, céramique, vases, poids et outillage en pierre, sceaux et scellés, faune terrestre et marine et restes archéobotaniques sont envisagés par des spécialistes dont les travaux produisent une synthèse importante sur le développement du site à l’Âge du Bronze. L’ouvrage présente ainsi de manière détaillée un édifice minoen d’élite tout en l’insérant dans une perspective historique plus large, en offrant notamment une révision de la séquence pré- et protopalatiale au cœur de l’établissement maliote.
This book traces the socioeconomic and political development of the Galatas area and its relation... more This book traces the socioeconomic and political development of the Galatas area and its relations with other areas of Crete during the Neolithic–Ottoman periods. Two powerful rival centers in Crete, Knossos/Herakleion and Kastelli/Lyttos, brought the Galatas area under their control at various times in history. The changes in local socioeconomic and political conditions are documented as Galatas came under the direct control of states elsewhere in Crete and overseas. For short introductions to the chapters see: http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1wrpwkj
This book traces the socioeconomic and political development of the Galatas area and its relation... more This book traces the socioeconomic and political development of the Galatas area and its relations with other areas of Crete during the Neolithic–Ottoman periods. Two powerful rival centers in Crete, Knossos/Herakleion and Kastelli/Lyttos, brought the Galatas area under their control at various times in history. The changes in local socioeconomic and political conditions are documented as Galatas came under the direct control of states elsewhere in Crete and overseas.
Contents: PART I. The Galatas Project and Its Natural Environment. 1. Field Survey, by L. Vance Watrous; 2. Survey Area, by L. Vance Watrous; 3. Geological Implications of the Broader Galatas Region, by Eleni Kokinou, Pantelis Soupios, and Apostolos Sarris; 4. Pre-Industrial Life in the Galatas Area, by Sabine Beckmann. PART II. Prehistoric Settlement and Society; 5. First Settlers, by D. Matthew Buell; 6. Prepalatial Growth in Social Complexity, by D. Matthew Buell; 7. Emergence of a Stratified Society, by L. Vance Watrous; 8. The Excavation of the Minoan Palace and Town of Galatas, by Georgos Rethemiotakis; 9. Building a Minoan State at Neopalatial Galatas, by D. Matthew Buell; 10. Collapse and Retraction, by D. Matthew Buell and Lee Ann Turner. PART III. Historical Settlement and Society. 11. Population Reduction and a Polis, by Lee Ann Turner; 12. Population Retraction during the Hellenistic Period, by Scott Gallimore; 13. Abandonment and Assimilation in the Roman Period, by Scott Gallimore; 14. An Imperial Territory, by Mark D. Hammond. PART IV. Conclusion. 15. Final Perspectives, by L. Vance Watrous; PART V. Appendices. Appendix A. Register of Sites, by Kapua Iao; Appendix B. Prehistoric Pottery, by L. Vance Watrous and Amy Heimroth; Appendix C. Ground and Chipped Stone Artifacts, by D. Matthew Buell; Appendix D. A Neolithic Pendant, by Sabine Beckmann; Appendix E. A Neopalatial Sealing, by Sabine Beckmann; Appendix F. Protogeometric to Hellenistic Pottery, by Brice Erickson; Appendix G. Early to Late Roman Pottery, by Scott Gallimore; Appendix H. Byzantine to Ottoman Pottery, by Mark D. Hammond; Appendix I. A New History of Pottery Production in Thrapsano, by Mark D. Hammond; References; Index; Tables; Figures; and Plates.
Through analysis of non-invasive and weakly invasive prospection methods we expect to find a corr... more Through analysis of non-invasive and weakly invasive prospection methods we expect to find a correlation between the results of surface collection data, excavation, and a specific range of values from each of the soil resistivity and magnetic techniques used in the three phases of geophysical investigations under the BAKOTA project. This information may be used to designate areas for excavation of human cremation urn burials moving forward.
Registration and mapping of Neolithic settlements, VHR/HS Space imagery & GIS spatial analyses fo... more Registration and mapping of Neolithic settlements, VHR/HS Space imagery & GIS spatial analyses for Regional site distribution patterns among ecological and topographic zones of Thessaly.
Initiated in 2006, the BAKOTA project aims to understand how travel and participation in trade ne... more Initiated in 2006, the BAKOTA project aims to understand how travel and participation in trade networks affected sociocultural change and the emergence of social inequality in later European prehistory. Békés 103 is located in Eastern Hungary on an old meander of the Kettős Körös, downstream of the old Fehér and Fekete river confluence and contains a Bronze Age cemetery (Areas B and C) and a related settlement region (Area A), both of which were most intensively used between ca. 1600 and 1200 BC. The BAKOTA Project Non-invasive or weakly-invasive surveying methods are often employed to produce images of features below the earth's surface without or prior to excavation. • The geophysical prospection methods (non-invasive) employed in latest phase (III) at Békés 103 included measurements of vertical magnetic gradient (nT/m) and soil resistance Through analysis of non-invasive and weakly invasive prospection methods we expect to find a correlation between the results of surface collection data, excavation, and a specific range of values from each of the soil resistivity and magnetic techniques used in the three phases of geophysical investigations under the BAKOTA project. This information may be used to designate areas for excavation of human cremation urn burials moving forward. Our Purpose A Real-Time-Kinetic GPS unit was used to establish a precise grid of 20 x 20 meter squares in the areas targeted for survey. We worked on one grid at a time in groups of three with one individual walking along parallel transects 1m and 0.5m apart for the soil resistance and magnetometry methods correspondingly. Sampling was 1x1m for soil resistance and 0.5x0.125m for magnetometry. In The Field Analysis The magnetic and resistivity data was imported into ArcGIS software and combined with the data from the previous two phases. We adjusted the color scales of the images to highlight the values that fell within our calculated average ranges (Figure 6) and used the dimensions of the anomalies that fell within those ranges to identify potential urn burials (Figures 9&10 yellow/blue squares). Then we examined the original data (without adjusted color scales) to see which of our suggestions still met the dimensional criteria and designated those that did as our final suggestions (Figures 9&10 red/green triangles). Incorporating Mortuary Data In order to build a signature archive for mortuary features we created a table of contexts that included both text and graphic information about the excavation results of all the human burials found at Békés 103 and the corresponding geophysical signatures (Figure 5). We calculated the average values for both the resistivity and magnetic data and established a range of values for the different sectors surveyed-areas B and C (Figure 6). Furthermore, we compared the number of vessels associated with each grave to corresponding geophysical signatures for both methods (Figures 7 & 8). Conclusion Disturbance from agricultural practices like deep plowing made geophysical study very challenging at Békés 103. We identified 126 potential targets for future excavations. We showed the superiority of magnetic methods over resistivity methods in geophysical studies of this nature through the visible trend shown between the number of vessels and the corresponding magnetic signatures (figure 7) and the lack of such a trend with the resistivity data (figure 8). The superiority of magnetic methods is further shown by the comparison between the number of potential burials identified with each method (Figure 9). We also created an archive of geophysical signatures that can be further developed and built upon as more data becomes available. It is our hope that this archive can be used to establish a framework for future investigations of this nature.
This paper presents the scientific methods and recent results of an approach combining geoarchaeo... more This paper presents the scientific methods and recent results of an approach combining geoarchaeology and archaeological survey to reconstruct the life history of a Neolithic settlement in a lacustrine environment. The site dates to the Neolithic Tisza culture that occupied the Hungarian Plain ca. 5000 BC. It is one of several sites located in a micro-region set along paleomeanders of the Körös River in Békés County, Hungary that are being investigated as part of the Neolithic Archaeology and Soilscapes Körös Area (NASKA) project.
During the course of the Neolithic, this region saw complex development in social and settlement organization, including the nucleation of populations in large settlements and the continued reoccupation of living space, changes in house structure and environmental impacts. By employing a suite of methods from archaeological science, including soil chemistry, sedimentology, geophysics, palynology and archaeobotany, we are gaining a better understandings of the early phase of settlement nucleation during the middle-to-late Neolithic transition, the relationships between changing groundwater levels and cultural developments, and human impacts on the environment during later prehistory in the Körös region. Fieldwork in 2014 and 2015 show a structured distribution of houses along an oxbow lake, and artifact distributions associated with these houses. New soil phosphate and macrobotanical data will also be introduced, as we grapple with variability in settlement organization and human-environmental interactions.
"For the past forty years, electromagnetic methods were employed for archaeological prospection. ... more "For the past forty years, electromagnetic methods were employed for archaeological prospection. Latest studies show the great interest of this kind of survey, with the common use of multi-coils spacing EMI. These recent studies in the area of archaeology or field management take advantages of different characteristics of EM instruments, like simultaneous measurement of electrical conductivity and magnetic susceptibility. Its implementation doesn't need any contact between the soil and the instrument allowing a fast data collection. Actually, magnetic susceptibility has a complex form, where the quadrature out of phase part corresponds to the magnetic viscosity. Several studies, try to measure this viscosity by different ways. The first one is the measurement of the frequency-dependent susceptibility, related to magnetic viscosity like the MS2B (Bartington ltd) does (Dearing et al. 1996). Another one is the measurement of the magnetic viscosity by TDEM instrument like the VC100 (Thiesson et al. 2007). We try here to assess the capability of a commercially available device to retrieve the magnetic viscosity by using multi-frequency measurements.
We used for our study, the GEM-2 from Geophex, a Slingram EMI with a 1.66 m coil-spacing in Vertical dipole mode. It could change to Horizontal dipole mode by a rotation of 90 degrees around the instrument axis. This device, like others (e.g. EMP-400 from GSSI), works at various frequencies (from 300 Hz to 90 kHz). We have studied in which proportion the signal at these frequencies could be changed when the contrast of electrical conductivity, magnetic susceptibility and magnetic viscosity varies.
As a first step we make some 1D and 3D modeling in order to study the depth of investigation of the instrument. According to the model and solution described by A. Tabbagh (Tabbagh 1986) we simulate a thin layer with different properties to study the behavior of signal in-phase and in-quadrature part. We consider both configurations available for this instrument. According to the theoretical consideration about restriction of Low Induction Number for this kind of geometries, coil-spacing, and target dimension, we noticed that depth of investigation doesn't change with the frequency. These obvious results indicate that for each frequency we measure apparent properties for the same volume.
As a second step we try to understand the differences between the measurements at each frequency. For the two lowest frequencies we observed a strong noise which affects the quality and stability of the measurements, so we only use the three highest frequencies. Then we try to separate the part of the quadrature out of phase signal linked to magnetic viscosity (independent of the frequency used) and the one linked to electrical conductivity (frequency dependent). In this way we can propose a new transformation to express electrical conductivity and magnetic viscosity.
This new approach of processing measurements would be applied on various archaeological sites in Greece and compared with some other methods and geophysical properties. This study takes part of the Politeia-Kripis project."
Complex magnetic susceptibility is a well-known property both theoretically and experimentally. T... more Complex magnetic susceptibility is a well-known property both theoretically and experimentally. To achieve this measurement, different ways have been tested, like TDEM or multi-frequential measurement on soil sample. In this study we carry out the measurements by the use of a multi-frequential EMI Slingram instrument to collect data quickly and in-situ. The use of multi-frequency data is also a way to correct effects of the conductivity on the in-phase component and effects of the magnetic susceptibility on
the quadrature component of the raw signal.
The Laboratory of Geophysical, Satellite Remote Sensing and Archaeoenvironment of the Institute for Mediterranean Studies (FORTH) conducted an integrated geophysical survey at the Greek settlement of Demetrias in Thessaly during March 2014. The purpose of the fieldwork was to identify near-surface features of archaeological interest relevant to the organization of urban space and its use and development over time. Geophysical fieldwork focused primarily on zones around the Hellenistic palace complex and near the modern shoreline. It was successful in identifying an extensive network of streets, city-blocks, and buried residential buildings and monumental public structures that relate to the palace and/or agora. One discovery that stands out was a large building with a semicircular end in the northern section of the city. Overall, this new and valuable information provides insights into the wider urban dynamics of Demetrias and is particularly helpful in reconstructing the Hellenistic town plan of the city and its domestic and public architecture.
A large-scale electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) survey was undertaken around the Neolithic ... more A large-scale electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) survey was undertaken around the Neolithic tell of Szeghalom-Kovácshalom in southeast Hungary, covering an area of almost 6 ha. High-resolution ERT data were collected along 28 uniformly distributed transects of variable length using the roll-along technique. A recently presented two-dimensional fast non-linear resistivity inversion algorithm was used to invert the ERT data and recover the true subsurface resistivity distribution along the specific cross-sections. The algorithm calculates and stores in an efficient manner the part of the Jacobian matrix that is actually important within the inversion procedure, thus rendering it almost 4.8 times faster than the algorithm that calculates the complete Jacobian matrix, without losing quality. The algorithm was further modified to account for any non-standard electrode configuration. A recently established iterative algorithm for sparse least squares problems (LSMR) was incorporated for the first time into the algorithm to solve the inverse resistivity problem. The effectiveness and robustness of the LSMR solver was highlighted through the processing of all the ERT lines. The processing and evaluation of the ERT data made it possible to map the thickness of the anthropogenic layer below the surface of the tell, to outline the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the palaeochannel adjacent to the tell, and to determine the general stratigraphy of geological layers up to 10 m below the ground surface. The ERT results also were used to update an older topographic map of the site showing the course of the palaeochannel around the tell. A synthetic model verified and enhanced the conclusions based on the field data. This study illustrates the added value that a systematic ERT survey can provide in reconstructing the ancient fluvial geomorphology of a microregion as well as the depth and horizontal extent of deposits associated with human habitation at archaeological sites.
This workshop aims: 1. provide the Archaeology of Pre-Modern Economies students an introduction t... more This workshop aims: 1. provide the Archaeology of Pre-Modern Economies students an introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and their potential in grasping issues related to economic archaeology in general, and spatial analysis of ritual and cult more specifically, 2. provide the new students with the opportunity to discuss informally – in a friendly and collegial environment – the possibility of applying inter-and intra-site GIS analyses to their work, 3. provide the more advanced students with the opportunity to present – in a friendly and collegial environment – their ideas or their preliminary GIS results, and to get feedback and stimuli from various GIS specialists, 4. provide a forum through which both the Archaeology of Pre-Modern Economies Research Training Group and the Unlocking Sacred Landscapes Network have the opportunity of networking with other projects/scholars in Germany and beyond.
A B S T R A C T Nucleated tell sites emerged on the Great Hungarian Plain nearly a millennium aft... more A B S T R A C T Nucleated tell sites emerged on the Great Hungarian Plain nearly a millennium after the earliest agricultural communities established sedentary settlements at the beginning of the Neolithic period. Once established, these unprecedentedly large population centers had a dramatic impact on their local environment. In this article, we present the results of our recent research at two Neolithic tells in the Körös Region of the Great Hungarian Plain. These sites – Vésztő-Mágor and Szeghalom-Kovácshalom – were established at roughly the same time and were located on the same branch of the Sebes-Körös River. Focusing on two methods – geophysics and micro-stratigraphy – we compare how these two nearby sites were established, evolved, and were abandoned within their local landscapes. Whereas geophysical surveys provide a horizontal picture of how the sites expanded over space, microstratigraphic studies provide a vertical perspective of the social processes that built the tells over time. Although both settlements were established at the same time, the sites developed in very different ways. We attribute these differences in the micro-regional trajectories to specific traditions associated with different local communities.
Since 2014 the Olynthos Project has been undertaking fieldwork at the Classical city of Olynthos ... more Since 2014 the Olynthos Project has been undertaking fieldwork at the Classical city of Olynthos (Chalkidiki, Greece) as a Synergasia between the Greek Archaeological Service and the British School at Athens, by permission of the Greek Ministry of Culture. This paper reports the results of excavation, field survey, and geophysical survey carried out during two fieldwork campaigns in 2017. The objectives were to gather evidence for the extent and layout of the city as a whole; to study the organisation, character and chronology of the settlement on the South Hill; and to reveal further evidence of a house on the North Hill (where excavation was begun in 2015). On the North Hill, continued excavation in house B ix 6 provided more evidence for its construction, occupation, modification, and destruction. At the same time, scientific analysis of samples from that house has begun to provide detailed information about the domestic economy and about the range and organization of domestic acitivities. On the South Hill, excavation showed that the structures of the last phase of occupation were built using somewhat different techniques from those on the North Hill, and that well-preserved destruction deposits survive from that phase in this location. Surface collections within the city showed distinct chronological patterns in different locations. Field survey of 3 km² in its immediate hinterland has documented an increase in activities to the south and east beginning in the Classical period, while less evidence has been discovered to the north. Evidence for cemeteries was located to the west. At the same time, four different geophysical techniques used in combination showed that less densely occupied neighborhoods existed on the North Hill and in parts of the Lower City. On the South Hill they showed that the street grid extended over almost the entire hill. They also provided an indication of the depth of the earliest phases of that grid in some areas. This combination of multiple investigative techniques is enabling a new picture of the city to be constructed at different scales.
Cultural Heritage Resilience Against Climate Change and Natural Hazards Methodologies, Procedures, Technologies and Policy improvements achieved by Horizon 2020 -700191 STORM project, 2019
For the interpretation of archaeological geophysical data as archaeological features, it is essen... more For the interpretation of archaeological geophysical data as archaeological features, it is essential that the recorded anomalies can be clearly delineated and analyzed, and therefore, care has been taken to obtain the best possible data. However, as with all measurements, data are degraded by unwanted components, or noise. This review clarifies the terminology, discusses the four major sources of noise (instrument, use of instrument, external, soil), and demonstrates how it can be characterized using geostatistical and wavenumber methods. It is important to recognize that even with improved instruments, some noise sources, like soil noise, may persist and that degraded data may be the result of unexpected sources, for example, global positioning system synchronization problems. Suggestions for the evaluation and recording of noise levels are provided to allow estimation of the limit of detection for archaeological geophysical anomalies.
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Papers by Apostolos Sarris
The aim of these guidelines is to provide an overview of the issues to be considered when undertaking or commissioning geophysical survey in archaeology. As every project differs in its requirements (e.g. from fi nding sites to creating detailed maps of individual structures) and variations in geological and environmental conditions lead to different geophysical responses, there is no single ‘best’ survey technique or methodology. This guide, in its European approach, highlights the various questions to be asked before a survey is undertaken. It does not provide recipe book advice on how to do a geophysical survey or a tick list of which technique is suitable under what conditions: there is no substitute for consulting experienced archaeological geophysicists on these matters. Using geophysical techniques and methods inappropriately will lead to disappointment and may, ultimately, result in archaeologists not using them at all.
There is no formalised standard for the conduct of geophysical survey in archaeology, mainly because there are many parameters that determine the outcome, and there are various purposes for which the results may be used. A variety of geophysical techniques is available (e.g. magnetometer, earth resistance and ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey) and an archaeological geophysicist will chose a particular methodology for collecting data with any of these techniques (e.g. a gridded survey with a specific transect separation). The choices will depend on the archaeological questions being asked (whether broad, like “are there any archaeological features in this planned road corridor?” or detailed as in “is this wall foundation one brick wide or two?”). The following sections discuss the issues for consideration when selecting geophysical techniques and methodologies, but do not specify specific requirements as these will vary according to context.
Cet ouvrage offre la publication définitive d’un ensemble architectural protopalatial découvert en 1960 par André Dessenne aux abords immédiats du palais de Malia. L’étude architecturale de la ruine et la présentation détaillée du matériel mis au jour par l’archéologue permettent de considérer le rôle du Bâtiment Dessenne au sein de l’établissement au début du IIème millénaire av. J.-C. Complétées par de nouvelles fouilles, les recherches à l’origine de cet ouvrage produisent également des données inédites sur l’occupation de Malia au Prépalatial et sur les grands travaux d’aménagement de la fin du IIIème millénaire qui préfigurent la construction du palais au Protopalatial. Architecture, céramique, vases, poids et outillage en pierre, sceaux et scellés, faune terrestre et marine et restes archéobotaniques sont envisagés par des spécialistes dont les travaux produisent une synthèse importante sur le développement du site à l’Âge du Bronze. L’ouvrage présente ainsi de manière détaillée un édifice minoen d’élite tout en l’insérant dans une perspective historique plus large, en offrant notamment une révision de la séquence pré- et protopalatiale au cœur de l’établissement maliote.
For short introductions to the chapters see:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1wrpwkj
Contents: PART I. The Galatas Project and Its Natural Environment. 1. Field Survey, by L. Vance Watrous; 2. Survey Area, by L. Vance Watrous; 3. Geological Implications of the Broader Galatas Region, by Eleni Kokinou, Pantelis Soupios, and Apostolos Sarris; 4. Pre-Industrial Life in the Galatas Area, by Sabine Beckmann. PART II. Prehistoric Settlement and Society; 5. First Settlers, by D. Matthew Buell; 6. Prepalatial Growth in Social Complexity, by D. Matthew Buell; 7. Emergence of a Stratified Society, by L. Vance Watrous; 8. The Excavation of the Minoan Palace and Town of Galatas, by Georgos Rethemiotakis; 9. Building a Minoan State at Neopalatial Galatas, by D. Matthew Buell; 10. Collapse and Retraction, by D. Matthew Buell and Lee Ann Turner. PART III. Historical Settlement and Society. 11. Population Reduction and a Polis, by Lee Ann Turner; 12. Population Retraction during the Hellenistic Period, by Scott Gallimore; 13. Abandonment and Assimilation in the Roman Period, by Scott Gallimore; 14. An Imperial Territory, by Mark D. Hammond. PART IV. Conclusion. 15. Final Perspectives, by L. Vance Watrous; PART V. Appendices. Appendix A. Register of Sites, by Kapua Iao; Appendix B. Prehistoric Pottery, by L. Vance Watrous and Amy Heimroth; Appendix C. Ground and Chipped Stone Artifacts, by D. Matthew Buell; Appendix D. A Neolithic Pendant, by Sabine Beckmann; Appendix E. A Neopalatial Sealing, by Sabine Beckmann; Appendix F. Protogeometric to Hellenistic Pottery, by Brice Erickson; Appendix G. Early to Late Roman Pottery, by Scott Gallimore; Appendix H. Byzantine to Ottoman Pottery, by Mark D. Hammond; Appendix I. A New History of Pottery Production in Thrapsano, by Mark D. Hammond; References; Index; Tables; Figures; and Plates.
Hardback: 464 pp., 20 tables, 37 B/W figs, 69 B/W pls.
(Prehistory Monographs 55, INSTAP Academic Press, 2017)
ISBN 978-1-931534-89-5
During the course of the Neolithic, this region saw complex development in social and settlement organization, including the nucleation of populations in large settlements and the continued reoccupation of living space, changes in house structure and environmental impacts. By employing a suite of methods from archaeological science, including soil chemistry, sedimentology, geophysics, palynology and archaeobotany, we are gaining a better understandings of the early phase of settlement nucleation during the middle-to-late Neolithic transition, the relationships between changing groundwater levels and cultural developments, and human impacts on the environment during later prehistory in the Körös region. Fieldwork in 2014 and 2015 show a structured distribution of houses along an oxbow lake, and artifact distributions associated with these houses. New soil phosphate and macrobotanical data will also be introduced, as we grapple with variability in settlement organization and human-environmental interactions.
We used for our study, the GEM-2 from Geophex, a Slingram EMI with a 1.66 m coil-spacing in Vertical dipole mode. It could change to Horizontal dipole mode by a rotation of 90 degrees around the instrument axis. This device, like others (e.g. EMP-400 from GSSI), works at various frequencies (from 300 Hz to 90 kHz). We have studied in which proportion the signal at these frequencies could be changed when the contrast of electrical conductivity, magnetic susceptibility and magnetic viscosity varies.
As a first step we make some 1D and 3D modeling in order to study the depth of investigation of the instrument. According to the model and solution described by A. Tabbagh (Tabbagh 1986) we simulate a thin layer with different properties to study the behavior of signal in-phase and in-quadrature part. We consider both configurations available for this instrument. According to the theoretical consideration about restriction of Low Induction Number for this kind of geometries, coil-spacing, and target dimension, we noticed that depth of investigation doesn't change with the frequency. These obvious results indicate that for each frequency we measure apparent properties for the same volume.
As a second step we try to understand the differences between the measurements at each frequency. For the two lowest frequencies we observed a strong noise which affects the quality and stability of the measurements, so we only use the three highest frequencies. Then we try to separate the part of the quadrature out of phase signal linked to magnetic viscosity (independent of the frequency used) and the one linked to electrical conductivity (frequency dependent). In this way we can propose a new transformation to express electrical conductivity and magnetic viscosity.
This new approach of processing measurements would be applied on various archaeological sites in Greece and compared with some other methods and geophysical properties. This study takes part of the Politeia-Kripis project."
the quadrature component of the raw signal.
The Laboratory of Geophysical, Satellite Remote Sensing and Archaeoenvironment of the Institute for Mediterranean Studies (FORTH) conducted an integrated geophysical survey at the Greek settlement of Demetrias in Thessaly during March 2014. The purpose of the fieldwork was to identify near-surface features of archaeological interest relevant to the organization of urban space and its use and development over time. Geophysical fieldwork focused primarily on zones around the Hellenistic palace complex and near the modern shoreline. It was successful in identifying an extensive network of streets, city-blocks, and buried residential buildings and monumental public structures that relate to the palace and/or agora. One discovery that stands out was a large building with a semicircular end in the northern section of the city. Overall, this new and valuable information provides insights into the wider urban dynamics of Demetrias and is particularly helpful in reconstructing the Hellenistic town plan of the city and its domestic and public architecture.