The survey conducted in the area of historical al-Hira between 2015-2017 decisively expanded our ... more The survey conducted in the area of historical al-Hira between 2015-2017 decisively expanded our knowledge of the localisation and extension of the historical settlement, its spatial order and building typology. The large-scale documentation of settlement activities indicates two patterns. While the central survey-area is characterised by loose agglomerations of large complexes with open spaces in between, the western part shows a dense urban network with streets and residential structures. This situation can be linked to the evaluation of surface finds. In the central survey-area, finds of the 6th -8th c. dominate, while those from the 9th c. prevail in the west. It is suggested that the large complexes correspond to the qusur of al-Hira mentioned by Arabic sources and the urban network belongs to an early Islamic building phase. This means that, contrary to the prevailing interpretation of al-Hira being abandoned after the foundation of al-Kufa, it saw a period of urban growth under the early Abbasids.
As part of the Bhutan-Swiss Archaeology Project, a geophysical survey was initiated by Prof. Dr. ... more As part of the Bhutan-Swiss Archaeology Project, a geophysical survey was initiated by Prof. Dr. Philippe Della Casa (Head, Department of Prehistoric Archaeology, Institute of Archaeology, University of Zurich) at several mounds in the Phobjikha Valley, Wangdue Phodrang District, Bhutan. The geophysical survey campaign, carried out from 2–6 March 2018 by Burkart Ullrich (Eastern Atlas) as well as Benjamin Hart and Alexander Keiser (archaeology students at the University of Zurich) was led locally by Christian Bader (archaeologist, Swiss-Liechtenstein Foundation for Archaeological Research Abroad SLSA, Zurich) and Karma Tenzin (architect, Head, Section of Archaeology, Division for Conservation of Heritage Sites DCHS, Department of Culture in the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs, Thimphu, Bhutan), who coordinated a team from DCHS. The project is financed by the SLSA.
The goal of the geophysical survey was to prospect several artificial mounds in the Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan (see Figure 1). The research aim was to acquire data about the inner structure of the mounds in the Phobjikha Valley. Because no previous three-dimensional (3D) geophysical surveys had been conducted at these mounds, two supplementing geophysical survey methods–Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) surveys–were suggested to accommodate the varying survey conditions in the field.
PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY OF CENTRAL WAD BEN NAGA, 2018
Within the framework of the Archaeological Expedition to Wad Ben Naga, a non-invasive, geophysica... more Within the framework of the Archaeological Expedition to Wad Ben Naga, a non-invasive, geophysical survey was conducted at the archaeological site of Wad Ben Naga, Sudan, in the course of the mission's fifteenth season. The objective of the survey was to explore selected parts of Central Wad Ben Naga, to map surface and subsurface structures. Almost 500 distinct anomalies were detected using a ten-sensor gradiometer array LEA MAX and interpreted in the context of the site's development.
Die Erde; Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Erdkunde zu Berlin
The archaeological excavation site of Naga, remains of a Meroitic city, is located in the semi-ar... more The archaeological excavation site of Naga, remains of a Meroitic city, is located in the semi-arid region along the fringe of the north-eastern Sahel and the south-eastern Sahara desert, in central Sudan, 150 km north of Khartoum and 40 km south of the Nile. During its heyday the city was a highly developed central place, with a large population and a booming economy. Naga has been the object of archaeological research for several decades – and of geoscientific investigation since 2008. The first step for the investigation was to select adequate methods that combine the advantages of various subdisciplines and approaches. The study presented employs techniques from terrain modelling, geophysics and environmental analytics to evaluate field data with the aim of a comprehensive landscape reconstruction.
In accordancewith archaeological programmes several geophysical investigation campaignswere
cond... more In accordancewith archaeological programmes several geophysical investigation campaignswere
conducted at the Roman site of Munigua (Province of Seville, Spain). First, building structures such
as the city wall and production sites extra muro were investigated by means of ground-penetrating
radar (GPR) measurements. A newmethod is presented, ZODIAC, which enables virtual or physical
reconstruction of archaeological features in the ground; ZODIAC uses the original geophysical data
and avoids the speculative aspect of previous reconstruction techniques. Second, two geophysical
survey campaignson Romanarchaeo-metallurgical remainswereundertakenatMuniguain November
2003andApril 2005.Methodsofcomplexresistivitywereusedforanon-destructivesurveyonslag
heaps.The slagheapsarewell-defined byinducedpolarizationeffectsfromthebedrockwitha phase
angle of more than 30mrad. The extension and depth of the slag heaps are estimated using twodimensional
and three-dimensional images of resistivity r and phase angle w.The results fulfilled all
expectations and for the first time allowan estimation of the amount of processedmetal in Munigua.
The Free University of Berlin and the Humboldt University of Berlin hosts the excellence cluster ... more The Free University of Berlin and the Humboldt University of Berlin hosts the excellence cluster 264 Topoi, "The Formation and Transformation of Space and Knowledge in Ancient Civilizations". The Excellence Cluster pursues the goal of researching the interdependence of space and knowledge in the civilizations of the Ancient Near East, the Mediterranean, and Black Sea region and parts of the Eurasian steppe from the 6th millennium BC to around AD 500. Within this excellence cluster, the project A-I-10 "Settlement History of the South Harz Mountains" combines archaeological, geophysical, and geographical methods to identify the settlement history during the iron-age period. The southern Harz Mountains were on the northern periphery of the Latène culture, which was organized around central sites. Here, towards the end of the 2nd century B.C., settlements of the Przeworsk culture are present, providing evidence of a process of migration into a limited "cultural island". From the geophysical perspective in this project, we discuss results of large-scale magnetic mapping and geoelectric surveys, which were used to determine localities, where subsequently archaeological excavations have been carried out. Magnetic prospecting has been performed with an eight-sensor gradiometer array mounted on a chart. Using a newly developed 10-channel-data logger LEA supporting a GPS-unit for accurate real time positioning high resolution measurements of 1 ha/h became possible. Geoelectric measurements have then been performed over selected sites to add more information on the sub-surface from a different perspective.
The Free University of Berlin and the Humboldt University of Berlin hosts the excellence cluster ... more The Free University of Berlin and the Humboldt University of Berlin hosts the excellence cluster 264 Topoi, "The Formation and Transformation of Space and Knowledge in Ancient Civilizations". The Excellence Cluster pursues the goal of researching the interdependence of space and knowledge in the civilizations of the Ancient Near East, the Mediterranean, and Black Sea region and parts of the Eurasian steppe from the 6th millennium BC to around AD 500. Within this excellence cluster, the project A-I-11 "Lossow near Frankfurt/Oder - An Early Iron Age Cult Site of the Ancient Peripheral Zone" examines the evolution of an important cult site in Central Europe. The castle mound of Lossow was built as a fortified settlement in the late Bronze Age (10th century B.C.). After a phase of around 200 years, a supra-regionally significant, early Iron Age cult centre developed on this site (8th-6th century B.C.). Several pieces of evidence indicate that the locality had a central-site character. Typical for the site are well-shapes shafts, filled with large amounts of human and animal bones. The shafts with a diameter of about 1 meter and a depth of about 5 to 7 meters are a great challenge to near surface geophysics. Here, geophysical methods (geomagnetic gradiometry, geoelectric imaging, georadar survey) have been used to obtain a large-scale conclusive picture of the sub-surface both within the castle mount and around the perimeter. While the magnetic results reveal numerous archaeological artefacts, geoelectric imaging decipers the subsurface structure of the site.
Seit einigen Jahren ist die Anwendung zerstörungsfreier geophysikalischer Verfahren ein wichtiger... more Seit einigen Jahren ist die Anwendung zerstörungsfreier geophysikalischer Verfahren ein wichtiger Teil archäologischer Untersuchungskonzepte und sowohl aus interdisziplinären Forschungsprojekten als auch dem alltäglichen Aufgabenfeld der Bodendenkmalpflege nicht mehr wegzudenken. Neben der bereits seit Mitte der achtziger Jahre angewandten Prospektion großer Flächen mittels geomagnetischer Kartierung (vgl. J. Fassbinder, dieser Band) rückte seit der Jahrtausendwende verstärkt der Einsatz tomographischer Verfahren zur Erforschung der dreidimensionalen archäologischen Objekte in das Blickfeld von Archäologen und Geophysikern (vgl. S. Hecht, dieser Band). Verbesserungen an der geophysikalischen Messtechnik führten zu einer Erhöhung von Messfortschritt und Datenqualität. Die heute fast selbstverständliche Verfügbarkeit der nötigen Speicher- und Prozessorkapazitäten für die Auswertung großer Datenmengen wirkten dabei als Katalysatoren der wissenschaftlichen Entwicklung. Am Beispiel von Georadaruntersuchungen und geoelektrischer Prospektion in Munigua (Provinz Sevilla, Spanien) wird gezeigt, welche Ergebnisse mit diesen Verfahren erzielt werden können. Dabei werden die Grundzüge der Theorien, die praktische Umsetzung der Messungen sowie Auswertung und archäologische Interpretation exemplarisch beschrieben.
The survey conducted in the area of historical al-Hira between 2015-2017 decisively expanded our ... more The survey conducted in the area of historical al-Hira between 2015-2017 decisively expanded our knowledge of the localisation and extension of the historical settlement, its spatial order and building typology. The large-scale documentation of settlement activities indicates two patterns. While the central survey-area is characterised by loose agglomerations of large complexes with open spaces in between, the western part shows a dense urban network with streets and residential structures. This situation can be linked to the evaluation of surface finds. In the central survey-area, finds of the 6th -8th c. dominate, while those from the 9th c. prevail in the west. It is suggested that the large complexes correspond to the qusur of al-Hira mentioned by Arabic sources and the urban network belongs to an early Islamic building phase. This means that, contrary to the prevailing interpretation of al-Hira being abandoned after the foundation of al-Kufa, it saw a period of urban growth under the early Abbasids.
As part of the Bhutan-Swiss Archaeology Project, a geophysical survey was initiated by Prof. Dr. ... more As part of the Bhutan-Swiss Archaeology Project, a geophysical survey was initiated by Prof. Dr. Philippe Della Casa (Head, Department of Prehistoric Archaeology, Institute of Archaeology, University of Zurich) at several mounds in the Phobjikha Valley, Wangdue Phodrang District, Bhutan. The geophysical survey campaign, carried out from 2–6 March 2018 by Burkart Ullrich (Eastern Atlas) as well as Benjamin Hart and Alexander Keiser (archaeology students at the University of Zurich) was led locally by Christian Bader (archaeologist, Swiss-Liechtenstein Foundation for Archaeological Research Abroad SLSA, Zurich) and Karma Tenzin (architect, Head, Section of Archaeology, Division for Conservation of Heritage Sites DCHS, Department of Culture in the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs, Thimphu, Bhutan), who coordinated a team from DCHS. The project is financed by the SLSA.
The goal of the geophysical survey was to prospect several artificial mounds in the Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan (see Figure 1). The research aim was to acquire data about the inner structure of the mounds in the Phobjikha Valley. Because no previous three-dimensional (3D) geophysical surveys had been conducted at these mounds, two supplementing geophysical survey methods–Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) surveys–were suggested to accommodate the varying survey conditions in the field.
PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY OF CENTRAL WAD BEN NAGA, 2018
Within the framework of the Archaeological Expedition to Wad Ben Naga, a non-invasive, geophysica... more Within the framework of the Archaeological Expedition to Wad Ben Naga, a non-invasive, geophysical survey was conducted at the archaeological site of Wad Ben Naga, Sudan, in the course of the mission's fifteenth season. The objective of the survey was to explore selected parts of Central Wad Ben Naga, to map surface and subsurface structures. Almost 500 distinct anomalies were detected using a ten-sensor gradiometer array LEA MAX and interpreted in the context of the site's development.
Die Erde; Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Erdkunde zu Berlin
The archaeological excavation site of Naga, remains of a Meroitic city, is located in the semi-ar... more The archaeological excavation site of Naga, remains of a Meroitic city, is located in the semi-arid region along the fringe of the north-eastern Sahel and the south-eastern Sahara desert, in central Sudan, 150 km north of Khartoum and 40 km south of the Nile. During its heyday the city was a highly developed central place, with a large population and a booming economy. Naga has been the object of archaeological research for several decades – and of geoscientific investigation since 2008. The first step for the investigation was to select adequate methods that combine the advantages of various subdisciplines and approaches. The study presented employs techniques from terrain modelling, geophysics and environmental analytics to evaluate field data with the aim of a comprehensive landscape reconstruction.
In accordancewith archaeological programmes several geophysical investigation campaignswere
cond... more In accordancewith archaeological programmes several geophysical investigation campaignswere
conducted at the Roman site of Munigua (Province of Seville, Spain). First, building structures such
as the city wall and production sites extra muro were investigated by means of ground-penetrating
radar (GPR) measurements. A newmethod is presented, ZODIAC, which enables virtual or physical
reconstruction of archaeological features in the ground; ZODIAC uses the original geophysical data
and avoids the speculative aspect of previous reconstruction techniques. Second, two geophysical
survey campaignson Romanarchaeo-metallurgical remainswereundertakenatMuniguain November
2003andApril 2005.Methodsofcomplexresistivitywereusedforanon-destructivesurveyonslag
heaps.The slagheapsarewell-defined byinducedpolarizationeffectsfromthebedrockwitha phase
angle of more than 30mrad. The extension and depth of the slag heaps are estimated using twodimensional
and three-dimensional images of resistivity r and phase angle w.The results fulfilled all
expectations and for the first time allowan estimation of the amount of processedmetal in Munigua.
The Free University of Berlin and the Humboldt University of Berlin hosts the excellence cluster ... more The Free University of Berlin and the Humboldt University of Berlin hosts the excellence cluster 264 Topoi, "The Formation and Transformation of Space and Knowledge in Ancient Civilizations". The Excellence Cluster pursues the goal of researching the interdependence of space and knowledge in the civilizations of the Ancient Near East, the Mediterranean, and Black Sea region and parts of the Eurasian steppe from the 6th millennium BC to around AD 500. Within this excellence cluster, the project A-I-10 "Settlement History of the South Harz Mountains" combines archaeological, geophysical, and geographical methods to identify the settlement history during the iron-age period. The southern Harz Mountains were on the northern periphery of the Latène culture, which was organized around central sites. Here, towards the end of the 2nd century B.C., settlements of the Przeworsk culture are present, providing evidence of a process of migration into a limited "cultural island". From the geophysical perspective in this project, we discuss results of large-scale magnetic mapping and geoelectric surveys, which were used to determine localities, where subsequently archaeological excavations have been carried out. Magnetic prospecting has been performed with an eight-sensor gradiometer array mounted on a chart. Using a newly developed 10-channel-data logger LEA supporting a GPS-unit for accurate real time positioning high resolution measurements of 1 ha/h became possible. Geoelectric measurements have then been performed over selected sites to add more information on the sub-surface from a different perspective.
The Free University of Berlin and the Humboldt University of Berlin hosts the excellence cluster ... more The Free University of Berlin and the Humboldt University of Berlin hosts the excellence cluster 264 Topoi, "The Formation and Transformation of Space and Knowledge in Ancient Civilizations". The Excellence Cluster pursues the goal of researching the interdependence of space and knowledge in the civilizations of the Ancient Near East, the Mediterranean, and Black Sea region and parts of the Eurasian steppe from the 6th millennium BC to around AD 500. Within this excellence cluster, the project A-I-11 "Lossow near Frankfurt/Oder - An Early Iron Age Cult Site of the Ancient Peripheral Zone" examines the evolution of an important cult site in Central Europe. The castle mound of Lossow was built as a fortified settlement in the late Bronze Age (10th century B.C.). After a phase of around 200 years, a supra-regionally significant, early Iron Age cult centre developed on this site (8th-6th century B.C.). Several pieces of evidence indicate that the locality had a central-site character. Typical for the site are well-shapes shafts, filled with large amounts of human and animal bones. The shafts with a diameter of about 1 meter and a depth of about 5 to 7 meters are a great challenge to near surface geophysics. Here, geophysical methods (geomagnetic gradiometry, geoelectric imaging, georadar survey) have been used to obtain a large-scale conclusive picture of the sub-surface both within the castle mount and around the perimeter. While the magnetic results reveal numerous archaeological artefacts, geoelectric imaging decipers the subsurface structure of the site.
Seit einigen Jahren ist die Anwendung zerstörungsfreier geophysikalischer Verfahren ein wichtiger... more Seit einigen Jahren ist die Anwendung zerstörungsfreier geophysikalischer Verfahren ein wichtiger Teil archäologischer Untersuchungskonzepte und sowohl aus interdisziplinären Forschungsprojekten als auch dem alltäglichen Aufgabenfeld der Bodendenkmalpflege nicht mehr wegzudenken. Neben der bereits seit Mitte der achtziger Jahre angewandten Prospektion großer Flächen mittels geomagnetischer Kartierung (vgl. J. Fassbinder, dieser Band) rückte seit der Jahrtausendwende verstärkt der Einsatz tomographischer Verfahren zur Erforschung der dreidimensionalen archäologischen Objekte in das Blickfeld von Archäologen und Geophysikern (vgl. S. Hecht, dieser Band). Verbesserungen an der geophysikalischen Messtechnik führten zu einer Erhöhung von Messfortschritt und Datenqualität. Die heute fast selbstverständliche Verfügbarkeit der nötigen Speicher- und Prozessorkapazitäten für die Auswertung großer Datenmengen wirkten dabei als Katalysatoren der wissenschaftlichen Entwicklung. Am Beispiel von Georadaruntersuchungen und geoelektrischer Prospektion in Munigua (Provinz Sevilla, Spanien) wird gezeigt, welche Ergebnisse mit diesen Verfahren erzielt werden können. Dabei werden die Grundzüge der Theorien, die praktische Umsetzung der Messungen sowie Auswertung und archäologische Interpretation exemplarisch beschrieben.
From 2011-2014, the authors have investigated in detail an upland basin in the southern Apennines... more From 2011-2014, the authors have investigated in detail an upland basin in the southern Apennines (600-1000m a.s.l.) which had previously been surveyed by the University of Groningen. The investigations consisted of geophysical surveys, geo-archaeological and pedological studies. In this paper, we present the results of our interdisciplinary work conducted on site RB73. This small protohistoric ceramic scatter was discovered during field walking survey in the lower part of a cultivated field, above an agricultural terrace. Subsequent magnetic gradiometry survey on the whole field did not result in structural features associated with this surface scatter, but a sinuous anomaly was recorded running from the upper part of the field to the terrace. Manual augering across the field and two test pits provided subsurface context to the surface material and the geophysical data, revealing a surprisingly deep stratigraphy from at least the Early Bronze Age to the Roman period. Slanting anthropogenic deposits alternating with more or less sterile layers occur not only near the surface ceramic scatter, but throughout the field. The sinuous magnetic anomaly, initially thought to be related to natural pedological phenomena, appeared to be associated with surfacing anthropogenic deposits. We will explore the depositional, post-depositional and current land use processes that have resulted in the present situation and the expression of the surface site. We will discuss how the integration of geo-archaeological and geophysical work have provided us with a completely different view on the formation of site RB73 and the land use history of this upland valley than we did on the basis of our surface artefact recordings.
Between 2011 and 2014 the authors investigated in detail protohistoric land use in a river basin ... more Between 2011 and 2014 the authors investigated in detail protohistoric land use in a river basin in southern Italy, which had previously (2000-2010) been archaeologically surveyed by the University of Groningen Institute of Archaeology. The investigations aimed at fine-tuning archaeological prospection methods for ephemeral archaeological remains and at mitigating consistent research biases in the study of protohistoric settlement and land use. One of these biases is caused by a strong focus on 'sites' and/or elevated-density peaks in the archaeological surface record. Although our research was primarily focused on prospection methods for exactly such locations, one of our methodological experiments was to apply magnetic-based geophysical techniques to explore the detection of archaeological features without an apparent surface expression. We targeted three different landscape zones with potentially different archaeological remains: the limestone-derived soils in the foothill zone bordering on a coastal plain (100-400m asl), the silty soils of conglomerate-based marine terraces (<500m), and the generally erosive upland valley with soils on schists and marls (700-1000m). In the foothill zone, exploratory magnetic gradiometry in a transect across the intensively field walked agricultural area Contrada Damale revealed that there are various evidently anthropogenic features without an associated surface artefact scatter. Some of these features have direct parallels with archaeologically relevant anomalies detected on known protohistoric sites, such as rectangular structures. On the highest marine terrace, the Monte San Nicola hilltop, large-scale magnetometry survey resulted in a set of circular pit-like anomalies which after intensive re-survey appeared to be related to diffusely distributed pottery dating to the Late Bronze Age / Early Iron Age. These are probably the remains of unobtrusive cremation graves. In the upland Contrada Maddalena, large-scale on-and off-site magnetic gradiometry did not result in archaeological features, but a few seemingly natural magnetic anomalies turned out to be caused by complex geological processes which are relevant to our understanding of the archaeological surface record. In all three landscape zones, we conducted long transects of magnetic susceptibility measurements to determine the geological background in order to distinguish between anthropogenic and natural magnetic anomalies. In this paper, we argue that in landscape archaeological research it is important to look beyond our classifications of site and off-site, and apply prospection techniques on a regional level. Besides the detection of remains without a surface record, geophysical surveys can help improve our understanding of site formation processes and help us explain the gaps in our surface distribution maps.
The investigation of the inner structures of historical buildings and their foundations is a rath... more The investigation of the inner structures of historical buildings and their foundations is a rather sofisticated task. Because of different high amplitude disturbance sources geomagnetic surveys are not successful. Gravimetric effects of cavities and tombs inside the buildings are too low in comparison to the effects from the walls and ceilings. Only ground penetrating radar measurements and geoelectric methods have proved to be an effective tool to locate the different targets and to determine their three dimensional shape. A number of applications of these methods are widely documented in the literature. Objects of interest may he cavities, tombs, crypts, foundation structures or the condition of the walls. Classical geoelectric measurements inside of historical buildings are often difficult or impossible. In most of the cases it is necessary to drill holes to coupling the current and potential electrodes with the soil. The application of methods using the electrostatic quadrupol may overcome this problem. However, such investigations requires special measurement equipment. In the present work we integrated the high resolution GPR-measurements with three dimensional conductivity information, yielded from non-destructive geoelectrical measurements. This geoelectric examinations were carried out using special electrodes and standard measurement equipment. The target of the investigation was the detection of different subsurface structures inside the St.Trinitatis church of Meissen/Saxony.
This chapter discusses the use of geophysical survey methods for archaeological prospection in mo... more This chapter discusses the use of geophysical survey methods for archaeological prospection in mountain landscapes. Geophysical prospection, initially used as an approach for geological and mineral exploration in mountain areas, increasingly becomes a component also in smaller-scale archaeological studies of past human activity. As the archaeology of mountain landscapes is closely related to the exploration of natural resources, geophysical methods can thus provide unique perspectives by integrating different scales of research. These include large-scale topics such as landscape-formation processes and the effects of natural disasters, as well as site-oriented studies of settlements, functional zones, and symbolic places. As the applications and scales of geophysical research are wide-ranging, the chapter first discusses the technical requirements and distinctive characteristics of geophysical methods with regard to their use in mountainous regions. It focuses on the most commonly used methods in archaeological prospection—magnetometry, resistivity and ground-penetrating radar, but also discusses complementary methods. The second part of the chapter highlights the variety of applications of geophysical survey techniques in mountain archaeology, illustrated with case studies from mountain ranges across the globe. This section is structured along four broad research topics: landscape processes; resource extraction and mining; human occupation including seasonal camps, defensive structures, symbolic places, and caves; and prospection in ice and permafrost. Rather than providing instructions on a ‘best practice’ of geophysical surveys in the mountains, we aim to present the versatility of geophysical applications within archaeological research of steep and remote terrain.
This volume is the fourth in the series Corollaria Crustumina and deals with the results of the p... more This volume is the fourth in the series Corollaria Crustumina and deals with the results of the project The People and the State, Material culture, social structure, and political centralisation in Central Italy (800-450 BC). This project of the Groningen Institute of Archaeology, carried out between 2010 and 2015 in close collaboration with the Archaeological Service of Rome, deals with the changing socio-political situation at ancient Crustumerium resulting from Rome&#39;s rise to power. The volume brings together data from the domains of geology, geoarchaeology, urban and rural settlement archaeology, funerary archaeology, material culture studies as well as osteological and isotope analyses. On the basis of these data, a relationship is established between changes in material culture on the one hand and developments in social structure and political centralisation in Central Italy on the other in the period between 850 and 450 BC. https://www.barkhuis.nl/product_info.php?products_id=266
The handmade burnished pottery appears in the late 13th and early 12th centuries BCE at many pala... more The handmade burnished pottery appears in the late 13th and early 12th centuries BCE at many palatial centres of the Greek mainland and is particularly frequent in the Argolid. In the southeastern Peloponnese, Ayios Vasileios is, next to the Menelaion, the second site where this peculiar pottery class was found . The ongoing excavation in the newly found palatial centre may add valuable information for the interpretation of handmade pottery of the early 12th century BCE. The handmade pottery from Ayios Vasileios reflects shapes and decoration of Italian impasto pottery traditions that were common in many other sites of the Greek mainland and on Crete. The new finds seem to support the hypothesis of a foreign – in this case most probably Italian – population segment present in major centres, especially during the period that followed the severe destruction of the palaces in the Argolid . In the light of the typological connections between the Laconian and the Argolidan handmade burni...
The results of a large-scale magnetometry survey are used to investigate two key aspects of the s... more The results of a large-scale magnetometry survey are used to investigate two key aspects of the spatial organization of the Mycenaean palatial settlement at Ayios Vasileios (Laconia, Greece): the extent of the site and the existence, or possibly even zoning of distinct functional areas. These include the palatial core, funerary zones, industrial areas, and infrastructure. The unique situation at Ayios Vasileios, which remained relatively undisturbed after its abandonment, provides the possibility to explore the potential, limitations, and challenges of spatial research based on geophysical data of a prehistoric urban context. We do so by engaging different sources of information: geophysical contrasts mapped by our own and previous surveys, information from the excavations of the palatial core and the adjacent North Cemetery, preliminary observations on surface materials, and wider scholarship on Mycenaean palatial settlement. This dialogue between the disciplines enables us to prob...
This paper demonstrates how geophysical techniques contribute to archaeological research on techn... more This paper demonstrates how geophysical techniques contribute to archaeological research on technological traditions and production strategies in protohistoric societies. Two levels of human technology in such societies are discussed: large-scale operations requiring the effort of a community, and medium-scale operations at a household level. These two aspects are illustrated through different case studies in Italy and Crimea: Bronze Age / Early Iron Age house building techniques in the Raganello basin (Calabria, South Italy), the construction of a large defensive ditch at protohistoric Montarice (Marche, Central Italy) and the spatial arrangement of pastoral sites in north-western Crimea. In all three cases, large-scale geophysical surveys were combined with surface collections and soil studies to reveal complex processes of construction and production. We used these data to reconstruct the capacity, activity, end-product, and preservation involved in the different stages of making, including those that did not produce actual structures. (PLEASE MESSAGE ME IF YOU&#39;D LIKE A PDF)
– Large scale geophysical prospection of an archaeological landscape in the Netherland. – Integra... more – Large scale geophysical prospection of an archaeological landscape in the Netherland. – Integrated and multimethodological approach for archaeological interpretation. – Challenges for the prospecting and interpretation of multiperiod archaeological sites.
A new multi-channel digitizer for fluxgate gradiometer arrays is presented. It is characterised b... more A new multi-channel digitizer for fluxgate gradiometer arrays is presented. It is characterised by a very high measuring resolution, broadband ADCs of 24 Bit bandwith, sampling rates up to 500 Hz and flexible GPS interfaces. Extensive field tests with several sensor types have been realized since 2010. The ruggedized and waterproof digitizer was succesfully applied in several large-scale archaeological prospection projects in Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Jordan and Turkey. The advantages of the new geomagnetic system are shown by large-scale prospection examples of archaeological structures of very low magnetisation. Especially sites situated in sandy environments are often characterised by unfavorable conservation conditions for organic remains due to an increased acidity of the soil. But compared to other fluxgate arrays even very small magnetic anomalies in the range of ±1 nT can be detected in these soil types. Case studies from several sites in Germany and Turkey are presen...
This paper discusses the challenges of archaeological prospection in two common situations in Med... more This paper discusses the challenges of archaeological prospection in two common situations in Mediterranean mountain landscapes: rock debris slopes and alluvial basins. Burial by subsequent rockfall episodes provides favourable preservation circumstances on debris slopes, but hinders the detection of archaeological remains. Erosive landscape zones are the arenas of multiple depositional and post-depositional processes which may be difficult to recognize in surface artefact distribution data and geophysical datasets. We present case studies from recently concluded research on the formation processes and detection potential of small Metal Age artefact scatters in such situations in the Raganello basin of Calabria (southern Italy). We demonstrate how detailed interdisciplinary work on these kinds of small-scale archaeological traces can reveal unexpected temporal and spatial dimensions of past human activity.
PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY OF CENTRAL WAD BEN NAGA, 2018
Within the framework of the Archaeological Expedition to Wad Ben Naga, a non-invasive, geophysica... more Within the framework of the Archaeological Expedition to Wad Ben Naga, a non-invasive, geophysical survey was conducted at the archaeological site of Wad Ben Naga, Sudan, in the course of the mission's fifteenth season. The objective of the survey was to explore selected parts of Central Wad Ben Naga, to map surface and subsurface structures. Almost 500 distinct anomalies were detected using a ten-sensor gradiometer array LEA MAX and interpreted in the context of the site's development.
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agglomerations of large complexes with open spaces in between, the western part shows a dense urban network with streets and residential structures. This situation can be linked to the evaluation of surface finds. In the central survey-area, finds of the 6th -8th c. dominate, while those from the 9th c. prevail in the west. It is suggested that the large complexes correspond to the qusur of al-Hira mentioned by Arabic sources and the urban network belongs to an early Islamic building phase. This means that, contrary to the prevailing interpretation of al-Hira being abandoned after the foundation of al-Kufa, it saw a period of urban growth under the early Abbasids.
The goal of the geophysical survey was to prospect several artificial mounds in the Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan (see Figure 1). The research aim was to acquire data about the inner structure of the mounds in the Phobjikha Valley. Because no previous three-dimensional (3D) geophysical surveys had been conducted at these mounds, two supplementing geophysical survey methods–Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) surveys–were suggested to accommodate the varying survey conditions in the field.
conducted at the Roman site of Munigua (Province of Seville, Spain). First, building structures such
as the city wall and production sites extra muro were investigated by means of ground-penetrating
radar (GPR) measurements. A newmethod is presented, ZODIAC, which enables virtual or physical
reconstruction of archaeological features in the ground; ZODIAC uses the original geophysical data
and avoids the speculative aspect of previous reconstruction techniques. Second, two geophysical
survey campaignson Romanarchaeo-metallurgical remainswereundertakenatMuniguain November
2003andApril 2005.Methodsofcomplexresistivitywereusedforanon-destructivesurveyonslag
heaps.The slagheapsarewell-defined byinducedpolarizationeffectsfromthebedrockwitha phase
angle of more than 30mrad. The extension and depth of the slag heaps are estimated using twodimensional
and three-dimensional images of resistivity r and phase angle w.The results fulfilled all
expectations and for the first time allowan estimation of the amount of processedmetal in Munigua.
Conference papers
agglomerations of large complexes with open spaces in between, the western part shows a dense urban network with streets and residential structures. This situation can be linked to the evaluation of surface finds. In the central survey-area, finds of the 6th -8th c. dominate, while those from the 9th c. prevail in the west. It is suggested that the large complexes correspond to the qusur of al-Hira mentioned by Arabic sources and the urban network belongs to an early Islamic building phase. This means that, contrary to the prevailing interpretation of al-Hira being abandoned after the foundation of al-Kufa, it saw a period of urban growth under the early Abbasids.
The goal of the geophysical survey was to prospect several artificial mounds in the Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan (see Figure 1). The research aim was to acquire data about the inner structure of the mounds in the Phobjikha Valley. Because no previous three-dimensional (3D) geophysical surveys had been conducted at these mounds, two supplementing geophysical survey methods–Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) surveys–were suggested to accommodate the varying survey conditions in the field.
conducted at the Roman site of Munigua (Province of Seville, Spain). First, building structures such
as the city wall and production sites extra muro were investigated by means of ground-penetrating
radar (GPR) measurements. A newmethod is presented, ZODIAC, which enables virtual or physical
reconstruction of archaeological features in the ground; ZODIAC uses the original geophysical data
and avoids the speculative aspect of previous reconstruction techniques. Second, two geophysical
survey campaignson Romanarchaeo-metallurgical remainswereundertakenatMuniguain November
2003andApril 2005.Methodsofcomplexresistivitywereusedforanon-destructivesurveyonslag
heaps.The slagheapsarewell-defined byinducedpolarizationeffectsfromthebedrockwitha phase
angle of more than 30mrad. The extension and depth of the slag heaps are estimated using twodimensional
and three-dimensional images of resistivity r and phase angle w.The results fulfilled all
expectations and for the first time allowan estimation of the amount of processedmetal in Munigua.