Archaeological geophysical prospection in peatland environments
Waterlogged sites in peat often preserve organic material, both in the form of artefacts and pa1aeoenvironmenta1 evidence as a result of the prevailing anaerobic environment. After three decades of excavation and large scale study projects in the UK, the subdiscipline of wetland archaeology is rethinking theoretical approaches to these environments. Wet1and sites are generally discovered while they are being damaged or destroyed by human activity. The survival in situ of these important sites is also threatened by drainage, agriculture, erosion and climate change as the deposits cease to be anaerobic. Sites are lost without ever being discovered as the nature of the substrate changes. A prospection tool is badly needed to address these wet1and areas as conventional prospection methods such as aerial photography, field walking and remote sensing are not able to detect sites under the protective over burden. This thesis presents research undertaken between 2007 and 2010 at Bournemouth University. It aimed to examine the potential for conventional geophysical survey methods (resistivity, gradiometry, ground penetrating radar and frequency domain electromagnetic) as site prospection and landscape investigation
Armstrong, Kayt
Archaeology
Archaeological geophysical prospection in peatland environments. Waterlogged sites in peat often preserve organic material, both in the form of artefacts and pa1aeoenvironmenta1 evidence as a result of the prevailing anaerobic environment. After three decades of excavation and large scale study projects in the UK, the subdiscipline of wetland archaeology is rethinking theoretical approaches to these environments. Wet1and sites are generally discovered while they are being damaged or destroyed by human activity. The survival in situ of these important sites is also threatened by drainage, agriculture, erosion and climate change as the deposits cease to be anaerobic. Sites are lost without ever being discovered as the nature of the substrate changes. A prospection tool is badly needed to address these wet1and areas as conventional prospection methods such as aerial photography, field walking and remote sensing are not able to detect sites under the protective over burden. This thesis presents research undertaken between 2007 and 2010 at Bournemouth University. It aimed to examine the potential for conventional geophysical survey methods (resistivity, gradiometry, ground penetrating radar and frequency domain electromagnetic) as site prospection and landscape investigation
archaeological geophysical prospection environment waterlogged site peat often preserve organic_material form artefact evidence prevail environment excavation large_scale study project wetland archaeology rethink theoretical_approach environment wet and sit generally discover damage destroyed human_activity survival situ important site also threaten drainage agriculture erosion climate_change deposit cease sites lose without ever discover nature substrate change prospection tool badly need_address wet and area conventional prospection method aerial_photography field walk remote_sense able detect site protective burden present undertaken university aim_examine potential conventional geophysical_survey method ground_penetrate radar frequency domain electromagnetic site prospection landscape investigation