An analysis of geophysical survey of the forts and extramural settlements of the Hadrianic frontier
Geophysical survey has taken place on the Northern Frontier since 1976. At that time the technique was exceptionally well-executed and produced perfectly acceptable results, albeit initially using dot-density plots. Later results in the mid-1990s used a much improved processing algorithm giving data sets comparable to those we view today. Despite the impressive results that emerged, wide-spread use of geophysical techniques was slow to gain acceptance within the wider archaeological community. The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate the contribution that geophysical survey makes to the knowledge and understanding of the state of preservation, extent and morphology of forts and their extramural settlements within the regional context of the Hadrianic Frontier, and to establish what general patterns emerge about the comparative structural and morphological aspects of forts and their civil settlements. The concept of the frontier and the current extent of knowledge together with the contribution of research agendas in introduced. This thesis then assesses the methodologies as used on the Frontier sites, which include not only magnetic, earth resistance survey and ground penetrating radar (GPR), but also ancillary
Biggins, John Alan
An analysis of geophysical survey of the forts and extramural settlements of the Hadrianic frontier. Geophysical survey has taken place on the Northern Frontier since 1976. At that time the technique was exceptionally well-executed and produced perfectly acceptable results, albeit initially using dot-density plots. Later results in the mid-1990s used a much improved processing algorithm giving data sets comparable to those we view today. Despite the impressive results that emerged, wide-spread use of geophysical techniques was slow to gain acceptance within the wider archaeological community. The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate the contribution that geophysical survey makes to the knowledge and understanding of the state of preservation, extent and morphology of forts and their extramural settlements within the regional context of the Hadrianic Frontier, and to establish what general patterns emerge about the comparative structural and morphological aspects of forts and their civil settlements. The concept of the frontier and the current extent of knowledge together with the contribution of research agendas in introduced. This thesis then assesses the methodologies as used on the Frontier sites, which include not only magnetic, earth resistance survey and ground penetrating radar (GPR), but also ancillary
analysis geophysical_survey fort settlement frontier geophysical_survey take_place northern_frontier since time technique exceptionally well produce perfectly acceptable albeit initially use dot density plot use much improve processing algorithm give data_set comparable view today despite impressive emerge wide spread use geophysical technique slow gain acceptance within_wide archaeological community aim geophysical_survey make knowledge state preservation extent morphology fort settlement within regional_context frontier establish general pattern_emerge comparative structural morphological aspect fort civil settlement concept frontier current extent knowledge together agendas introduce ass methodology use frontier site_include magnetic earth resistance survey ground_penetrate radar gpr also ancillary