At Enviroscan, we actively seek to promote the use of geophysics in archaeology since the very nature of geophysics makes it an ideal tool for archaeologists.  The benefits of geophysics for archaeological studies are discussed on this page, and summarized in Table I on a separate page.

Archaeological studies typically require painstaking, manual labor.  Sites are carefully exposed level-by-level, in discrete excavations, with the precise positions of features and artifacts laboriously recorded or catalogued.  This process is chronically underfunded, and is increasingly done under schedules that do not allow archaeologists sufficient field time.  Furthermore, archaeology also faces a paradox – the careful recovery of subsurface data requires the systematic destruction of a site.  Geophysics can help to address all three problems: lack of funding, lack of time, and site destruction.

Nondestructive geophysical methods can provide rapid, effective prospecting for potential archaeological sites.  Within a site, geophysical mapping can help archaeologists discriminate artifact- or feature-bearing (versus culturally barren or sterile) zones. All of this allows the archaeologist to establish digging priorities that will provide the maximum cultural data on a limited budget and schedule.

If a large structure or feature is encountered in only a few excavations, interpretation of the structure can be a bit like the blind men and the elephant (who variously identify the elephant as a snake, a spear, a pillar, a wall, a fan, and a rope).  Geophysical mapping can connect discrete excavation windows into a feature, and help to fully delineate laterally extensive features such as walls, roads, waterways, and tunnels whose true extent and nature cannot be efficiently or correctly determined by probing.

Where sites or features are already known, detailed 2-D or 3-D subsurface imaging can provide information on the undisturbed or in-situ configuration of the feature, the site stratigraphy, and sometimes, the distribution of artifacts.

Some archaeological sites cannot be excavated. The site may be covered by modern development, be incorporated into later structures (e.g. corner stones), or be culturally or politically sensitive, sacred, or ceremonial.  In these cases, nonintrusive geophysics may be the only method of locating, documenting, and interpreting the site.

Currently, much archaeology is done as a salvage operation.  While developers, builders, utility companies, and legislators recognize the benefits of identifying and documenting potential archaeological resources before a site is destroyed, the required construction schedule often allows far too little time for a complete and careful investigation and (if necessary) excavation of a site. Geophysical prospecting can speed the investigation process, and imaging can record discovered sites for analysis even after the site itself is gone.







The geophysical techniques available for archaeological studies are listed in Table II on a separate page. Since geophysics basically detects objects that have different physical properties (e.g. density, electrical conductivity, moisture content, etc.) than their surroundings, nearly any feature or artifact that could be recognized in an excavation can be detected by some geophysical technique as long as its size to depth ratio is large enough (i.e. the deeper a target, the larger it must be to be detectable).

Note that geophysics can detect and map features both underground and underwater.  Underwater or marine archaeological geophysics is particularly important on passive continental margins where rising sea levels have flooded thousands of prehistoric sites.  Marine geophysical surveys have also been used to find important historic shipwrecks.

Enviroscan’s experience in archaeological geophysics includes:

• Detection and mapping of 17^th and 18^th , and 19^th century forts;:
• Identification of burials ranging in age from 2 to over 2000 years;
• Detection of fire pits, hearths, and forges on prehistoric to recent sites;
• Participation in the discovery of America’s oldest intact warship;
• Detection of time capsules and corner stones in historic buildings;
• Scanning to locate limb disposal pits from Civil War field hospitals;
• Delineation of palisade trenches and stone foundations;
• Imaging the interior of a 2000 year old Adena burial mound;
• Detection and mapping of unmarked cemeteries;
• Discovery of the burial pits for the victims of an Indian War ambush;
• Scanning to locate World War II era caches of weapons and loot;
• Detection of well shafts and privy pits;
• Delineation of compacted dirt floors of colonial buildings;
• Mapping of former earthworks;
• Searches for buried and/or submerged cannons and shot;
• And much more…

Since the variety of both potential archaeological targets, and geophysical techniques is large, please contact us to discuss how geophysics might be applied to any particular archaeological site.