45-4 Digital Hits the Dirt: Advancing Archaeology through Geophysics and Digital Imaging

Session: Geoarchaeology

Presenting Author:

Authors:

Abstract:

High-resolution geophysical imaging and remote sensing techniques are emerging methodologies within archaeology. We present results of an integrated Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) project studying the accuracy of non-invasive field methods through analyzing cave systems at the 3,000-years old Iron Age site of Khirbat Ataruz, located in the Madaba Governorate, Jordan. The predominantly limestone bedrock of the area has extensive cave developments that surround and underlie Khirbat Ataruz, with the surface geological stratigraphy being Late-Cretaceous-age limestone. Many of the cavernous spaces at Khirbat Ataruz show evidence of past human interaction, including walls, arches, and ceiling ducts, some of which show smoke stains. The complexities of these features are best captured using an integrated interpretation of complementary imaging techniques. The sites were surveyed in June and July of 2024, using GPR surveys and LiDAR modeling. The GPR surveys used a Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc. (GSSI) 400-MHz bistatic antenna operated in continuous mode. The listening time was 50 ns (equivalent to 1.94 m depth, assuming a dielectric constant = 15 or velocity ~ 0.077 m/ns) with 1024 samples per scan (~0.05 ns sample interval) and 36 scans per meter. Field filters were set at 100-800 MHz bandwidth. Owing to the dry climate of Jordan, little or no soil has developed in the areas where GPR surveys were conducted. With the absence of vegetation, lack of clay and salinity, and availability of flat ground above each cave, Khirbat Ataruz was well-suited for GPR surveys. LiDAR data was captured using Polycam software operated on an iPhone 14 Pro. Using the imagery captured with Polycam, 3D models and top-down views (blueprints) of the caves were digitally built. Corresponding 2D profiles of the same caves were created using the GPR above-ground transects conducted over each cave and then compared to the LiDAR imagery to help determine accuracy. Similar 3D scans, captured within 12 microns of accuracy, are currently used by the BYU Museum of Paleontology to create high-definition 3D images of dinosaur fossils, which are detailed enough to be sent to researchers in place of physical fossils. By integrating GPR, LiDAR, and other scanning methods, we can accurately detect and map subsurface anomalies and record archaeology sites and artifacts using non-invasive, non-destructive methods.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-5619

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