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63-7 Comparing Geophysical Methods in Archeology, an Investigation of Burial Mounds at 21GD72 The Belle Creek Site

Session: Geoarchaeology of Sites to Landscapes: Current Research on Long-Term Water and Soil Management and Maladaptation (Posters)

Poster Booth No.: 122

Presenting Author:

Jackson Davis

Authors:

Davis, Jackson Thomas¹, Schirmer, Ronald Clark², Larson, Phillip Herman³, Brown, Andy Allen⁴

(1) EARTH Systems Laboratory, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Mankato, MN, USA, (2) EARTH Systems Laboratory, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Mankato, MN, USA, (3) EARTH Systems Laboratory, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Mankato, MN, USA, (4) EARTH Systems Laboratory, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Mankato, MN, USA,

Abstract:

Non-invasive geophysical methods like electrical resistance/resistivity (ER), magnetic gradiometry (MG), and ground penetrating radar (GPR) are commonly utilized in archeological research. These geophysical methods provide data that not only can be used to identify and interpret subsurface archeological features but can also illuminate on the geological context in which those features are found.Geophysical methods would be useful in almost any archeological investigation, but they are particularly useful in situations where excavations may not be allowed or advisable. Unfortunately, it is not widely known in the archeological community that the different methods may or may not be useful given variable geologic characteristics and the various types of archeological targets at a given site. This research details a comparison of the three aforementioned geophysical methods to characterize and interpret the differences in geophysical data observed within pre-contact burial mounds located on post settlement alluvium and sand deposits.

This study investigates a late pre-contact aggregation village and its associated mound group known as 21GD0072, The Belle Creek Site. The Belle Creek Site is located on a fluvial terrace within the Cannon River valley, Minnesota, and occupation of the site is dated between 900-1400 C.E. Unlike the other major villages in the region, the Belle Creek site is largely undisturbed, providing a unique opportunity to investigate intact burial mounds. In direct collaboration with the Prairie Island Indian Community, several intact and disturbed mounds were investigated using the three methods of ER, MG, and GPR. This investigation resulted in the ER and MG data locating several anomalies on the surface of the mounds, likely linked to a secondary disturbance. The ER and GPR data were able to locate anomalies below the surface, which could possibly be related to the construction of the mounds.These preliminary data contribute to our ongoing efforts to understand appropriate application of and survey design in utilizing these methods in the field of archeology, while simultaneously providing us with information on pre-contact burial practices in the region.

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

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-10060

Comparing Geophysical Methods in Archeology, an Investigation of Burial Mounds at 21GD72 The Belle Creek Site

Description

Session Format: Poster

Presentation Date: 10/19/2025

Presentation Room: HBGCC, Hall 1

Poster Booth No.: 122

Author Availability: 3:30–5:30 p.m.

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