Earth Resistance for Archaeologists

By (author) Armin Schmidt

Not available to order

Publication date:

21 February 2013

Length of book:

218 pages

Publisher

AltaMira Press

ISBN-13: 9780759122932

Earth Resistance for Archaeologists, written by the foremost expert in the field, provides archaeologists with the know-how required to exploit the significant potential of earth resistance methods. A wide variety of possible uses are presented, including cases where earth resistance surveys succeeded in mapping buried archaeological remains that magnetometer surveys were unable to detect. Examples include earth resistance data from many archaeological sites, including in England, Scotland, Nepal, Bangladesh, and more. The archaeological features that can be detected through earth resistance methods are varied, ranging from ditches, pits, and grave cuts to stone and brick foundations, and even include whole landscapes. Whereas area surveys were traditionally the most common earth resistance method, depth profiling and vertical imaging have become well-developed tools that allow electrical depth investigations in three dimensions. Both techniques are described in detail and archaeologists will be able to apply them in their work. Content is equally relevant for environmental investigations.

Introduction
Chapter 1: Electrical Currents in the Ground
Chapter 2: Results from the Homogenous Ground
Chapter 3: The Electrical Signature of Features in the Ground
Chapter 4: Resistivity Imaging
Chapter 5: Implications for Field Practice
Chapter 6: Data Treatment
Chapter 7: Case Studies and Data Interpretation
Chapter 8: Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
About the Author

Schmidt covers the topic in a consistent way, keeping a balance between theory and practice and making use of limited mathematical concepts. In this way, the book is meant to be as clear as possible for archaeologists (but also for specialists from other disciplines) who may lack sufficient mathematical background but are still eager to gain some knowledge on resistivity prospection. Combining a well-balanced mixture of theory, practical issues, and examples, the book can become a standard reference for undergraduate students and even professionals.