Noninvasive Sensing Techniques and Geophysical Methods for Cultural Heritage and Civil Infrastructures Monitoring

<p>The Vulci archeological site was object of interest by the Soprintendenza ai beni culturali dell’Etruria meridionale (Italian government department responsible for southern Etruria’s cultural heritage) since the beginning of the 20th century. In 2001, the Ministero dei Beni Culturali (Italian ministry of cultural heritage) along with the local authorities, opened a natural-archeological park. In this area, it lies most of the ancient Etruscan city of Velch (today known by its Latin name, Vulci) including the Osteria Necropolis that is the object of this study. Recently, new archaeological excavations were made and the local authorities needed major geological information about the volcanic lithotypes where the Etruscans used to build their necropolis. The aim of this study is to define the geological and geophysical characteristics of the rock lithotypes present in the Vulci park. For this purpose, a geological map of the area (1:10000) has been realized. Moreover, two different geophysical methods were applied: measurements of magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity tomography. Magnetic susceptibility analyses clearly identify magnetic contrasts between different lithotypes; the characteristics of the pyroclastic flow that originated the Sorano unit 2 and its vertical facies variations are well recorded by this parameter that along with lithostratigraphic observations provides information about the depositional conditions. Two electrical resistivity tomographies were performed, which show the Sorano unit 2 thickness to be of c. 7 m with resistivity values ranging from 200 to 400 Ω·m. This kind of multidisciplinary approach resulted to be suitable to study this type of archaeological sites, revealing that areas characterized by a relevant thickness and wide areal extension of volcanic lithotypes can be a potential site where Etruscans might have excavated their necropolis.</p>

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The Contribution of Geophysics to the Knowledge of the Hidden Archaeological Heritage of Montenegro

Geosciences ◽

10.3390/geosciences10050187 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 187 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Marilena Cozzolino ◽

Mile Baković ◽

Nikola Borovinić ◽

Giorgia Galli ◽

Vincenzo Gentile ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cultural Heritage ◽

Geophysical Methods ◽

The Other ◽

Buried Structures ◽

Archaeological Heritage ◽

Other Hand ◽

The Rich ◽

Non Destructive

Montenegro is a land of great history which needs attention and care for a deeper knowledge and its making at the disposal of new generations. It is still a territory to be discovered, studied, and disclosed. It is important to understand how much hidden heritage there is still in this area to explore and exploit, but on the other hand, how much known heritage exists to protect and monitor, preventing its destruction and loss. In this context, Montenegro is heavily investing in the management of cultural heritage through initiatives for identification, protection, preservation, enhancement and fruition of them. In the frame of the knowledge, the use of non-destructive geophysical methods can be helpful for a cognitive investigation immediately in the bud of any archaeological verification project, safeguarded through preventive archaeology operations and the exploration of large areas within archaeological parks. In this paper, the results of geophysical prospections at the Hellenistic-Illyrian site of Mjace, the roman towns of Doclea and Municipium S, the medieval city of Svač, and the Stećci medieval tombstones graveyards of Novakovići, Žugića, and Plužine are presented. The study allowed the reconnaissance of new buried structures in the soil and has provided an updated view of the rich archaeological heritage of Montenegro.

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Application of Geophysical Methods to Cultural Heritage

Elements ◽

10.2113/gselements.12.1.19 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 19-25 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Roger Sala ◽

Robert Tamba ◽

Ekhine Garcia-Garcia

Keyword(s):

Cultural Heritage ◽

Geophysical Methods

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Geophysical Methods for Cultural Heritage Management

10.1007/978-3-319-74790-3 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marilena Cozzolino ◽

Elisa Di Giovanni ◽

Paolo Mauriello ◽

Salvatore Piro ◽

Daniela Zamuner

Keyword(s):

Cultural Heritage ◽

Geophysical Methods ◽

Heritage Management ◽

Cultural Heritage Management

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Earth Stewardship Science—Transdisciplinary Contributions to Quantifying Natural and Cultural Heritage of Southernmost Africa

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs12030420 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 420

Author(s):

Bastien Linol ◽

Warren Miller ◽

Cheryl Rensburg ◽

Renee Schoeman ◽

Lucian Bezuidenhout ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Cultural Heritage ◽

Homo Sapiens ◽

Geophysical Methods ◽

Science Research ◽

Natural Systems ◽

Geochemical Fingerprinting ◽

Wide Range ◽

Biodiversity Changes ◽

Earth Stewardship

Evaluating anthropogenic changes to natural systems demand greater quantification through innovative transdisciplinary research focused on adaptation and mitigation across a wide range of thematic sciences. Southernmost Africa is a unique field laboratory to conduct such research linked to earth stewardship, with ‘earth’ as in our Commons. One main focus of the AEON’s Earth Stewardship Science Research Institute (ESSRI) is to quantify the region’s natural and cultural heritage at various scales across land and its flanking oceans, as well as its time-scales ranging from the early Phanerozoic (some 540 million years) to the evolution of the Anthropocene (changes) following the emergence of the first human-culture on the planet some 200 thousand years ago. Here we illustrate the value of this linked research through a number of examples, including: (i) geological field mapping with the aid of drone, satellite and geophysical methods, and geochemical fingerprinting; (ii) regional ground and surface water interaction studies; (iii) monitoring soil erosion, mine tailing dam stability and farming practices linked to food security and development; (iv) ecosystem services through specific biodiversity changes based on spatial logging of marine (oysters and whales) and terrestrial (termites, frogs and monkeys) animals. We find that the history of this margin is highly episodic and complex by, for example, the successful application of ambient noise and groundwater monitoring to assess human-impacted ecosystems. This is also being explored with local Khoisan representatives and rural communities through Citizen Science. Our goal is to publicly share and disseminate the scientific and cultural data, through initiatives like the Africa Alive Corridor 10: ‘Homo Sapiens’ that embraces storytelling along the entire southern coast. It is envisioned that this approach will begin to develop the requisite integrated technological and societal practices that can contribute toward the needs of an ever-evolving and changing global ‘village’.

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Mapping unmarked graves with ground penetrating radar at the Walkerville Wesleyan cemetery, Adelaide

10.31219/osf.io/8mkdt ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ian Moffat ◽

John Linsell ◽

Anthea Vella ◽

Belinda Duke ◽

Jarrad Kowlessar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cultural Heritage ◽

Significant Role ◽

Ground Penetrating Radar ◽

Geophysical Methods ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Australian Archaeology ◽

Ground Penetrating

A Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey was undertaken to map unmarked graves within the historic Walkerville Wesleyan Cemetery in Adelaide. The survey revealed 168 probable graves, 20 possible graves and 68 additional graves containing more than one interment. Our results demonstrate the utility of geophysical methods, specifically GPR, as a non invasive tool for managing the cultural heritage of cemetery sites and suggest that this method could play a more significant role in Australian archaeology.

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CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN RESTORATION WORK MANAGEMENT IN CULTURAL HERITAGE. THE CASE OF THE CHURCHES OF SAN MANUEL COLOHETE AND SAN SEBASTIÁN (HONDURAS)

ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences ◽

10.5194/isprs-archives-xliv-m-1-2020-615-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol XLIV-M-1-2020 ◽

pp. 615-622

Author(s):

A. Ferrando Ortiz

Keyword(s):

Cultural Heritage ◽

Citizen Participation ◽

Practical Experience ◽

Heritage Management ◽

Civil Infrastructures ◽

Local Labour ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

San Sebastian ◽

Restoration Work ◽

Work Management

Abstract. The restoration work management in cultural heritage presents lots of difficulties according to the context where it takes place. Some of them are the precarious communication network and civil infrastructures, the absence of specialised local labour or sensitized with cultural heritage whom work with or the need to import suitable materials to develop the project correctly. In the case that arises, the churches of San Manuel de Colohete and San Sebastian (Honduras) converge, among others, all of these difficulties involve the heritage management directly. Besides, the planned work budget is usually reduced and needs the implication of all the actors involved in the project. Therefore, the objective of this work is to identify the difficulties around the development of these restoration works and possible solutions that allow them to achieve the purpose planned. The methodology applied for this article is based on the practical experience and the comparative analysis of cases in similar situations. All of it, in a broad context of citizen participation, in international cooperation actions which takes place in remote and inhospitable geographical areas, where any action is complex. The results refer to the way to solve problems that arise and to the solutions, sometimes creative, which finally make possible the cultural heritage restoration.

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THE SOIL SCIENCE & ARCHAEO-GEOPHYSICS ALLIANCE (SAGA): going beyond prospection

Research Ideas and Outcomes ◽

10.3897/rio.4.e31648 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Carmen Cuenca-Garcia ◽

Kayt Armstrong ◽

Elina Aidona ◽

Philippe De Smedt ◽

Anne Rosveare ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cultural Heritage ◽

Geophysical Methods ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Data Interpretation ◽

Effective Field ◽

Archaeological Sites ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Research Collaborations ◽

Expected Benefits ◽

The Relationship

Archaeological sites can be discovered and recorded in a high-resolution and non-invasive manner using geophysical methods. These measure the spatial variation of a range of physical properties of the soil which may be representative proxies of the subsurface archaeology. Less-invasive and cost-effective field procedures have become top-priority to mitigate the destructive effects on our cultural heritage from intensified land use, climate change and the current conflict panorama. At a time when many organisations are investing in advanced geophysical equipment, a major problem is that our ability to fully interpret the information available from geophysical datasets is still very limited. This deficiency prevents geophysical survey moving beyond basic prospection and becoming a significant tool for answering nuanced questions about archaeology and their host landscapes. This limitation arises from an incomplete understanding of the relationship between soil properties and geophysical measurements. Bridging this gap requires multi-disciplinary teams, testing novel methods, plus scholarly discussion to collate the outcomes of projects on this topic. Overcoming these challenges is a prerequisite for maximising the costeffectiveness of geophysical methods, realising the expected benefits of technological investment and allowing broader utility of geophysical methods in the cultural heritage sector. SAGA will build an international network of geophysicists, archaeologists, soil scientists and other experts to develop our capability to interpret geophysical data and promote research collaborations. Our vision is that after four years, SAGA will have created an environment within which emerging field procedures, enhanced data interpretation and a broader understanding of integrated geophysical methods can flourish.

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The soil science and archaeo-geophysics alliance (SAGA): Going beyond prospection

10.31219/osf.io/dgva4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Carmen Cuenca-Garcia ◽

Kayt Armstrong ◽

Elina Aidona ◽

Philippe De Smedt ◽

Anne Roseveare ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cultural Heritage ◽

Geophysical Methods ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Data Interpretation ◽

Effective Field ◽

Soil Science ◽

Archaeological Sites ◽

Research Collaborations ◽

Expected Benefits ◽

The Relationship

Archaeological sites can be discovered and recorded in a high-resolution and non-invasivemanner using geophysical methods. These measure the spatial variation of a range ofphysical properties of the soil which may be representative proxies of the subsurfacearchaeology. Less-invasive and cost-effective field procedures have become top-priority tomitigate the destructive effects on our cultural heritage from intensified land use, climatechange and the current conflict panorama. At a time when many organisations are investing in advanced geophysical equipment, amajor problem is that our ability to fully interpret the information available from geophysical datasets is still very limited. This deficiency prevents geophysical survey moving beyond basic prospection and becoming a significant tool for answering nuanced questions about archaeology and their host landscapes. This limitation arises from an incomplete understanding of the relationship between soil properties and geophysical measurements. Bridging this gap requires multi-disciplinary teams, testing novel methods, plus scholarly discussion to collate the outcomes of projects on this topic. Overcoming these challenges is a prerequisite for maximising the costeffectiveness of geophysical methods, realising the expected benefits of technological investment and allowing broader utility of geophysical methods in the cultural heritage sector. SAGA will build an international network of geophysicists, archaeologists, soil scientists and other experts to develop our capability to interpret geophysical data and promote research collaborations. Our vision is that after four years, SAGA will have created an environment within which emerging field procedures, enhanced data interpretation and a broader understanding of integrated geophysical methods can flourish.

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Geophysical Methods for Cultural Heritage

Geophysical Methods for Cultural Heritage Management - Springer Geophysics ◽

10.1007/978-3-319-74790-3_3 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 9-66 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Marilena Cozzolino ◽

Elisa Di Giovanni ◽

Paolo Mauriello ◽

Salvatore Piro ◽

Daniela Zamuner

Keyword(s):

Cultural Heritage ◽

Geophysical Methods

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