Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Archaeomagnetic Prospecting in Indian Archaeology: Comprehending its Application In Excavations at Lothal, Sisupalgarh and Keeladi


Affiliations
1 Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Pratapgunj, Vadodara 390 002, India
 

In recent times, a profound number of scientific tools are being employed by social scientists to study topography and get an insight of the material remains during archaeological explorations, before commencing field excavations. One such tool which is progressively being used during geophysical surveys is the magnetometer. This article aims at understanding the working mechanism and use of magnetometry in detecting archaeological sites. Further, the gravity and urgency of this machinery are supported by presenting the successful use of magnetometer surveys in three prominent excavation projects in India over the last two decades.

Keywords

Archaeology, Archaeomagnetic Survey, Excavation Projects, Magnetic Suceptibility, Magnetometry.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Gallet, Y., Genevey, A. and Courtillot, V., On the possible occurrence of ‘archaeomagnetic jerks’ in the geomagnetic field over the past three millennia. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 2003, 237–242.

  • Aspinall, A., Gaffney, C. and Schmidt, A., Magnetometry for Archaeologists, Rowman Altamira, 2009, vol. 2.

  • Berger, R. (ed.), Scientific Methods in Medieval Archaeology, University of California Press, Berkeley, 1970, vol. 4, pp. 423– 434.

  • Leute, U., Archaeometry: An Introduction to Physical Methods in Archaeology and the History of Art, 1987.

  • Herbich, T., Magnetic prospecting in archaeological research: a historical outline. Archaeol. Polona, 2015, 53, 21–68.

  • Frenez, D., The Lothal revisitation project, a fine thread connecting ancient India to contemporary Ravenna (via Oman). BAR Int. Series 2690, 2014, pp. 263–277.

  • Prabhakar, V. N. and Ravi Korisettar, Ground survey to aerial survey: methods and best practices in systematic archaeological explorations and excavations. Curr. Sci., 2017, 113(10), 1873–1890.

  • Smith, M., Urban empty spaces. Contentious places for consensus building. Archaeol. Dialogues, 2008, 15(2), 216–231.

  • Smith, M. L. and Mohanty, R. K., New investigations of an old city: research at Sisupalgarh, India, Bakdirt. In Annual Review of the Cotsen Archaeology, 2007, pp. 55–59.

  • Sivanantham, R. and Seran, M., Keeladi: An Urban Settlement of Sangam Age on the Banks of River Vaigai, Department of Archaeology, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India, 2019.


Abstract Views: 388

PDF Views: 132




  • Archaeomagnetic Prospecting in Indian Archaeology: Comprehending its Application In Excavations at Lothal, Sisupalgarh and Keeladi

Abstract Views: 388  |  PDF Views: 132

Authors

Jennice Singh
Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Pratapgunj, Vadodara 390 002, India

Abstract


In recent times, a profound number of scientific tools are being employed by social scientists to study topography and get an insight of the material remains during archaeological explorations, before commencing field excavations. One such tool which is progressively being used during geophysical surveys is the magnetometer. This article aims at understanding the working mechanism and use of magnetometry in detecting archaeological sites. Further, the gravity and urgency of this machinery are supported by presenting the successful use of magnetometer surveys in three prominent excavation projects in India over the last two decades.

Keywords


Archaeology, Archaeomagnetic Survey, Excavation Projects, Magnetic Suceptibility, Magnetometry.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv122%2Fi1%2F26-28