Magnetometry In The Search For And Identification Of Submerged Archaeological Resources

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Needle, Meet Haystack: The Role of Magnetometers in Underwater Archaeological Research and the Evolution of Interpreting Magnetic Data for Cultural Resource Investigations", at the 2024 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

As a consequence of professional acknowledgement of the historical importance and archaeological value of submerged cultural resources the role of magnetic remote sensing has increased significantly. Although initially utilized by firms organized for locating the remains of vessels carrying treasure, magnetometers were recognized as highly useful tools by archaeologists that recognized shipwrecks and inundated sites as valuable sources of closed context information about our past. In the decades that followed this recognition archaeologists focused considerable attention on the mechanics of magnetic data collection, data analysis and archaeological site association. That progress has led to the development of reasonably reliable criteria for identifying magnetic signatures that reflect the spectrum of anomalies that are potentially associated with shipwreck remains and other submerged cultural resources. While there may never be an absolute formula for identifying magnetic anomalies that represent potentially significant submerged cultural resources, it is important to define the spectrum of those signatures.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2024   •
• Needle, Meet Haystack: The Role of Magnetometers in Underwater Archaeological Research and the Evolution of Interpreting Magnetic Data for Cultural Resource Investigations

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow