Combined geophysical survey of an ancient Hittite dam: new and old high-tech

In: Posluschny, A. ; Lambers, K. ; Herzog, I. (Hrsgg.): Layers of Perception. Proceedings of the 35th International Conference on Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA), Berlin, 2.-6. April 2007. Koll. Vor- u. Frühgesch. 10. Bonn 2008 24 (Abstract)

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Abstract

Investigating ancient living conditions in their entirety is becoming increasingly important in archaeology. In the late Bronze Age (1600–1200 B.C.) at the Hittite city of Sarissa, a functioning irrigation system was necessary. The most significant component of the water supply to Sarissa are three dams before the city gates, which could be detected by geophysical survey. Today, archaeological geophysics is faced with mapping large areas of ancient settlements. Geophysical surveying methods are especially suitable for this task. The spectrum of geophysical measurement procedures used in archaeology reaches from geoelectrics and geomagnetics to electromagnetics and georadar. At the Christian-Albrechts-University (CAU) in Kiel, a motorized Multi-Sensor System has been developed and used at the Hittite city of Sarissa (today Kuşaklı) in central Anatolia to measure different physical ground parameters.