Processing and Modeling of High-Resolution Geophysical Data For Archaeological Prospection.

Abstract

The Magnetic gradient survey and Geo-electric techniques, together, have been used to investigate the archaeology of the Nuri pyramid area. The methodology fulfilled and the procedures followed during this study. Magnetic gradient survey was carried out to search for archaeological features using the Geoscan Fluxgate Gradiometer (FM36). The study area was partitioned into a number of grids, typically 20 m by 20 m. The measured independent grids were later combined to form a single master grid. The master grid provided a full magnetic map for easy display of the anomalies and allowed the data to be processed using Geoscan Geoplot software. Parallel traverses were preferred as a field procedure in order to collect data of high quality. The grids were sampled using meshes (0.25 × 0.5 m) for resolving the archaeological features more precisely, with small dipole anomalies in the magnetic image due to the presence of fired-brick buildings that can be recognize to observe so many features such like rooms. The study area is rich with ancient buildings; vary from small to large one. Most of this buildings disappeared, because of sand domes and lose soil. Because of dry sandy soil, it was not enable to make electrical connection between electrodes and ground surface. Although, the work was been done hardly to get electrical data, by adding water and salt to the soil, but unfortunately failed to confirm magnetic data by electrical data as we planned.