A Look Into the Earth

Evaluating the Use of Magnetic Survey in African Archaeology

Datos Bibliográficos

ID12859255
AutoresCarlos Magnavita (0000-0002-3968-1953, Goethe University Frankfurt, autor de correspondencia), Norbert Schleifer (Montanuniversität Leoben)
Año2004
Volumen2
Número1
Páginas49-63
Fecha de publicación2004-10-25
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of African Archaeology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1612-1651 • E-ISSN: 2191-5784
EditorialBrill (PUBLISHER • NL)
DOI10.3213/1612-1651-10018
OpenAlexW2022706335
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas12

In the last decades, geophysical methods such as magnetic survey have become a common technique for prospecting archaeological sites. At sub-Saharan archaeological sites, however, magnetic survey and correlated techniques never came into broad use and there are no signs for an immediate change of this situation. This paper examines the magnetic survey undertaken on the Nigerian site of Zilum, a settlement of the Gajiganna Culture (ca 1800-400 BC) located in the Chad Basin and dated to ca 600-400 BC. By means of the present case study, we demonstrate the significance of this particular type of investigation in yielding complementary data for understanding the character of prehistoric settlements. In conclusion, we point out that geophysical methods should play a more important role in modern archaeological field research, as they furnish a class of documentation not achievable by traditional survey and excavation methods, thus creating new perspectives for interpreting the past of African societies

Archaeology · Cartography · Documentation · Excavation · Field survey · Geography · Geophysical prospecting · Geophysical survey · Human settlement · Magnetic anomaly · Magnetic survey · Mining engineering · Prehistoric archaeology · Prehistory · Prospecting · Settlement (finance · Ancient Egypt and Archaeology · Archaeology and Rock Art Studies · History · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology · Geology · Geophysics