Geophysical Research Abstracts

Vol. 12, EGU2010-11673, 2010

EGU General Assembly 2010
© Author(s) 2010

The Use of Ground Penetrating Radar for the Investigation of Wetland

Archaeology
Erica Utsi
(erica.utsi@utsielectronics.co.uk)

Archaeological remains preserved within wetland environments are of strategic importance in the management,
study and conservation of the archaeological heritage because of the range of materials preserved which would
not normally survive in a drier context. A common misconception in the use of Ground Penetrating Radar
(GPR) is that the presence of water renders the technique ineffective and that it cannot therefore be used in the
non-destructive mapping or detection of archaeological remains.

GPR has, in fact, been used successfully for many years as a method of carrying out wetland investiga-
tions for both environmental and archaeological purposes (Clarke et al, 1999, Utsi, 2007). Drawing on the author’s
experience in a range of environmental and archaeological GPR surveys, this paper considers the critical factors
in carrying out a GPR survey in a wetland habitat in terms of both technical and pragmatic considerations. These
factors include the traditional parameters of depth of investigation, surface variability, target recognition, depth
calibration and antenna frequency as well as the volume of water present and the nature of the soil or water which
is concealing the archaeological remains. Examples of the various considerations are illustrated with data and
images from wetland GPR surveys.

Wetland environments impose special limitations in terms of detection and monitoring with GPR which
may be exacerbated by funding constraints. These are discussed with reference to practical examples.

Appropriate survey strategies for wetland investigation are discussed with reference to both successful and
unsuccessful GPR surveys. The paper outlines the reasons why some surveys are successful and others are not,
using GPR data to illustrate. A simple method of assessing the suitability of a wetland site for investigation
by using a measure of the ratio of imaginary to real impedance (effectively the inverse of the rate of attenu-
ation per wavelength) is described. Data collected from soil samples drawn archaeological sites is used to illustrate.

The use to which GPR data has been put in terms of imaging the landscape and extant remains is briefly
described.

Lastly, the paper considers the future potential of GPR in wetland habitats, with particular reference to re-
cent developments in GPR technology.

References
Clarke, C M, Utsi, E, & Utsi, V (1999) “Ground Penetrating Radar Investigations at North Ballachulish Moss,
Highland, Scotland” in Archaeological Prospection Volume 6, pp 107-121.

Utsi, E (2007) “Wetlands viewed through the antennas of a Ground Penetrating Radar” in Barber, J, Clarke, C,
Cressey, M, Crone, A, Hale, A, Henderson, J, Housley, R, Sands, R & Sheridan, A (eds) ‘Archaeology from the
Wetlands: Recent Perspectives’, Proceedings of the 11th WARP Conference, Edinburgh, 2005, pp 213-218.