[Master Thesis Project] Abstract

ABSTRACT

 MAGNETIC PROSPECTING AND 3D MODELING OF SELECTED NEOLITHIC RING DITCHES

 Antonius Tri Santoso¹, Jörg Fassbinder^1,2, Valerian Bachtadse¹

¹Departement of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich

²Bavarian State Department for Monuments and Sites, Archaeological Prospection

Email : asantoso@geophysik.uni-muenchen.de , joerg.fassbinder@blfd.bayern.de, valerian.bachtadse@geophysik.uni-muenchen.de

 Magnetic prospection and 3D modeling have been done on selected Neolithic ring ditches, which are Künzing-Unternberg in Southern Bavaria and Marinskaya in North Caucasus. Here we found that magnetometry is a powerful tool for the detailed mapping of Neolithic ring ditches. 3D modeling by means of interactive forward modeling using IGMAS+ software gives valuable information on near-surface geometry (shape, width, depth) of Neolithic ring ditches.

The project consists of three steps, which are data acquisition, processing, and interpretation. The data acquisition of Künzing-Unternberg was performed on 19^th April 2012, and of Marinskaya on 13^th May 2010 by the team from Bavarian State Department of Monuments and Sites (BLfD Munich). The main instrument is a caesium magnetometer SM4G-Special with a duo sensor configuration.

The data processing is performed in the geophysics laboratory of the BLfD Munich during April-July 2012 using self-made softwares of BLfD Munich, Geoplot 3.00, Surfer 9 and Adobe Photoshop. The interpretation consists of qualitative and quantitative interpretation.

The measured magnetogram of Künzing-Unternberg shows that the excavation process has destroyed the magnetic anomaly of the north-western part of the ditch. Due to previous quarry operation and intensive land use by farming, the western and northern part of the ditch is magnetically disturbed and overlays the archaeological anomaly. Only the eastern and southern part are well preserved and hence we select this part for 3D modeling. The result of 3D modeling describes a depth ca. 3.5 m and an average width of the ditch of ca. 3 m.

The measured magnetogram of Marinskaya shows the ditch and wall obviously. This allows us to select the whole area of 115×90 m, which consists of a ditch and a wall for 3D modeling purpose. The result of 3D modeling describes the depth of ca. 2.5 m, and an average width of ditch ca. 8 m and a wall of ca. 15 m width.

Keywords : Magnetic prospecting, Archaeological Prospecting, Neolithic Ring Ditch, 3D Modeling.

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