The Excavation of a World War II Army Camp at Mortonhall,Edinburgh

Abstract

Archive material relating to Mortonhall, Edinburgh, indicates that there was a World War I army camp within the grounds of the estate, which was occupied by the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. However, excavations carried out by CFA Archaeology Ltd during Scottish Water’s Edinburgh Drinking Water Project revealed physical remains which relate to a later World War II army camp. This appears to have been initially occupied by the 16th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry in 1940, who were billeted in tents, with the permanent camp being constructed by private contractors from 1942. Archive material suggests that the camp largely consisted of Nissen huts. This evidence is supported by the limited archaeological excavations which uncovered a number of concrete hut bases of the size pertaining to the standard dimensions of Nissen huts. However, there was also evidence of different architectural styles with a number of the buildings having been constructed from brick and asbestos. Reports that Mortonhall was a POW camp were probably unfounded, but it seems to have functioned as a camp for displaced Eastern Europeans. The exact date of closure is unknown, but the size of the camp was clearly being scaled down by the 1950s.     

WORKING ON THE RAILWAY: THE RISEHILL TUNNEL NAVVY CAMP,CUMBRIA

Abstract

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Channel 4's Time Team at the site of a navvy camp associated with the construction of Risehill Tunnel (also called Black Moss) on the Settle to Carlisle railway line, near Garsdale in Cumbria. The evaluation, comprising eight trenches, LiDAR and geophysical survey, highlighted the generally good preservation of the site, although many of the buildings appear to have been of timber with only rough stone foundations. Specialisation and division of different parts of the site between settlement and working areas was also seen. Contemporary documentary evidence has assisted with the interpretation of the archaeological remains, and revealed the extreme conditions which the workers and their families endured.     

Hunting,gathering, fishing and herding: Animal exploitation in Sandy Flanders (NW Belgium) during the second half of the fifth millennium BC

Abstract

At Doel, in the lower basin of the river Scheldt, excavations have revealed camp sites of the Swifterbant culture dating back to the second half of the fifth millennium BC. They document the transition period from the Late Mesolithic to the Early Neolithic in Sandy Flanders (NW Belgium). The sites were situated on the top of sandy ridges which were covered with an alluvial hardwood forest vegetation and surrounded by wetlands. Only burnt animal remains survived at the sites, illustrating (seasonal) fishing and hunting. In addition, botanical evidence indicates the herding of domestic mammals. The finds are of importance for the reconstruction of the chronological development of the food economy of the Swifterbant culture.     

Site Characterization by Geophysical Methods in The Archaeological Zone of Teotihuacan, Mexico

In the present investigation, a geophysical study was carried out in the eastern flank of the Pyramid of the Sun to define potential continuations in this direction of a tunnel discovered beneath the western main entrance of this building. This man-made structure is one of the many extraction tunnels hollowed by the ancient Teotihuacans to obtain construction materials to build their city. Total field and high-resolution vertical gradient magnetic surveys were carried out. The spectral analysis of the total magnetic field enabled us to estimate the thickness of the alluvial cover over the basaltic flow as 3·3 m. It was also found that the main contribution to the observed magnetic field comes from the pyroclastic flow that covers the area of study. The horizontal gradient filter was applied to the low-pass filtered magnetic field to enhance magnetic contacts and structural boundaries. Inferred magnetic trends were related to fracture patterns within the basalts and pyroclasts, and low gradients provided an evidence of voids or tunnels. The Euler deconvolution method was applied as an attempt to confirm the above results. Using a structural index S=0, we determined the boundaries of main magnetic contacts as well as the interface between the basaltic flow and Las Varillas tunnel. Euler depths were found to range between 3 to 6 m, which represent the mean thickness of the basaltic flow.Two parallel ground probing radar (GPR) profiles were surveyed in the NW-SE direction. One passes on top of the known location of a tunnel (Las Varillas) and a second one 10 m to the north, approximately. The tunnel's roof is well outlined at depths between 3·5 and 4 m. On the other hand, little evidences of other buried tunnels or extensions of the known one were found. The second profile depicts a more complex morphology for the pyroclastic sheet. Anomalies related to basaltic flow or eruptive centres are clearly observed. Both profiles depicted the sedimentary base at 3 m, on average. A resistivity profile was undertaken along the first GPR profile. A resistivity image was obtained, that showed the vertical and lateral distribution of the true resistivity. High resistivity values were associated with the tunnel location (Las Varillas). Its geometry could also be inferred, its top is found at about 4 m and extends 20 m in the profile direction to the west. Unfortunately, the depth to its base could not be estimated, since profile length was too short. The sediment-pyroclastic flow interface could also be delimited at a depth of 3 m.Finally, a vertical magnetic field profile taken along the same surveyed line (GPR and resistivity) was inverted applying a two-dimensional algorithm. The initial model was estimated from GPR and resistivity interpretations. A simple model of Las Varillas tunnel was computed, which reasonably well satisfied geological and geophysical considerations.     

Magnetic imaging and electrical resistivity tomography studies in a Roman military installation found in Satala archaeological site,northeastern Anatolia,Turkey

Satala is one of the last great military centers in the Roman East available for archaeological and historical investigations. This archaeological site is situated on the crossing of two singularly important routes in North-East Asia Minor. Only little archaeological fieldwork in and around Satala has so far been carried out, thus delimiting our knowledge of the site and its role within the Roman military structure of the East. In order to provide further data on the site, we carried out geophysical surveys including the application of magnetic and electrical resistivity techniques in an area north of the Sadak village. The geophysical surveys within this area (supposedly part of the Roman military camp) proceeded in two stages. The first stage saw magnetic gradiometer imaging studies being carried out on 2.1 ha, measured by a Geoscan FM-36 fluxgate gradiometer by using 0.5 × 1 m grid intervals. For the second stage a different geophysical technique was used—resistivity tomography. Resistivity data were collected using a number of combined 2D resistivity pseudosections in the eastern part of the area which contained very regular magnetic anomalies. The 3D data were obtained by the combination of all survey lines collected from 2D data sets, and thereafter the arranged data were processed by using the 3D robust inversion modified from the smoothness-constrained algorithm. Electrical resistivity tomography investigations revealed that the buried archaeological structures might be located near the surface, except for some structures found in the middle of the studied area. The archaeological structures were furthermore determined by realistic model sections and volumetric representations. Magnetic imaging and electrical resistivity tomography surveys show that the combined usage of these techniques advances the understanding of archaeological structures beneath the surface.     

Multi-disciplinary investigations at PoW Camp 198, Bridgend,S. Wales: site of a mass escape in March 1945

Abstract

The largest escape of German Prisoner of War (PoW) in WW2 was in March 1945 from Camp 198, situated in Bridgend, South Wales, UK. Since camp closure the site has become derelict, and has not been scientifically investigated. This paper reports on the search to locate the PoW escape tunnel that was dug from Hut 9. This hut remains in remarkable condition, with numerous PoW graffiti still present. Also preserved is a prisoner-constructed false wall in a shower room behind which excavated material was hidden, though the tunnel entrance itself has been concreted over. Near-surface geophysics and ground-based LiDAR were used to locate the tunnel. Mid-frequency GPR surveys were judged optimal, with magnetometry least useful due to the above-ground metal objects. Archaeological excavations discovered the intact tunnel and bed-board shoring. With Allied PoW escape camp attempts well documented, this investigation provides valuable insight into German escape efforts.     

The Integration of VHR Satellite Imagery,GPR Survey and Boring for Archaeological Prospection at the Longcheng Site in Anhui Province,China

This paper is focused on the joint use of non‐invasive and minimal intervention techniques for supporting archaeological prospection. Very high resolution (VHR) satellite imagery analysis and ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) and boring surveys were integrated for the study of the Longcheng site, located near Hefei city in Anhui Province, China, to test their effectiveness and efficiency in prospecting archaeological remains and evaluating their degree of preservation. First, target locations of potential archaeological structures were identified on a WorldView‐2 (WV‐2) satellite image through spatial and radiometric enhancement, interpretation and object‐oriented classification. Second, archaeological features extracted from the WV‐2 imagery were further investigated by a GPR survey that provided detailed cross‐checking information about buried remains. Finally, a subsequent boring survey was conducted across those prospective archaeological structures in order to map the stratigraphic sequences on the basis of colour, compactness and the inclusions contained in the soil, and then to test their correspondence with the GPR data. The boring led to detailed confirmation of the results produced by the remote sensing analyses and GPR surveys, as well as the discovery of datable artefacts. On the basis of all the integrated data, the preliminary layout and structure of the Longcheng site was reconstructed in GIS. Furthermore, the widths, lengths, heights and burial depths of these buried archaeological structures were estimated in detail.     

Factors Determining Magnetic Enhancement of Burnt Clay from Archaeological Sites

The magnetic susceptibility of a collection of 212 archaeological samples of burnt clay of different origin (burnt soil, ovens and bricks) taken from 60 archaeological sites from Bulgaria, were studied in order to determine factors which may have affected their magnetic enhancement. The highest magentic susceptibility values were obtained for bricks, and the lowest for burnt soils, suggesting that the firing temperature and the duration of burning are important conditions for determining magnetic enhancement. Specific spatial pattern of the low-field magnetic susceptibility was also observed, characterized by separation of sites situated in northern and southern parts of the country, divided by the west-east trending mountain chain Stara Planina. Maximum susceptibility values are obtained for burnt soils in southern Bulgaria and minima in northern Bulgaria. In contrast, burnt clay plasters and bricks show the opposite picture. It is supposed that the observed pattern is due to differences in the outcropped geological formations and variable climate conditions between the two regions which determine different iron-supply during burning of initial clay material. Results from the thermomagnetic analyses show that the dominant ferrimagnetic mineral in all burnt clay materials studied, is magnetite/titanomagnetite with low Ti content and different grain-sizes. High values of frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility indicate the presence of significant amount of fine-grained (d<0·015 μm) superparamagnetic magnetite.     

Determination of the influence of soil parameters and sample density on ground-penetrating radar: a case study of a Roman picket in Lower Bavaria

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys are very much influenced by the site-specific physical properties, soil parameters and the sample density of the radar pulses. According to the electromagnetic theory, the transmission and reflection of electromagnetic waves is dominated by the conductivity, dielectric permittivity and the soil moisture. Therefore, it is advisable to measure these parameters in advance of a GPR survey. Commonly, this is not possible directly with the standard common-offset GPR arrays. To overcome this problem, we adapted and applied a direct method called time-domain reflectometry to a selected case study of the Roman picket Hienheim at the Raetischer Limes in Lower Bavaria. Furthermore, we present some important results relating to the profile spacing and orientation of GPR surveys and the site-specific soil parameters. The location and the identification of the archaeological features were successful by all geophysical methods. However, the application of all these geophysical methods like magnetometry, resistivity and GPR in addition with aerial photography and Airborne Laserscanning exemplifies the advantages of an integrated survey to achieve a comprehensive result of an archaeological site. The Roman picket of Hienheim shows up differently in all results, as each one traces the archaeological remains according to a specific physical parameter. Resistivity and radar are best to resolve buried stone structures like the walls of the picket or stone-filled ditches. In contrary, magnetometry benefits of the magnetic contrast between the limestone walls and the surrounding soil.     

Haselden Hall,Wakefield

Abstract

An architectural survey of the surviving remains of Haselden Hall was undertaken by the Wakefield Archaeological Research Group in August 1967, a few months prior to the demolition of the building. An excavation to examine the medieval remains on the Hall site was then undertaken and this will be the subject of a separate report to be published elsewhere.     

Ground Penetrating Radar in the Northern Great Lakes: A Trial Survey of a Contact Period Occupation in Marquette County,Michigan

ABSTRACT

Timing, inclement weather, and limited budgets can obstruct archaeological survey efforts. Here, we ameliorate some of these with use of ground penetrating radar (GPR) at the Goose Lake Outlet #3 (GLO#3) site (20MQ140). GPR surveys to guide survey and excavation efforts in these well-drained sandy soils are limited. GPR imagery exhibited false positives; however, shovel probes, subsequent site excavation, and artifact analysis led to numerous discoveries at this protohistoric site—including glass trade beads dating to the 1630s. These discoveries solidify evidence for some of the earliest European-made trade items in the region and provide further confirmation for placement of an Indian trail and ancient travel corridor between Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. Two ¹⁴C samples obtained from moose-bone in features with trade goods fall within the expected occupation range of 1633–1668 and 1615–1647. Several anomolies, possible hearth clusters were seen on the GPR imagery; however, many features remained invisible.     

FOCUS: Provenance of Ceramics Revealed by Magnetic Susceptibility and Thermoluminescence

A new method for provenance determination of ceramics is presented. The samples were measured for magnetic susceptibility and for the TL intensity produced by artificially induced radiation in a pre-heated sample. Characteristic differences in magnetic susceptibility and TL sensitivity were found to exist between different clay sources, and in a diagram of susceptibility versus TL intensity, ceramics of different provenances often plot in distinctly different areas. Samples of 0·01–1 g of burnt clay were used. The method has been tested on a dozen archaeological sites, three of which are presented here as examples. Choice of tempering material, firing temperature, and oxygen tension during firing affect the susceptibility and the TL signals somewhat, and these effects have been tested experimentally.     

Geophysical investigations in the service of Mount Carmel (Israel) prehistoric research

Geophysical investigations in el-Wad Cave, Mount Carmel, Israel, enabled the mapping of the surface of the bedrock and a reconstruction of the depth of the archeological deposits. Seismic refraction and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) provided similar results, indicating the potential value of geophysical studies when one seeks to reconstruct site features and establish future excavation strategies. Results of a GPR survey later conducted in the adjacent Jamal Cave were supported, to a high degree, by subsequent archeological excavations in the course of which Lower and Middle Paleolithic layers were unearthed.A Continuous Vertical Electrical Sounding (CVES) geoelectric survey in the (collapsed) Misliya Cave indicates a low resistivity layer at the upper, central part of the cave, suggesting that lithified archeological deposits, of ca. 4 m, are preserved at the site. This has been supported by a test excavation recently conducted at the site.More intriguing is the case of what, on the basis of the outer morphology of the cliff, seemed to be another collapsed cave just to the north of el-Wad. The CVES survey, at the bottom of the cliff and across the hypothesized cave (or chamber), shows a two-layer model, with a low resistivity (100–200 ohm-m) layer, overlying a layer of high resistivity (8000–10,000 ohm-m). A trial trench indicates that here the bedrock is covered by shallow, recent, surface material, with no archeological value.All three methods of geophysical investigation proved applicable and resulted in the successful evaluation of sites' location, depth and spatial extension, thus forming essential tools in future prehistoric research.     

Remote Sensing and Archaeological Prospection in Apulia,Italy

Abstract

When deployed in combination with ground control, archaeological surface survey, and environmental research, remote sensing based upon high-resolution multispectral satellite imagery allows large areas to be evaluated efficiently by a small team of researchers and contributes to a better understanding of an archaeological landscape. In 2007 and 2008, we analyzed ca. 100 sq km of imagery centered on L'Amastuola, Italy. Combining the evaluation of high-resolution multispectral imagery with concurrent ground control led to the discovery of 29 sites and significant off-site scatters during about four weeks of fieldwork. Our analysis indicates that most of the detected features reflect geological conditions amenable to past human habitation rather than subsurface archaeological remains. Earlier fieldwork by the Murge Tableland Survey (MTS) provided independent definitions for various types of sites and a large sample of sites and off-site scatters in the study area. Comparison of our remote-sensing guided efforts with the results of that survey suggests that our success rate is too high to be explained by random association and also illuminates the strengths and weaknesses of the respective methods, underscoring the need to integrate satellite image analysis with ground control and surface survey.     

Use of ground penetrating radar to map subsurface archaeological features in an urban area

The ground penetrating radar (GPR) technique was used to investigate the subsurface in an urban area located in Mesagne (Italy) to obtain a map of the archaeological features in the ground. The GPR survey was undertaken at selected locations placed near (about 50 m) to a necropolis dating from the Messapian to the Roman imperial age, using a GSSI Sir System 2 incorporating 200 and 500 MHz centre frequency antennae. The selected areas (A and B) were surveyed along parallel 1 m spaced profiles using a 200 MHz antenna in area A and along parallel 0.5 m spaced profiles using a 500 MHz antenna in area B. For the selected areas the processed data were visualised in 3D space not only by means of the standard time slice technique, but also by means of a recently proposed approach, namely by iso-amplitude surfaces of the complex trace amplitude. The immediacy in revealing the spatial positioning of highly reflecting bodies, such as the anomaly interpreted as an old hypogeum room in area A, makes 3D visualisation techniques very attractive in archaeological applications of GPR. Their sensitivity to the signal/noise ratio is, on the other hand, highlighted by the quite poor performance in area B, where the only reliable result provided by all the techniques was the ancient living surface reflection, whereas none of them could effectively enhance the visibility of weak hyperbola reflections noted on 2D sections and probably related to the walls located on the ancient living surface. The performance of the various techniques in these two different situations allowed insights into their main advantages and drawbacks to be gained.     

Excavations at Bamburgh: New Revelations in Light of Recent Investigations at the Core of the Castle Complex

The article documents the results of a series of investigations undertaken by the Bamburgh Research Project (BRP) within the Inner Ward of Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland between 1997 and 2010, using resistivity, ground penetrating radar survey, and limited excavation. Throughout the course of the investigation around the ruins of the medieval chapel, material evidence was found of Romano-British activity. Furthermore, stone structures of pre-twelfth-century date were revealed. Two phases of a possible early medieval defensive wall were identified beneath the north wall of the current chapel structure, and a stone building was found beneath the main body of the church which may represent part of the church of St Peter, mentioned by Bede.     

Radiocarbon dating of Ohalo II: Archaeological and methodological implications

Charcoal samples from the Early Epipalaeolithic submerged fisher-hunter-gatherers site of Ohalo II have been dated by three laboratories. The samples derive from huts, hearths, a grave and a stone installation. Twenty-five date range between 17,500-21,050 bp and average c. 19,400 bp. The thickness of deposits, the perishable building material (of the huts), the spatial organization of the camp and its rapid cover by sand and water suggest several occupational episodes, lasting not more than tens of years together. The discrepancy between the range of ¹⁴C dates and the real length of occupation are due to the statistical limitations of the dating method.     

Ground penetrating radar survey of a prehistoric site in southern Italy

In this paper, we present and discuss the results of a ground penetrating radar (GPR) study carried out in an area of southern Italy where a karst cave with prehistoric remains was found. The aim of the study involved the imaging of the subsurface stratigraphy, both inside and outside the cave, in order to assist archaeologists in an excavation programme.The survey grid comprised 18 intersecting GPR profiles. Problems associated with the use of the GPR within a cave environment are highlighted and the data processing sequence designed to extract useful geo-archaeological signatures is described. Interpretation of the radar sections was controlled by the excavation of two trenches (inside and outside the cave), allowing detailed outlining the complex stratigraphy and the reconstruction of Palaeolithic and Neolithic subsurface horizons.     

Nails,tacks, and hinges: the archaeology of Camp Monticello,a World War II prisoner of war camp

ABSTRACT

“Provost Marshall General does not concur in the construction of outdoor dance floors at Monticello Internment Camp … Outdoor dance floors would be of no use at an internment camp,” the brigadier general responded to the chief of engineers in 1943. Camp Monticello, located in southeast Arkansas, was an Italian prisoner of war camp constructed according to a set of standardized building plans. Despite the brigadier general’s insistence that Camp Monticello “conform as far as possible to the standard plan,” archaeological research that combines archival research with a metal detector survey shows that the plans were influenced by local politics, access to materials, environmental conditions, and the everyday activities of the prisoners of war.     

The Weicker Site: a Lorna San Gabriel Hamlet in Durango,Mexico

Abstract

The Weicker site is a small Loma San Gabriel hamlet located in the Uplands of the Sierra Madre Occidental of NW Mexico, just west of the city of Durango, Durango. As part of a larger survey and excavation project in 1952, excavations were conducted in two of the three low mounds present at the site. Testing revealed the remains of two compounds defined by the presence of low rock walls. Within each compound were the remains of three structures thought to be habitation and storage facilities. The floors of the compounds were well compacted and contained hearths between the rooms. A small assemblage of ceramics and chipped and ground stone was also recovered. Architectural features, material culture, household activities, and site function are described and discussed.