Ground-penetrating radar investigations of the Asaviec 2 archaeological site, Northern Belarus

Abstract

Asaviec 2 in the Kryvina wetland is one of the best known and the most thoroughly investigated Stone and Bronze Age lake settlement sites in Northern Belarus. Previously, research on the site used excavations and coring, typological analysis and radiocarbon dating of the find material, as well as stratigraphic, lithological and palynological analyses. However, geophysical methods were not used. This study was carried out to test the use of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) both at this particular site and in peaty sediments generally. The main goal was to determine the lateral spread of the occupation layer and traces of ancient habitation activity. The GPR reflection profiles have been correlated with coring data and previously excavated archaeological profiles. The chaotic pattern in the GPR reflection profiles has been interpreted as disturbed peat, thereby indicating human activity. The areas of disturbed peat and the lower boundary of the peat body were traced and mapped. The occupation layer and signs of human activity are irregularly distributed and largely coincide with the high and intermediate forms of the subsoil relief, but not with the low forms. As a result, we have concluded that GPR is a valuable tool for determining occupational layers in wetlands when verified by excavations and coring.