Archaeological Prospection最新文献

{"title":"Multi-Method Geophysical Surveys Between and Around the Kerlescan and the Manio Megalithic Alignments in Carnac (Morbihan, France)","authors":"Guillaume Bruniaux,&nbsp;Vivien Mathé,&nbsp;Olivier Agogué,&nbsp;Sylvia Lopez,&nbsp;Philippe Paillou,&nbsp;Reena Perschke,&nbsp;Vincent Ard","doi":"10.1002/arp.70036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.70036","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The Carnac alignments in Morbihan (France) are among the most famous Neolithic sites of the world. Paradoxically, they have benefited little from a thorough renewal of archaeological data over the past century. There are many reasons for this, but it is mainly because the site has been regarded more as a monument to visit and protect than as an archaeological site to be explored through excavation. The largest archaeological intervention in the menhir alignments had been the excavation ‘Manio 2’ burial mound by Zacharie Le Rouzic and the Péquart in 1922. Research and conservation efforts slowed down after Zacharie Le Rouzic died in 1939, except for the excavations carried out on the Kerlescan site between 1940 and 1942 during the German occupation by Werner Hülle. After World War II, preserving the site became the priority. Intense research into megalithism in the region came to a halt and shifted to other areas of Brittany and did not include the Carnac alignments. However, several grey areas remain, particularly regarding the shape and location of the settlements associated with the Carnac alignments, such as ditches, fences, postholes and hearths. These structures were obviously more discreet and undoubtedly accompanied the menhir alignments and burial mounds. Discoveries made during preventive excavations around Carnac have revealed a high density of cooking stones and monoliths, which were undetectable during surface surveys because of their burial. Therefore, the possibility of discovering such structures using geophysical methods is a significant research challenge that offers considerable potential for expanding our knowledge. The objective of the 2024 geophysical surveys was to evaluate the effectiveness of modern geophysical methods in detecting underground structures related to the Carnac alignments. These surveys built on the expertise developed through the ANR MONUMEN program in central-western France. This article summarizes the initial results of the geophysical surveys of the Carnac alignments.</p>","PeriodicalId":55490,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Prospection","volume":"33 2","pages":"499-517"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/arp.70036","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148153208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Magnetometry of Corded Ware Culture Barrows in Western Ukraine: The Multiproxy Analysis of Burial Mounds in Volytsia Cemetery as a Key to Identify the Chronological Affinity","authors":"Jakub Niebieszczański,&nbsp;Przemysław Makarowicz,&nbsp;Jan Romaniszyn,&nbsp;Vitalii Rud,&nbsp;Iwona Hildebrandt-Radke,&nbsp;Cezary Bahyrycz,&nbsp;Waldemar Spychalski,&nbsp;Vasyl Ilchyshyn,&nbsp;Viktor Kossakivskii,&nbsp;Vasyl Kovbasa","doi":"10.1002/arp.70023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.70023","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study presents the results of a multiproxy geoarchaeological analysis of Corded Ware culture (CWC) barrows from the 3rd millennium <span>bc</span> in Volytsia, Western Ukraine. Combining magnetometry surveys, stratigraphic excavation, magnetic susceptibility testing and iron content analysis, the research aims to identify diagnostic features of CWC burial mounds and assess how soil processes affect their geophysical visibility. Magnetometry revealed that enhanced magnetic anomalies correlate with preserved anthropogenic mound structures, particularly in barrow 013, while others displayed less distinct signatures, possibly due to pedogenic degradation. Excavations uncovered diverse burial practices, including wooden coffins and cremations, but a lack of stone structures typical of Middle Bronze Age (MBA) Komarów culture mounds from the 2nd millennium <span>bc</span>. Magnetic susceptibility and total amount of iron profiles confirm that magnetically enhanced layers align with unaltered burial deposits, whereas leached upper horizons show diminished signals. The study demonstrates that fire-related features made solely of wood do not produce the dipolar magnetic anomalies observed in daub-rich wooden mortuary houses from the MBA. Consequently, distinguishing CWC from Komarów barrows solely through magnetometry remains challenging. The results highlight the need for integrated prospection strategies and contextual soil analysis when interpreting under-mound architecture and chronology. These findings contribute to refining non-invasive archaeological methodologies in forested loess landscapes with complex postdepositional histories.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55490,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Prospection","volume":"33 2","pages":"315-326"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148153564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cutting Through the Green: A Case for Grassland Archaeology Using UAV Multispectral Data","authors":"Roeland Emaus","doi":"10.1002/arp.70027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.70027","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Advances in low-altitude remote sensing are needed to improve the effectiveness of archaeological prospection in the Netherlands. The geomorphological situation and land use history make applying various remote sensing and geophysical technologies particularly challenging. Technologies developed for precision agriculture have improved the field. However, the technology has yet to deliver reliable results when used in archaeological prospection in the Netherlands. The Parrot Sequoia multispectral camera was used to study a known archaeological site near Raalte, the Netherlands, to investigate the particular influence of land use practices on archaeological vegetation mark visibility. The site was beneficial for this purpose because the archaeological structures beneath the surface are well known. Also, the hydrological situation is relatively constant throughout the year. This site, therefore, is the perfect test site because certain variables are known constants. The four missions resulted in 24 ortho-mosaics, of which the RGB, the NDVI and the SR datasets were selected for further analysis. In the RGB datasets, vegetation marks were only visible in the August dataset. Vegetation marks were recognized in the June and August NDVI and SR datasets. All of the detected vegetation marks in the NDVI and SR datasets were visible at times shortly after the grass had been mown, and none were visible when the grass was at the peak of its growth. This study has made a contribution to better understanding the visibility of vegetation marks regarding their timing in the land use cycle of meadows and pastures.</p>","PeriodicalId":55490,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Prospection","volume":"33 2","pages":"327-337"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/arp.70027","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148153246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Layout and Size of an Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B Small Settlement Revealed by Geophysical Prospection at Harbetsuvan Tepesi in Southeastern Anatolia","authors":"Toshihiro Tada,&nbsp;Ryota Moriwaki,&nbsp;Kazuya Shimogama,&nbsp;Kenta Suzuki,&nbsp;Wataru Satake,&nbsp;Nurcan Küçükarslan,&nbsp;Celal Uludağ,&nbsp;Yoshihiro Nishiaki","doi":"10.1002/arp.70037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.70037","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In Upper Mesopotamia, the transition from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) to Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) period, ca. 10 800–10 600 cal. BP, is marked by a series of changes in chipped stone industries, architectural forms, symbolic objects, regional distribution of settlements and long-distance exchange networks among others. These shifts may indicate rapid social transformations occurring in this time period. Since settlement size and layout can serve as proxies for population scale and social structure, methodologies capable of capturing entire site plans are critical. Geophysical prospection provides an efficient means for surveying entire archaeological sites, making it particularly suitable for studying settlement size and layout. However, geophysical prospection of Pre-Pottery Neolithic sites in Upper Mesopotamia has rarely been published. This study conducted comprehensive geophysical investigations, including topographic survey, magnetometry and ground-penetrating radar, covering the entire mound of Harbetsuvan Tepesi, a recently discovered small-scale (approximately 5900 m²) Early PPNB site in southeastern Anatolia. This represents the first comprehensive geophysical survey covering the entire extent of a PPNB site in this region. The data revealed a cluster of rectangular rooms densely concentrated near the mound's centre, with no indication of large open spaces or significantly oversized monumental structures. This settlement layout differs from larger contemporary sites in the region, where large circular monumental buildings have been exposed alongside clustered small dwellings. This settlement layout at Harbetsuvan Tepesi provides an example of the social structure of small settlements and makes a contribution to understanding the inter-site regional social hierarchies and settlement diversity during the PPNA–PPNB transition.</p>","PeriodicalId":55490,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Prospection","volume":"33 2","pages":"519-535"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/arp.70037","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148153214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Automated Feature Extraction and Classification of Submerged Cultural Heritage Assets in the Puck Lagoon via Multisensor Remote Sensing","authors":"Łukasz Janowski,&nbsp;Andrzej Pydyn,&nbsp;Mateusz Popek,&nbsp;Anna M. Kotarba-Morley,&nbsp;Paweł Tysiąc","doi":"10.1002/arp.70024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.70024","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study presents a strong framework for the detection and classification of Submerged Cultural Heritage Assets (SCHA) in shallow marine environments using the integration of multibeam echosounder and airborne LiDAR bathymetry with object-based image analysis and fuzzy logic–based classification. A total of 57 remote sensing anomalies at Puck Lagoon were identified and diver-based ground-truthed. Of these, 42% were confirmed as cultural heritage assets, for example, a World War II aircraft crash site, demonstrating the efficiency of the technique. The high-dimensional feature space was diminished to two components explaining 61.7% of variance with principal component analysis, which revealed clear clustering of anthropogenic and nonanthropogenic objects. Random forest feature importance ranking and ANOVA <i>F</i> statistic test identified vector ruggedness measure and mean LiDAR intensity as the most discriminative features for automated classification. Application of fuzzy membership functions in knowledge-based rules modelled overlapping feature values and measurement uncertainty, improving classification reliability. This technique extends the limits of nonintrusive underwater surveying and provides an open, methodological framework for heritage managers in shallow, protected marine environments, though site-specific recalibration is required for transferability to contexts with differing depth, energy regime, substrate type or water clarity.</p>","PeriodicalId":55490,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Prospection","volume":"33 2","pages":"397-421"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/arp.70024","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148153216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"“Hidden” Landscape of Prehistoric Burial Monuments: The Use of Remote Sensing in the Detection of Neolithic Long Barrows in Bohemia (Czech Republic)","authors":"Petr Krištuf,&nbsp;Tomáš Kroupa,&nbsp;Peter Milo,&nbsp;Jan Havelka,&nbsp;Jan Turek,&nbsp;Martin Gojda","doi":"10.1002/arp.70035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.70035","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Neolithic long barrows are among the earliest monumental structures in Europe, yet in many parts of Central Europe their surface expression has been largely erased by long-term agricultural activity. This study evaluates the potential of integrated remote sensing approaches for identifying and contextualizing long barrows and associated archaeological features in the intensively cultivated landscape of north-western Bohemia, Czech Republic. The analysis focuses on two long barrows near Mount Říp (Dušníky 1 and Nížebohy) and combines oblique aerial photography, magnetic survey and airborne laser scanning (ALS). The results demonstrate that even heavily levelled long barrows remain detectable through the complementary use of non-invasive methods. ALS confirms the presence of subdued barrow mantles, while aerial imagery and magnetometry provide key information on monument layout, internal structure and associated burial features. In addition, the remote sensing data reveal further funerary monuments of later prehistoric periods, indicating long-term continuity of burial practices and the development of enduring ritual landscapes. Settlement activities are spatially restricted and clearly separated from funerary zones. This study highlights the value of multi-method remote sensing for reconstructing prehistoric burial landscapes in intensively cultivated regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":55490,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Prospection","volume":"33 2","pages":"475-497"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/arp.70035","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148153236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Methodology for Imaging Early Bronze Age Structures Buried in Mounds at Al-Tikha, Oman","authors":"Nikos Economou,&nbsp;Khaled A. Douglas,&nbsp;Mohamed Hesein,&nbsp;Khalil Al Hooti,&nbsp;Muhammad Younis Khan,&nbsp;Sara Pizzimenti,&nbsp;Nasser Al Jahwari,&nbsp;Bader Al Shaqsi,&nbsp;Said Al Abri,&nbsp;Adnan Al Hinaai,&nbsp;Al Anoud Al Kharusi,&nbsp;Mohamed Al Alawi,&nbsp;Rodaynah Al Rawahi,&nbsp;Saad Al Ismaili","doi":"10.1002/arp.70031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.70031","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Since 2022, integrated surveys by researchers from the Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, the Technical University of Crete, Greece, and the University of Pisa in Italy combine geophysical and archaeological studies for the revealing and conservation of Early Bronze Age (EBA) human settlements. These settlements have become archaeogeophysical laboratories for the researchers involved, due to the different kinds of architectural features based on the period of their origin. 3D ground penetrating radar (GPR) data and AI techniques have served the scientific community in the latter years due to the increased computational power, which allows extracting 3D information on buried remains. Here, we present the results of the ongoing research at the Al-Tikha site and describe a specific type of archaeological site–dedicated data processing methodology for the assessment of EBA mounds. We applied multipath summation on the GPR sections combined with topography corrections and enhanced the geophysical interpretation by diffraction velocity models based on the kinematic characteristics of diffractions mapped by a globally trained ML model. A diffraction velocity model can never be accurate as it is based on the number and position of the diffractions over the x-t plane, making it not suitable for most cases for direct migration. Our methodology suggests the combination of multipath summation and topography corrections as an alternative. The latter proved more efficient than topographical migration in our examples. This methodology is implemented and tested here with the scope to efficiently image the subsurface of the mounds at EBA settlements. Two mounds were prospected, and buried walls and structural layers were mapped to serve as targets for future excavation, while both mounds were found to have different architectural phases of construction.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55490,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Prospection","volume":"33 2","pages":"455-474"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148153577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Selecting the Optimal Spectral Band for Humid-Tropical Archaeological Prospection in Bujang Valley: A Band-Sum Normalization of SPOT and UAV Imagery at Sungai Batu","authors":"Shairatul Akma Roslan,&nbsp;Fitri Yakub,&nbsp;Mokhtar Saidin,&nbsp;Mohd Zamzuri Ab. Rashid,&nbsp;Junainah Abu Kasim","doi":"10.1002/arp.70025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.70025","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Archaeological remnants rarely exhibit distinctive structural or spectral characteristics, which makes their detection via remote sensing in tropical environments challenging due to significant fluctuations in soil composition, moisture levels, vegetation and land use. This study analyses multi-temporal SPOT-5/7 satellite data (2006–2017) and DJI P4-RTK multispectral UAV imagery (2024) to (i) characterize the spectral behaviour of established archaeological proxies at the Sungai Batu (Batu River) complex in Bujang Valley, Kedah, Malaysia, and (ii) identify an optimal spectral band (OSB) for archaeological prospection in humid tropical conditions. Twenty-five proxies encompassing ritual structures (<i>Candi</i>), ancient jetties, <i>Syahbandar</i> (administrative) locations and iron-smelting remnants (<i>Tuyères</i>) were identified from excavation records and plotted as regions of interest (ROIs) on pre-excavation SPOT-5 imagery (2006). We derived top-of-atmosphere reflectance values for each band, calculated mean–variance statistics and modelled proxy reflectance relationships using linear regressions. Additionally, we propose a straightforward band-sum modification (per-proxy linear model) to mitigate spectral heterogeneity caused by non-target background effects. Among the 25 proxies, the near-infrared (NIR) had the highest raw reflectance; nevertheless, the Green band (≈0.50–0.59 μm) consistently yielded the most robust proxy-reflectance correlations (<i>R</i> &gt; 0.95 post-adjustment), outperforming the Blue, Red and NIR bands. The most significant improvements following the adjustment were observed in the <i>Syahbandar</i> and iron-smelting proxies (<i>R</i>² reaching 0.98–0.99), whereas the <i>Candi</i> and ancient jetties proxies maintained stable, monotonic reflectance curves consistent with moist soil vegetation backgrounds. The research attributes the Green-band's advantage to vegetation structure, soil moisture and the surface contrast derived from brick materials within the context of monsoon tropical phenology. The findings endorse the Green band as the most practical operational spectral band for preliminary assessment in Sungai Batu and similar low-relief, forested tropical locations when only three to four multispectral bands are accessible. The work ultimately suggests implications for conducting low-cost surveys and advocates for future testing with hyperspectral sensors and machine learning classifiers.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55490,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Prospection","volume":"33 2","pages":"339-354"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148153205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advancing Cave Survey Methods: High-Precision Mapping in Drakotrypa Cave, Greece","authors":"Christos Pennos,&nbsp;Fotis Georgiadis,&nbsp;Sofia Pechlivanidou,&nbsp;Rannveig Ø. Skoglund,&nbsp;Nenad Buzjak,&nbsp;Stein- Erik Lauritzen","doi":"10.1002/arp.70016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.70016","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Cave floor mapping plays a vital role across various scientific disciplines by enabling the identification and interpretation of features shaped by both natural processes and human activity. In cave archaeology, floor mapping is crucial to decode and reconstruct human-induced morphological features. However, the field has long faced significant challenges in accurately mapping the complexity of cave systems. Conventional methods often fail to capture the detail and depth of subterranean terrains or require substantial time and effort. To address these limitations, we propose a new methodology that enhances standard cave survey techniques to produce detailed floor maps in the form of point clouds. This novel approach implements easily accessible hardware (DistoX) and widespread cave survey software (PocketTopo, Therion) in combination with open source and popular GIS software (QGIS) to generate high-precision three-dimensional models of cave floor surfaces. We evaluate this methodology by comparing it to Apple LiDAR mapping, using Drakotrypa Cave on Thasos Island as a test site. Numerous human-induced modifications mark the floor of this cave, which served as both a prehistoric settlement and a cult site during the Archaic and Classical periods. Our case study highlights how the proposed method can effectively reveal remnants of past human activity.</p>","PeriodicalId":55490,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Prospection","volume":"33 1","pages":"189-201"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/arp.70016","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147566204","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Imaging Cultural Heritage in Very Shallow Nearshore Areas Using Seismic Refraction Tomography and Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves: A Synthetic and Real Data Study","authors":"Bilio P. Markasioti,&nbsp;George Kritikakis,&nbsp;Vafidis Antonios,&nbsp;Nikos Papadopoulos,&nbsp;Theotokis Theodoulou","doi":"10.1002/arp.70007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.70007","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Geophysical methods play a vital role in archaeology, particularly in the discovery and preservation of cultural heritage. Despite their extensive application in terrestrial settings, their use in very shallow marine environments has been relatively limited. This research investigates the effectiveness of multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) and seismic refraction tomography (SRT) in mapping submerged and buried archaeological structures within shallow water areas. For this effort, synthetic seismic datasets were generated to establish optimal parameters for effective interpretation, visualization and interpretation of these structures. The synthetic data results showed that buried man-made targets with a width greater than 0.5 m can be accurately located using both these methods, when the top of the targets is located near the seabed. Shorter receiver spreads yielded the best results using the MASW method for reconstructing submerged targets. The outcomes from simulated experiments guided a case study survey in SE Crete, Greece, where the proposed methodology was validated with real data. The results provided a strong basis for utilizing MASW and SRT methods to explore and map archaeological features in very shallow aquatic environments and proved the significant Roman presence on the SE coast of Crete, pointing out the strategic location of this region for the maritime linking of Eastern and Western Mediterranean via the island's southern shores.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55490,"journal":{"name":"Archaeological Prospection","volume":"33 1","pages":"21-35"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147564736","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}