{"id":2914,"date":"2021-10-21T10:56:31","date_gmt":"2021-10-21T09:56:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abbeycwmhir.org\/?p=2914"},"modified":"2022-01-31T17:58:39","modified_gmt":"2022-01-31T17:58:39","slug":"geophysics-field-school-3rd4th6th-october-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abbeycwmhir.org\/discussion\/geophysics-field-school-3rd4th6th-october-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Geophysics Field School 3rd,4th,6th October 2021","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

We held a very successful Geophysics Field School at Cwmffwrn Farm in early October, lead by Dr Ian Brooks.<\/p>\n

We used two techniques – resistivity and magnetometry – to look at various humps and bumps in the landscape.<\/p>\n

Both techniques detect very small changes in soil characteristics up to 0.5m of the ground surface and are used as reconnaissance methods to look for indicators of features of archaeological interest.<\/p>\n

Over the course of the 3 days of the Field School we investigated 4 locations within the farm including two building platforms, a circular bank and a possible Bronze Age cairn.<\/p>\n

Magnetometry:<\/p>\n

This relies on variations in soil magnetic susceptibility and magnetic remanence which often result from past human activities. Using a Fluxgate Gradiometer these variations can be mapped. This technique is particularly useful for locating features where the fill is different from the surrounding material. It is also useful for locating areas of burning.<\/p>\n

Resistivity:<\/p>\n

This relies on variations in the electrical conductivity of the soil and subsoil which in general is related to soil moisture levels. As such, results can be seasonally dependant. Slower than Magnetometry this technique is best suited to locating positive features such as buried walls that give rise to high resistance anomalies. Large features such as ditches or pits where moisture is retained in the fill can also be located.<\/p>\n

Both techniques used rely on taking a series of readings on a regular grid pattern. The results are recorded automatically within the machine and at the end of the day, they are downloaded onto a laptop computer and processed so that we can see the initial results.<\/p>\n

This Field School was supported by a grant from Wales Council for Voluntary Action.<\/p>\n

The participant’s handbook for this field school is given here Geophysics Field School Handbook 2021<\/a><\/p>\n

We are have some initial results for the two building platforms. \u00a0At both sites the results were very interesting and may well lead to further investigations in future.<\/p>\n

Possible ‘Hafod<\/h4>\n

An enclosure and platform has been found on the upper reached of the sheepwalk close to its highest point.\u00a0 The enclosure, formed by low earth banks, is rectilinear with one side, the narrowest, open.\u00a0 The south east side dips to a platform.\u00a0 The whole is set above a natural spring, the outflow of which has eroded the side of the hill.<\/p>\n

We surveyed this site during our Landscape Archaeology Field School in September 2020. Phil Olivant used that survey to layout the grid for the geophysics, as shown.<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n

The image below is from a drone survey conducted by Julian Ravest. Please note the different orientation.<\/p>\n

\"\"
(Photography Julian Ravest Copyright CPAT)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The results for the geophysics at this site are shown below.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Upper Farmstead<\/h4>\n

This site was also surveyed during the Landscape Archaeology Field School in September 2020.<\/p>\n

This structure and its surrounding field system appear to be an abandoned farmstead.\u00a0 It is set next to a small stream which is now silted up and overgrown.\u00a0 The vegetation of the stream has encroached on the lower part of the building.\u00a0 The stream appears to split into two as it enters the Cwm Hir brook.\u00a0 One of the branches is manmade and cuts through a pre-existing enclosure.\u00a0 This may have been made to improve drainage near the building.<\/p>\n

\"\"This is Phil Olivant’s grid for the geophysics, based upon the previous survey.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The image below is from a drone survey by Julian Ravest.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Upper farmstead (Photograph Julian Ravest Copyright CPAT)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The results for the geophysics for this site are shown below.<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"The results presented here are being interpreted further by Ian Brooks and more findings will be placed here when available.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We held a very successful Geophysics Field School at Cwmffwrn Farm in early October, lead by Dr Ian Brooks. We used two techniques – resistivity and magnetometry – to look at various humps and bumps in the landscape. Both techniques detect very small changes in soil characteristics up to 0.5m of the ground surface and …<\/p>\n

Geophysics Field School 3rd,4th,6th October 2021<\/span> Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":2,"featured_media":2915,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"link","format":"url"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/abbeycwmhir.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2914"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/abbeycwmhir.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/abbeycwmhir.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abbeycwmhir.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abbeycwmhir.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2914"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/abbeycwmhir.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2914\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2955,"href":"https:\/\/abbeycwmhir.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2914\/revisions\/2955"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abbeycwmhir.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/abbeycwmhir.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abbeycwmhir.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/abbeycwmhir.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}