Geophysics in support of industrial archaeology in a challenging environment: Shade iron furnace, Pennsylvania, USA

Abstract

The value of geophysical methods in investigating iron furnaces in North America (of which several hundred exist) has so far been poorlyevaluated.We report on the magnetic gradiometerandelectrical resistivity surveys conducted at the Shade iron furnace, Pennsylvania, USA, together with results fromground-truthingexcavations.We findthat (i) numeroususefuldata sets couldberecordeddespite challenging field conditions; (ii) reconnaissance gradiometerandresistivitydatayield complementary informationallowinglarge-scale sitereconstruction; (iii) high-resolutionresistivitydatareflect archaeologically valuable site lithologies with decimetre-scale accuracy; and (iv) extreme absolute background values (several hundred nT) of, and spatial contrasts (several hundred to >1000 nT) in, the gradiometer data are common owing to the presence of much burnt material and iron artefacts. We conclude that geophysical investigations of iron furnaces in North America may yield spatially extensive subsurface information of substantial archaeological value, which is impossible to obtain using traditional archaeological survey methods alone

Geophysical prospection and archaeological excavation of ancient iron smelting sites in the Barun‐Khal valley on the western shore of Lake Baikal (Olkhon region, Siberia)

“…Magnetometer surveying is known as one of the main tools of archaeological prospection (Aspinall, Gaffney, & Schmidt, ; Linford, ; Schmidt, ), including the search for and study of ancient iron production sites (Abrahamsen et al, ; Crew, ; Kulessa, Chiarulli, & Haney, ; Powell, McDonnell, Batt, & Vernon, ; Smekalova, Voss, & Abrahamsen, ; Vernon, McDonnel, & Schmidt, ; Vernon, McDonnel, & Schmidt, ). However, in archaeometallurgy‐related studies one uses also resistivity surveys (Apostolopoulos, ; Humphris & Carey, ; Vernon, ; Walach, Scholger, & Cech, ).…”

Large-scale geophysical reconstruction of man-made ground at former industrial iron-furnace plantations

“…Morelocalized, high-resolution reconstructions of specific structures and artifacts are reported elsewhere ͑e.g., Kulessa et al, 2004a, b͒. The present study should be relevant not only to assessments of iron-furnace plantations in North America, but also more generally to geophysical investigations of physically similar, man-made ground. ͑A term from environmental and geotechnical engineering, man-made ground refers to natural ground that has been altered by human activities, particularly at former and present industrial sites.͒…”

Anthropological research framing for archaeological geophysics: Material signatures of past human behaviour. By Jason RandallThompson, Lexington books, Lanham, MD, 2015, $75.00 (£49.95), ISBN 978–0–7391‐7758‐7 (hardback), $74.99 (£49.95), ISBN 978–0–7391‐7759‐4 (eBook)

“…I also struggled with this statement because it glosses over the range of different types and sizes of sites archaeological geophysicists are surveying across the world (e.g. in this journal alone, Crew, ; Dalan et al, ; Landry, Ferguson, Milne, & Park, ; Lowe & Fogel, ; Kulessa, Chiarulli, & Haney, ; Marshall, ). His statement also neglects the fact that even the large‐scale surveys at well‐known sites also focus on individual features within the greater landscape (e.g.…”

“…I also struggled with this statement because it glosses over the range of different types and sizes of sites archaeological geophysicists are surveying across the world (e.g. in this journal alone, Crew, 2002;Dalan et al, 2011;Landry, Ferguson, Milne, & Park, 2015;Lowe & Fogel, 2010;Kulessa, Chiarulli, & Haney, 2004;Marshall, 1999). His statement also neglects the fact that even the large-scale surveys at well-known sites also focus on may be a radical idea for the 'traditional' practitioners and that the editors of Archaeological Prospection 'might balk at publishing much of it, since it wouldn't have the advantage of portraying graphic images of actual archaeological materials,' but I find this doubtful considering that such experimental work has already been published (e.g.…”