Magnetic Prospection and the Discovery of Mission Santa Catalina de Guale, Georgia

Life among the tides : recent archaeology on the Georgia Bight : proceedings of the Sixth Caldwell Conference, St. Catherines Island, Georgia, May 20-22, 2011.

“…In this follow-up survey a Geometrics G-816 proton magnetometer was employed using similar field procedures. These data, including a resurvey of Quad IV using the latter instrumentation, is what is presented in Thomas (1987) and Garrison, Baker, and Thomas (1985). Based on these initial surveys, several initial conclusions were drawn about site structure at Mission Santa Catalina and some middle-range theories, equating specific magnetic signatures with their archaeological correlates were proffered (Thomas, 1987: 118-126;fig.…”

“…First, while it was clear that magnetometry has great potential at the site (Garrison, Baker, and Thomas, 1985;Thomas, 1987), we were still unable to clearly identify broad-scale, low-magnitude magnetic anomalies from the site. And, as was evident from the second-generation survey (see Weymouth, 1992), significantly greater sampling density was required for the benefits of magnetic survey to be truly reaped.…”

“…Geophysical survey has been an important methodological tool for archaeologists working on the Georgia coast for a considerable period of time (Shapiro and Williams, 1984;Garrison, Baker, and Thomas, 1985;Thomas, 1987;Keene, 2002;Thompson et al, 2004;Thompson, 2006;Mahar, 2010, this volume, chap. 3). For the last 30 years, geophysical surveys have played a critical role in archaeological and geological research on St. Catherines Island.…”

“…At this time, using a Geometrics Proton Magnetometer, Model 806A, Ervan Garrison and James Tribble conducted a magnetometer survey of Quad IV at 2 m intervals (Garrison, Baker, and Thomas, 1985;Thomas, 1987). Initial field testing of high-magnitude anomalies resulted in the identification of three mission-era structures: the church (St. 1), the cocina (St. 2), and a barrel well (St. 3).…”

“…Initial field testing of high-magnitude anomalies resulted in the identification of three mission-era structures: the church (St. 1), the cocina (St. 2), and a barrel well (St. 3). Because the initial results were so promising, magnetometry survey was expanded to cover portions of 9 ha (Quads I, II, III, IV, VI, VII, XX, XXI, and XXII) (Garrison, Baker, and Thomas, 1985;Thomas, 1987: 122, fig. 134).…”