NRA/TII Geophysical Guidance Document Now Online

Posted on March 23, 2016 by earthsound_admin

The use of archaeological geophysics on national road schemes between 2001 and 2010 has been comprehensively reviewed as part of a National Roads Authority (NRA, now known as TII – Transport Infrastructure Ireland) archaeological research project funded through the NRA Fellowship Programme. The study, which was awarded funding in 2010, was carried out by James Bonsall, Dr Chris Gaffney and Professor Ian Armit from the University of Bradford in the UK. Earthsound Archaeological Geophysics acted as the university’s industrial partner in the research.

The research delivered a set of guidelines entitled Preparing for the Future: a re-appraisal of archaeo-geophysical surveying on Irish National Road Schemes 2001-2010, which has been used by the NRA/TII to commission new geophysical surveys based on lessons learnt from the study. The document has recently been published online by the NRA/TII and other outlets.

The guidance document includes:

a review of previous geophysical surveys on NRA road schemes,
typical geophysical responses to a range of archaeological features, soils and geologies
a discussion of the limitations of various methods
advice on how to carry out surveys in ‘challenging’ conditions, landscapes and geologies
a Specification Key that assists non-geophysicists to determine the most appropriate geophysical technique(s) for a given study area or receiving environment.

Choice of geophysical survey methods for use on Irish road schemes. (Bonsall, J, Gaffney, C & Armit, I 2014. Preparing for the Future: a re-appraisal of archaeo-geophysical surveying on Irish National Road Schemes 2001-2010. Report by the Division of Archaeological, Geographical and Environmental Sciences, University of Bradford.)

Idealised performance of geophysical techniques upon principle Irish geologies. (Bonsall, J, Gaffney, C & Armit, I 2014. Preparing for the Future: a re-appraisal of archaeo-geophysical surveying on Irish National Road Schemes 2001-2010. Report by the Division of Archaeological, Geographical and Environmental Sciences, University of Bradford.)

Theoretical capability scores for idealised responses of archaeological features. (Bonsall, J, Gaffney, C & Armit, I 2014. Preparing for the Future: a re-appraisal of archaeo-geophysical surveying on Irish National Road Schemes 2001-2010. Report by the Division of Archaeological, Geographical and Environmental Sciences, University of Bradford.)

Historic methods of prospection from the 2001-2010 NRA Legacy Data. (Bonsall, J, Gaffney, C & Armit, I 2014. Preparing for the Future: a re-appraisal of archaeo-geophysical surveying on Irish National Road Schemes 2001-2010. Report by the Division of Archaeological, Geographical and Environmental Sciences, University of Bradford.)

Executive Summary of the Guidance Document

(Bonsall et al. 2014: 1)

This [guidance] document reviews Legacy Data generated from 10 years’ worth of road scheme activity in Ireland to determine how archaeological geophysical surveys could be carried out on national roads in the future. The geophysical surveys were carried out by several different contractors across a range of challenging field conditions, geologies, weather and seasons. The research is based upon the results of linear schemes but also has validity for wider approaches. The findings of this research are based upon the compilation of all terrestrial archaeological geophysical surveys carried out on behalf of the National Roads Authority (NRA), a review of the success or otherwise of those surveys in comparison with ground-observed excavations and in combination with experimental surveys that tested previously held assumptions or knowledge to determine best practice methods for the future.

The use and success of geophysical surveys in Ireland differ quite significantly from those in the UK, from where many of the methods of assessment were derived or adapted. Many of these differences can be attributed to geology. Ireland has a very high percentage of Carboniferous limestone geology, overlain mostly by tills and frequent occurrences of peat. These soils can reduce, to some extent, the effectiveness of magnetometer surveys; the most frequently used geophysical technique in Ireland. However, magnetometer data can be maximised in these cases by increasing the spatial resolution to produce effective results. An increase in spatial resolution is also effective generally, for enhancing the chances of identifying archaeological features by discriminating between archaeological and geological anomalies as well as increasing anomaly definition and visualisation of small and subtle archaeological features.

Outputs of the Research

Other outputs of the NRA Fellowship research have included:

A PhD for James Bonsall, which was awarded in 2014.
James was selected as a finalist to present his research at the prestigious Transport Research Arena 2012 conference and was awarded the silver medal in the Environmental Pillar for his presentation.
A preliminary review of progress in Issue 6 of Seanda NRA Archaeology Magazine (published in December 2011) and a paper at the 2012 NRA National Archaeology Seminar. This paper, co-authored by James Bonsall, Dr Chris Gaffney and Professor Ian Armit, was published in the subsequent seminar proceedings in autumn 2013.
An online database from which NRA-commissioned geophysical reports. The NRA Archaeological Geophysical Survey Database was launched in April 2013 and an article about this important online resource was published in Issue 8 of Seanda.

Related publications

Bonsall, J 2011 ‘Ten years of archaeogeophysics’, Seanda, No. 6, 38–9.

Bonsall, J, Gaffney, C & Armit, I 2013 ‘Back and forth: paving the way forward by assessing 10 years of geophysical surveys on Irish road schemes’, in B Kelly, N Roycroft & M Stanley (eds), Futures and Pasts: archaeological science on Irish road schemes, 1–13. Archaeology and the National Roads Authority Monograph Series No. 10. National Roads Authority, Dublin.

Bonsall, J, Gaffney, C & Armit, I 2014 Preparing for the Future: a re-appraisal of archaeo-geophysical surveying on Irish National Road Schemes 2001-2010. Report by the Division of Archaeological, Geographical and Environmental Sciences, University of Bradford.

Bonsall, J, Sparrow, T, Gaffney, C, Armit, I & Swan, R 2013 ‘Underground, overground’, Seanda, No. 8, 14–15.

Surveying the Neolithic Shell Middens of the Shelly Valley

Posted on June 6, 2015 by earthsound_admin

Come and see the archaeological excavation and survey in the Shelly Valley tomorrow. Meet the archaeologists from IT Sligo, University of Georgia and Earthsound Archaeological Geophysics who are investigating the prehistoric midden complex. We’ll be at the base of the Big Dune, Strandhill at 4pm!

Earthsound are part of a team of international archaeologists carrying out a cutting edge geoarchaeological survey to unlock the secrets of prehistoric sites at Strandhill. Katharine Napora from The University of Georgia in the U.S. and Dr. James Bonsall, director of Earthsound and a lecturer in Applied Archaeology at IT Sligo, are examining prehistoric midden sites in the Shelly Valley, in a project funded by National Geographic.

Middens – mounds of shells, bone and charcoal – are ancient refuse heaps built from the remains of discarded food waste. The Shelly Valley – named after the middens – is home to a large number of these sites which are believed to date to the Neolithic and are visible at the base of the dune. “Many people visit Strandhill and the Shelly Valley to see the large dunes, but most don’t realise that they are actually walking across a prehistoric landscape” says Dr. Bonsall.

Katharine Napora’s research will compare the Sligo middens with similar sites on the east coast of America. Dr. Bonsall, his IT Sligo students and Earthsound are using the latest geophysical and high resolution mapping methods to ‘see beneath the sands’ to map the extent of the middens. Katharine Napora will be using a combination of analytical geoarchaeological techniques on the middens to unlock their secrets. “We’re hoping to find out how old the different middens are, if they were constructed at the same time, how long they were used for and what types of food our ancestors were eating” says Katharine.

Katharine would like to invite any interested people to come out this Sunday, June 7th, at 4 pm to the Shelly Valley (the Big Dune) at Strandhill Beach to learn about how the latest technologies are being integrated into modern archaeological research. Visitors can see a National Geographic-sponsored project in action as we investigate through geoarchaeology how past inhabitants of Strandhill interacted with the ocean and its resources.

Earthsound’s Geophysicist Presents a New 5-part Radio Show

Posted on August 12, 2013 by earthsound_admin

Earthsound’s Darren Regan has written, presented, produced and directed a new 5-part radio show, The Lie of the Land, for Claremorris Community Radio (CCR FM).

CCR FM won a Broadcasting Authority of Ireland award, supported by the Sound & Vision III scheme, which funds high quality programmes on Irish culture, heritage and experience. CCR FM approached Earthsound to develop the project which examines the history of Mayo, both geological and archaeological. Darren, who studied Applied Archaeology at IT Sligo has been working as a geophysicist for Earthsound Archaeological Geophysics since 2010 and drew on his extensive experience working on a variety of archaeological sites across Ireland to research and produce The Lie of the Land.

Mayo’s geological landscape tells a story of our land’s connection with place and cultures, which today lie oceans apart. The long and turbulent geological history of the West of Ireland, which stretches back hundreds of millions of years, contains tales of colliding continents and the fusing of North America with parts of this island.

Croagh Patrick, Co. Mayo

Darren takes listeners on a journey via reports from the prehistoric landscape around Croagh Patrick, to Céide Fields, Ballintubber Abbey, Iron Age cashels in Kilmovee and Bronze Age burial tombs in Irishtown.

Claremorris Community Radio’s new five-part series, The Lie of the Land, exposes the history of Mayo, both geological and archaeological. The show features interviews with archaeologists Richard Crumlish, Chris Read and Michael Gibbons, geologist Matthew Parkes, Fr. Frank Fahey, Earthsound directors James Bonsall and Heather Gimson and many more.

Produced, written, directed and presented by Darren Regan, this informative and enthralling series will start broadcasting on Saturday August 13th, at 2pm on Claremorris Community Radio. If you miss the show, don’t worry, The Lie of the Land will also be repeated on Fridays at 5pm.

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