Open AccessHow to map submerged Stone Age sites using acoustics (some experimental results)
Author(s) -
Ole Grøn,
Lars Ole Boldreel,
JeanPierre Hermand,
Hugo Rasmussen,
Antonio Dell’Anno,
Deborah Cvikel,
Ehud Galili,
Bo Madsen,
Egon Nørmark
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
samarskij naučnyj vestnik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2782-3016
pISSN - 2309-4370
DOI - 10.17816/snv201763218
Subject(s) - debitage , seabed , documentation , geology , task (project management) , acoustics , computer science , archaeology , marine engineering , oceanography , geography , engineering , paleontology , physics , systems engineering , programming language
A central problem for maritime archaeology has been to find survey methods that facilitate efficient and precise mapping of Stone Age sites on the seabed down to the lowest sea level (approximately 140 m) during glacial periods, as well as sites embedded in sea-floor sediments. As predictive landscape modelling has proved to be inadequate for this task, a different approach based on direct detection is required. The observation of an acoustic phenomenon associated with man-made flint debitage but not naturally cracked pieces of flint has opened a window for development of an alternative and efficient direct mapping method. This paper discusses the development of the idea, as well as experimental documentation of the principle on which it is based. It includes a preliminary analysis of how far away on each side of the transducer flint debitage emits an acoustic response, and consequently the required distance between sailing lines for a comprehensive survey to be undertaken at a specific depth.