Industry competence
A well-known saying states that you have to understand the past first in order to shape the future. However, how can we get to know and understand past cultures and eras when most sites no longer exist and are no longer visible with the naked eye? Geomagnetics studies the ground in a non-destructive way using highly sensitive Förster probe magnetometers. The change in the ground structure and foreign materials located in the substrate have a different effect on the earth's magnetic field. These differences can be detected with precise measurements even after centuries. In this way, for example, the outlines of former houses or the course of a road can be visualized. Historic and prehistoric settlements can be precisely mapped by a subsequent software analysis, and further excavations can be planned.
In the following, you can discover exciting projects that have been carried out with Förster probes:
Application examples
Stonehenge
Every year, thousands of tourists flock to southern England to marvel at the famous stone circle of Stonehenge. It is now known that there is much more to the stone circle than the obvious, namely that the site forms the center of hundreds of graves.
During the "Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project", the ground around Stonehenge was studied for four years. This investigation by the University of Vienna together with the University of Birmingham brought exciting new findings to light and was able to uncover hidden archeological remains in the ground.
For the numerous investigations of the ground, FOERSTER CON 650 probes, among others, were used to study the different underground structures using geomagnetics. These probes can be attached to a probe holder and either carried or mounted on a set of wheels. This makes it possible to cover even large areas completely within a short period of time.
Using geomagnetics and other methods, a second Stonehenge was detected, among other things, and many other previously unknown monuments were visualized around the stone circle.
Hertfordshire Archeology Project
Archeology is often a time-consuming and thus cost-intensive undertaking, which is why the field relies on dedicated individuals who search for hidden traces of the past during their free time. In 2013, such a group of enthusiastic amateur archeologists joined forces in southern England to search for evidence from the iron age and Roman era with FOERSTER magnetometers in the area around Hertfordshire and others. The group has grown rapidly in the time since and has investigated a number of sites and made interesting discoveries. They never leave without a wheel-mounted FEREX, which is equipped with several Förster probes. This makes it possible to map a large area quickly and conveniently. In the small village of Willington, which still contains buildings from the Middle Ages, they were able to trace an old road and find the positions of several sewer ducts using the FEREX. An old pond that had been filled up in the meantime was also found on the map. Prospection and data analysis are scientifically supported by the Institute of Archaeology, University College London (www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology). The Hertfordshire Archaeology Project helps to draw an exciting picture of the past. If you would like to learn more about the Hertfordshire Archaeology Project, then follow the link: www.hertsgeosurvey.wordpress.com |