Prior results of surface artifact collecting, test excavations, and auger sampling on an archaeological site in Barbados suggested that we experiment with GPR as a method to target areas for future study. The site is associated with village occupations of Amerindians that are dated to between -2000 and 500 years ago. Archaeological features include burials, hearths, ceramic lined wells and post holes. Artifact middens contain pottery sherds, conch shells, and other marine resource debris. The site selected was located at the southern tip of Barbados and is situated on a deep stabilized surface behind a large active dune system. The soil layer consists of dry, clean quartz sand.We obtained limited ground truth at the site by handauguring in areas of field-identified anomalies, and by auguring control holes away from anomalies. Anomalies were almost always large diffractors such as conch shells and rocks. We used 3D software to perfonn standard processing enhancements and to assemble the parallel lines into three-dimensional volumes. The dimensions, distribution, and shapes of time-sliced amplitude anomalies were consistent with those of previously excavated burials, poles, and pit structures. These features would not have been obvious using conventional a profile-based GPR survey.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.