Detection and localization of chamber tombs in the environs of ancient Olympia, Peloponnese, Greece, based on a combination of archaeological survey and geophysical prospection

Abstract

Mycenaean chamber tombs are composed of air-filled burial cavities and, therefore, can be detected by non-invasive geophysical methods. In this study, an electrical resistivity tomography (ERT)-based approach was used to detect graves at three different sites in the area surrounding ancient Olympia. We collected ERT data at the necropolis of Mageiras-Kioupia, where a number of chamber tombs had already been located and partly excavated in order to ground-truth the ERT response for chamber tombs in different states of preservation. Near the village of Epitalio, a preceding archaeological survey discovered remains of a one chamber tomb in mid-slope position of a larger hill. There, we applied the ERT-approach, calibrated at Mageiras-Kioupia, to the tomb and detected ten more tomb candidates at this site. In addition to ERT, we carried out ground penetrating radar (GPR) studies at the Epitalio site. In general GPR, data are highly consistent with ERT results. We were thus able to localize an unknown, most probably Mycenaean cemetery where no systematic archaeological information previously existed. In the third area of investigation, the Dartisa plateau, no potential chamber tomb comparable to the ones excavated and measured at Mageiras-Kioupia and Epitalio were identified.

Geological Challenges of Archaeological Prospecting: The Northern Peloponnese as a Type Location of Populated Syn-Rift Settings

“…However, if we compare the radargrams (Figure 5e) with different examples of known chamber tombs ( [58,59]) we do not see the strong top or bottom reflection of an empty chamber but a confused pattern of reflections over a depth range of about 0.5 to 1.0 m. Therefore we can rule out empty chambers, but although the field of 3D modeling of GPR waves shows promise, it is still difficult to predict how radarwaves would reflect in a 3D environment of a system of complexly refilled cavities ( [60,61]).…”

GPR investigations at San Nicolò Church: a case-study from the 1669 eruption in the old settlement of Misterbianco (Etna, Sicily)

“…Furthermore, GPR is a method that can easily be integrated with other non-destructive methods, thus allowing to detect anthropogenic structures in great detail (e.g. Forte and Pipan 2008;Casas et al 2018;Obrocki et al 2019;Martorana and Capizzi 2020;Bottari et al 2022). GPR has often been applied with good results on the floors of churches and other monuments, in order to detect underground rooms and tombs (e.g.…”

Ground-Penetrating Radar Survey for the Study of the Church of Saint Cosma in Helerito (Tagliacozzo, L’Aquila, Italy)

“…The geoelectrical method, although having slower acquisition times and small invasiveness due to the need to insert electrodes into the surfaces/terrains compared with other methods, is ideal for identifying deep targets providing easily interpretable results in different soils and surfaces conditions. Many examples prove the efficiency of the method for the detection of near-surface archaeological structures, tombstones, and complex buried buildings [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12].…”