Electrical Resistivity Tomography with Angular Separation for Characterization of Burial Mounds in Southern China

Abstract

The study aims at providing the spatial distribution and potential structure of the burial mounds at the Sifangling site, Hepu Han Tombs, in southern China. We implemented an electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) technique to obtain high-resolution imaging of archaeological targets, considering the challenging environment and the depth of the burials. Three ERT profiles were tested above a small ancient mound previously detected by exhaustive archaeological drillings, following which 18 ERT profiles with angular separation were performed on the largest mound at the test site, without any a priori archaeological evidence below the surface. Then, a series of two-dimensional (2D) profiles were combined as a 'pseudo-3D' volume, which allowed a detailed characterization of the burial mound, and iso-resistivity surfaces were also calculated to emphasize the location and spatial extent of the target. The results gave an effective identification of the funeral chamber and its structural details, and allowed detailed pre-excavation planning.

The Yığma Tepe of Pergamon: stratigraphic construction of a monumental tumulus from seismic refraction measurements

“…For example, geoelectric sounding can resolve burial structures in tumuli by three‐dimensional (3D)‐inversion of densely spaced two‐dimensional (2D)‐ERT‐profiles (Tsourlos, Papadopoulos, Yi, Kim, & Tsokas, ). Chen, Tian, Zhao, Wang, and Yang () used a 2D‐ERT approach on star‐shaped profiles crossing the crest of a small tumulus to uncover its structure and burial locations. On small burial mounds and in their surrounding magnetic surveys proved to be successful in uncovering near‐surface anthropogenic structures (e.g.…”

Geophysical surveys over and inside the Tobiotsuka Kofun – Okayama prefecture

“…Particularly Edwards et al (2000) applied radar and resistivity surveys at the Saitobaru Tomb Cluster Site, in Miyazaki, in order to locate the tomb for which no visible surface markers were available. Several authors also discussed on the best surveys disposition in order to obtain increased resolution in the imaging of the internal structure of a burial mound and of the inside stone chamber (Chen et al, 2018;Tsourlos et al 2014) and alternative surveys combinations and methods (e.g. Forte and Pipan, 2008) .…”

Practical considerations for shallow submerged archaeological prospection with 3‐D electrical resistivity tomography

“…Papadopoulos et al, , 2007N.G. Papadopoulos et al, , 2010 or radial 2-D lines (Chen et al, 2018;Tsourlos et al, 2014), accompanied by the implementation of 3-D resistivity inversion algorithms.…”

“…The reconstruction of cultural assets like buildings, tombs, multilayer settlements and burial mounds was based on the collection of 3‐D data sets composed of a series of static parallel (Al‐Saadi et al, 2018; Cifuentes‐Nava et al, 2013; Drahor et al, 2007; N.G. Papadopoulos et al, 2006, 2007, 2010) or radial 2‐D lines (Chen et al, 2018; Tsourlos et al, 2014), accompanied by the implementation of 3‐D resistivity inversion algorithms.…”