A team of Archaeologists from the Universities of Cambridge and Ghent have revealed the structure of an ancient Roman city, using advanced ground-penetrating radar (GPR). The research was published in Antiquity, crediting their approach of studying of ancient settlements and reliving the life experienced there, without the need to actually dig it up.
Crux of the Matter
What Was Discovered Deep Down? The structure discovered included a bath complex, market, temple, a public monument, and a fine network of water pipes. By looking at the different depths in high resolution using GPR, they can further research the evolution of the town over a period of time.
Falerii Novi spotted near Rome!
First occupied in 241 BC, Falerii Novi is located 50 km north of Rome and persisted until around AD 700 i.e the medieval period. The team’s GPR data could make out the physical changes experienced by the city during this time and found evidence of stone robbing.
Present day remains of the Roman city
What is GPR And Its Use In Forgotten Structures? GPR is a geophysical method that bounces radio waves off objects and uses the echo that follows to build up a picture at incredible depths. In order to detect the reflected signals from subsurface structures, this non-destructive method uses electromagnetic radiation in the microwave band ie UHF/VHF frequencies of the radio spectrum.
GPR map of the temple in Novi, Source: L. Verdonck
In this case, instruments surveyed an area of 30.5 hectares within the city’s walls while taking a reading every 12.5cm. The entire city is built over 75 acres, which is half of the size of the fame Pompeii. Four months were spent by the researchers capturing data in an all-terrain vehicle.
Scope For High Resolution Mapping? This technology makes it possible to explore larger areas in higher resolution, without worrying about obstacles like the inability to excavate because of large structures or areas entrapped under modern buildings. The only major task of interpreting what can be seen remains in the hands of archaeologists.
Using ground-penetrating radar, a group of archaeologist has mapped an entire Roman city while it's still buried. This is Falerii Novi: https://t.co/WS15LaYyQc pic.twitter.com/zEomhw8aHv — Corey S. Powell (@coreyspowell) June 10, 2020
Subsequently automating tools will be designed to figure out how to fasten the process of data analysis generated by such mapping techniques as opposed to the manual methods used now that require approximately 20 hours to document 1 hectare area.
My latest socially-distanced #LockdownWander took me to Hauz Khas Deer Park, with its beautiful #Amaltas trees and hidden amongst them the wonderful Bagh-I-Alam ki Gumbad#ReasonsToLoveDelhi pic.twitter.com/ndjGxq0yBi — Kieran Drake (@Kieran_drake) June 14, 2020
Back at home, it can be used to probe different foregone versions of the major city of heritage monuments, Delhi containing structures of historical importance like Indrapat, Rai Pithora, Dilpat, Shahjahanabad, Tughlaqaba,d and Lutyens. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has earlier used GPR to conduct a trial excavation for unearthing remains of a ninth-century temple in Bhitoripam village near the mighty Brahmaputra river and to study about the fifth-century place of wisdom for students, Nalanda University in Bihar. Meanwhile National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) Hyderabad used GPR last year to help rescuers detect bodies buried in Kavalappara landslide spot, Nilambur. Basically a box of applications has opened up due to this smart radar technology.
Further work at Keeladi in India has revealed the existence of ancient plumbing (6th century BCE). #ancientindia https://t.co/qKAhCsSBbL — David Miano (@DrDavidMiano) November 5, 2019
Curiopedia
In Roman mythology, Romulus and Remus are twin brothers whose story tells the events that led to the founding of the city of Rome and the Roman Kingdom. Since ancient times, the image of the twins being suckled by a she-wolf has been a symbol of the city of Rome and the ancient Romans.
RISAT (Radar Imaging Satellite) is a series of Indian radar imaging reconnaissance satellites built by ISRO. The RISAT series satellites are the first all-weather earth observation satellites from ISRO.
Rakhigarhi is a village in Hisar District and the site of a pre-Indus Valley Civilisation settlement going back to about 6500 BCE. The size and uniqueness of Rakhigarhi have drawn much attention from archaeologists all over the world. In May 2012, the Global Heritage Fund declared Rakhigarhi one of the 10 most endangered heritage sites in Asia.
Curated Coverage
Comments