EAC Guidelines for the Use of Geophysics in Archaeology: Questions to Ask and Points to Consider (EAC Guidelines 2)

The aim of these guidelines is to provide an overview of the issues to be considered when undertaking or commissioning geophysical survey in archaeology. As every project differs in its requirements, and variations in geological and environmental conditions lead to different geophysical responses, there is no single ‘best’ survey technique or methodology. This guide, in its European approach, highlights the various questions to be asked before a survey is undertaken.

There is no formalised standard for the conduct of geophysical survey in archaeology, mainly because there are many parameters that determine the outcome, and there are various purposes for which the results may be used. A variety of geophysical techniques is available (e.g. magnetometer, earth resistance and ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey) and an archaeological geophysicist will chose a particular methodology for collecting data with any of these techniques (e.g. a gridded survey with a specific transect separation). The choices will depend on the archaeological questions being asked (whether broad, like “are there any archaeological features in this planned road corridor?” or detailed as in “is this wall foundation one brick wide or two?”). The guidelines consider the issues when selecting geophysical techniques and methodologies, but do not specify specific requirements as these will vary according to context. 

The EU Cultural fund supported this publication.