| Magnetic
susceptibility is emerging in archaeogeophysical projects in the USA as
a distinctive method for survey that is now more frequently applied.
Spurred in part by developments in instrumentation and software,
encouraged by a strong geoarchaeological focus, and influenced by the
nature of the North American archaeological record, the magnetic
susceptibility method has arisen in a number of areas of application.
These include magnetic susceptibility studies within trenches and
excavation units, the use of down-hole sensors to investigate magnetic
stratigraphy, visualization and interpretation of three-dimensional
susceptibility data sets, the incorporation of magnetic susceptibility
data into pattern analyses of the spatial distribution of
archaeological materials, and the integration of magnetic
susceptibility studies with magnetometer and other surface geophysical
surveys and with soil magnetic studies accomplished in the laboratory.
The scale of application has ranged from microgeophysical surveys
confined to single excavation units to investigations of broad
archaeological landscapes; problem orientation has been equally
diverse. Soil magnetic techniques are being tapped to enhance
understanding of the formation of sites, features and landscapes, and
also post-depositional processes. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley
&
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