A geophysical analysis of Aboriginal earth mounds in the Murray River Valley, South Australia

Author(s)
Ross, Dave
Morrison, Michael
Simyrdanis, Kleanthis
Roberts, Amy
Moffat, Ian
Publication Date
2019
Abstract
Earth mounds are common archaeological features in some regions of Australia, particularly within the Murray‐Darling Basin. These features are generally considered to have formed via the repeated use of earth oven cookery methods employed by Aboriginal people during the mid‐ to late‐Holocene. This study assesses the relative effectiveness of key geophysical methods including magnetometry, ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) in mapping, and determining the stratigraphy of earth mound sites. Three earth mounds adjacent to Hunchee Creek, on Calperum Station in South Australia's Riverland region, were chosen to conduct a comparative trial of these methods. This research demonstrated that geophysics can be used to both locate mounds and provide information as to deposit thickness and size. Individual ovens within mounds can also be located. This suggests a greater potential role for geophysics in understanding the Holocene archaeological record in Australia.
Citation
Archaeological Prospection, 26(4), p. 313-323
ISSN
1099-0763
1075-2196
Link
Language
en
Publisher
John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Title
A geophysical analysis of Aboriginal earth mounds in the Murray River Valley, South Australia
Type of document
Journal Article
Entity Type
Publication

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