Ground-Penetrating Radar in California Archaeology

Ground-Penetrating Radar is a nondestructive geophysical surveying technique used increasingly in archaeological site assessment throughout the world. The technique has been very effective for characterizing features and strata at several sites in California and Oregon. These range from shell mounds and lithic sites to mission adobes and gold rush camps. This presentation outlines techniques incorporating the GSSI SIR-3000 radar equipment that is part of the ARF field equipment set. Sites discussed include Missions Santa Clara, San Juan Bautista, and Sonoma, Fort Ross Russian and Native settlement, Stege and West Berkeley Shell Mounds, adobes in Old Town San Diego, Camp Castaway, and shoreline villages.

Speaker: Scott Byram, BAC Consulting and Archaeological Research Facility

Room 101