North American Database of Archaeological Geophysics
North American Database of Archaeological Geophysics
Abstract/Summary:
Project Name: Travis Site, VA;
Reference: Bevan, B. (1995). A Ground-Penetrating Radar Survey at the Travis Site, Jamestown Island. Geosight, Pitman, New Jersey. Prepared for Colonial National Historic Park, Yorktown, Virginia.
In June of 1995, a ground penetrating radar survey was conducted at the Travis Site. The Travis site is located in the middle of the eastern side of Jamestown Island, Virginia. Flat stone slabs mark three graves in the Travis family cemetery. An island-wide archaeological survey conducted by the College of William and Mary located evidence of the former Travis home and other archaeological features nearby. The GPR survey was designed to define further the locations of features in the vicinity.
The GPR data appears to have traced a path which goes toward the family cemetery. However, few other features were located. While there was a moderately high density of undefined features in the eastern part of the survey area, the radar detected almost nothing in the western part of the area. The survey did not find any pattern which suggested the large Travis house. Should the foundation walls of this building be narrow or fragmentary and should their bottoms be at a depth of less than 0.3 m, it is possible that this radar survey would not have detected them. However, other features, such as trash pits and lenses should also be expected near the house, and this survey located only one possible feature like that. While the 2 meter spacing between lines of profile reduced the capability of this survey for defining features, there was no evidence of large features except for the path.