North American Database of Archaeological Geophysics
North American Database of Archaeological Geophysics
Abstract/Summary:
Project Name: Ground Penetrating Radar and Interpretation at Fort Monroe Virginia
Reference: Briuer,
Frederick L. and Kent Shneider._Ground Penetrating Radar Survey and Interpretation
Fort Monroe, Virginia July 25, 2002. MS on file.
A ground penetrating radar survey
was successfully conducted on a high priority grid (48m. X 37m.) at the water
side of the Old Point Comfort Lighthouse on currently undeveloped property,
for which there is excellent reason to think is the site of the mid eighteenth
Century British Fort George. The quality of the GPR data clearly indicates further
utility of the technique as a nondestructive, cost effective tool for investigating
buried archaeological remains. Earlier findings based on subsurface excavation
were partially confirmed. Not having accurate, reliable, maps of previously
discovered features prevented, but does not rule out, a full evaluation of demonstrable
relationships between previous excavation findings and the results of this survey.
A more complete value of the GPR data presented here will be realized once the
fine-grained, close interval radar data can be confidently overlain on an accurate
site map of previous findings. Once this is accomplished, it is probable that
new information on the location and spatial patterning of architectural features
such as brick walls and wall segments can be more confidently confirmed and
elaborated upon. Several completely new anomalies were accurately located in
three-dimensional space throughout the site. Low cost, minimally destructive
recommendations for future implementation are offered as options that would
further enhance the management value of the GPR data in this report.