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Site name: Empuries

Nearest town: Barcelona; State/country: Spain; Type of site: Greco-Roman Settlement; Date of site: 6th century BC-2nd century AD; Sponsor: Boston University Archaeological Field School; Collaborators: Surveyed by students of the field school.

Type of survey: Proton magnetometry; Instrument: 2 Geometrics 856A (base & roving units); Prospection depth: up to 1.5 m; Sampling interval: 1 x 1m; Area surveyed: 7200 sq. m; Date of survey: 6/96.

Comments: The area surveyed is in a level field immediately to the north of the excavated portion of the Roman city (left). A base station recorded diurnal changes in the background magnetic field every 30 seconds (second figure). The diurnally corrected data from the roving unit clearly shows the layout of the Roman street grid (third figure). Many rooms in adjoining areas are indicated as well as a large courtyard. There is a large burned zone near the top center; the arcing washed out area to the right is due to a large iron water tank nearby. The line of bright spots about one-third of the image length from the left are most likely cisterns cut into a sloping escarpment that is also indicated. The city plan shown here corresponds well with the excavated results immediately to the south of this area (right figure).

Type of survey: Ground penetrating radar; Instrument: Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc, SIR-System 3; Antenna frequency: 300MHz; Prospection depth: 3-4 m; Sampling interval: 1 m transects; Area surveyed: about 60 x 40 m; Date of survey: 6/96.

Comments: These 20 m profiles clearly show two walls and a floor about 1.5-2 m below the surface. The three stacked profiles (left) are each separated by one meter. The walls are either Greek or Roman. They were discovered under the parking lot of this national archaeological park, about 30 m to the south of the principal gateway to the Greek settlement. The right transect is one of about 100 obtained at this site.

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(updated: 7/00)