Groundbreaking! (Without Breaking Ground) Archaeological Geophysics at Angel Mounds State Historic Site

Excavation is one of the most valuable methods that archaeologists use to learn about the past, but it is also irreversibly destructive. Researchers have been shifting away from using destructive techniques in recognition of the harm done to indigenous communities. So, what can be discovered without digging?

Hear about the innovative geophysical technologies scientists at Angel Mounds State Historic Site in Evansville, Indiana, have used to study a fortified Mississippian city (1150 - 1450 CE) that served as the center of a vast network of settlements in the Lower Ohio River Valley. Discover how two non-invasive archaeological approaches–magnetic gradiometry and ground penetrating radar–were combined to create an image of what lies beneath the surface without disturbing the site.

See instruments used for fieldwork, including a magnetic gradiometer, and learn how this research is a combination of detective work and storytelling, where various disciplines and methods work together to unearth the history of Angel Mounds.

Presenters include Sabrina Yeahia, Scientific Affiliate and Intern, and Christina Friberg, Assistant Curator, North American Anthropology.