Archaeogeophysics, i.e., the application and integration of geophysics into archaeological investigations, is an exciting and growing field of study and an international collaboration at the intersection of the physical and social sciences. Through the incorporation of ground- and drone-based geophysical and remote sensing tools, these collaborative teams continue to advance the field of archaeology by rapidly and accurately revealing hidden features of the past and helping to focus active archaeological digs. Equally relevant, yet often unnoticed, the inclusion of noninvasive geophysical tools likewise provides a means to understand and preserve historically and culturally sensitive sites without the need for extensive and potentially destructive excavations.

Introduction, archaeology, archaeogeophysics, noninvasive, artifacts, cultures, excavation, history

The incorporation of geophysics into archaeological investigations is occurring in nearly every country, contributing to improved understanding of numerous cultures. In Egypt, geophysical methods have been successfully deployed to locate hidden tombs and sacred burial sites, such as the Valley of the Kings (Jarus, 2013), where ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has identified previously hidden voids and tunnels. In the American Southwest, archaeologists have utilized magnetometry and GPR to map Native American structures (Hinz et al., 2006), including kivas and pit houses, revealing complex subsurface structures without the need for invasive digging. In Europe, drone-based lidar and geophysical surveys have uncovered the layouts of past cities and roads buried beneath modern landscapes, such as around Pompeii (Malfitana et al., 2018). In China, geophysical investigations have been successfully utilized in underwater archaeology to locate ancient shipwrecks such as from the Qing Dynasty in the East China Sea (Zhao and Wang, 2024). In South America, drone-based lidar has revealed entire cities that have been hidden beneath dense forests, such as those of the Mayan people in Guatemala's Petén jungle (Snow, 2020).

The merging of geophysics into archaeological investigations has now become common practice, and it has strengthened the field of science greatly while increasing the rate of discovery and understanding of these civilizations across diverse cultures and regions as a result. In this special section, we present four papers that demonstrate different geophysical applications in archaeology as well as student education and training within archaeogeophysics supported by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists.

In the first paper, “3D characterization of the Mila 18 archaeological site in Warsaw, Poland: From imaging to excavation,” McClymont et al. use a combination of geophysical methods to investigate a historical site associated with the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in Poland. Within the study, the authors integrate GPR, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), and magnetic gradiometry to create not only 2D surface maps as commonly observed within archaeological projects, but also 3D modeling of the subsurface. The results identify hidden voids and structures beneath the site and have guided excavation efforts to allow for minimal disturbance in the process. The authors' findings illustrate that 2D and 3D integrated geophysical studies can be used effectively to preserve historical sites while improving archaeological understanding in the process.

“GPR survey for the precise location of early Christian ecclesiastical components in ancient Messene, Greece,” by Arvanitis et al., focuses on the use of GPR to map subsurface features of early Christian ecclesiastical structures. Within their study, the authors identified buried architectural components such as walls and floors, providing necessary location information to guide subsequent archaeological excavations while additionally defining quiet areas where follow-up digs are not necessary. The authors emphasize how GPR data, in the form of time-slice maps, allow archaeologists to better understand the layout of the site without extensive digging, while demonstrating the value of noninvasive geophysical tools within the field of archaeology for historical preservation.

In the third paper, “Geophysical archaeology for the study of complex historical-period burial spaces: An example from the Fort Lewis military cemetery, Colorado,” Sturm demonstrates how archaeologists use geophysical methods for the detection and mapping of unmarked graves in historical-period cemeteries within the United States. Through the use of GPR and magnetic gradiometry, the author identifies and maps numerous graves related to military and potentially Native American boarding school burials that had previously been unrecorded or lost to time. The study integrates geophysics with historical research, providing a sensitive and culturally respectful method for investigating burial spaces, highlighting how technology can be used to uncover hidden histories while minimizing disruption to sacred sites.

The special section's final paper, “KNUST SEG Geophysics Field Camp: A project to study slavery-related archaeology in West Africa,” by Boateng et al., provides a glimpse into the academic training of archaeogeophysics through an SEG-supported field camp that applied geophysical techniques to investigate sites related to the transatlantic slave trade in southeastern Ghana. The team utilized resistivity, magnetics, and GPR to locate relics such as former slave markets and barracoons. The underlying project not only contributes to archaeological understanding of slavery-related sites in West Africa, but it additionally focuses on training students in geophysical methods while teaching the value of geophysics in preserving cultural heritage and advancing education in archaeogeophysics.

As these papers illustrate, geophysical methods have become an important part of archaeological site investigations. We now view geophysics as an essential part of the archaeologist's toolbox to provide a more complete understanding of a site, and indeed our past, with less excavation.