According to the researchers, magnetic field anomalies can become key to the search and study of flooded areas.
A device for measuring the strength of a magnetic field and other magnetic quantities, namely a magninometer, was previously actively used by archaeologists on earth, but not for studying flooded landscapes. According to Ben Urmston of the University of Bradford, magnetic fields can indicate the presence of archaeological sites, and for this it is not necessary to start exploratory underwater excavations, writes HeritageDaily.
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The latest research methods are planned to be applied in Doggerland. Geologists have named the area that was once dry land in the southern part of the North Sea. This once land bridge connected the island of Great Britain and the continental part of Europe during the last ice age.
Here, fishermen often took out the bones of lions, mammoths and prehistoric tools from the bottom. The territory of Doggerland consisted of a varying combination of gently rolling hills, swamps and wooded valleys during the Late Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods, the rich nature of which was exploited by small groups of ancient hunter-gatherers.
In the end, Doggerland was under water
Фото: Francis Lima – CC BY-SA 4.0
However, over time, the rise of the sea after the last Ice Age around 6500-6200 BC flooded the area. In the end, Doggerland was under water.
Urmston says: “Changes in the magnetic field, even small ones, for their part, can indicate changes in the landscape. In particular, this concerns areas of peat formation and sedimentation, as well as the river channel, where erosion usually occurs. Since the territory that we are now explore, thousands of years ago was above sea level, a small chance that the latest methods will help to reveal evidence of hunter-gatherers, and perhaps even garbage mounds – garbage dumps consisting of animal bones, shellfish shells and other biological material can tell a lot about How did these ancient people live?
Specialists can identify such features as a result of detailed analyzes of seabed samples using carbon dating in particular.
Professor Vince Gaffney, scientific director of the project, believes that the study of underwater landscapes under the North Sea is one of the last big challenges for archeology. Achieving this goal is made even more urgent by the rapid development of renewable energy in the North Sea.”
Previously, Focus talked about the development of violence in ancient people and the first murder victim buried in an ancient cave.
He also figured out exactly when the first people saddled horses. Researchers have found that ancient riders did not use a saddle.
