Geoarchaeology

This theme focuses on understanding the physical, chemical, and biological formation processes that shape archaeological site deposits at micro- and macro-scales. Insight into site formation is crucial because deposits are not mere snapshots of past human activity but have undergone diverse transformations (cultural and natural) that impact archaeological interpretation. Geoarchaeological tools such as micromorphology, sedimentology, chemical analyses, micromorphologic contextualization, and geo-ethnoarchaeology have advanced knowledge of depositional, post-depositional processes and preservation states in different environments, enabling more reliable reconstruction of human behaviors and site use.

The increased use and methodological refinement of geophysical techniques—such as electrical resistivity, magnetometry, and ground penetrating radar (GPR)—have revolutionized archaeological site prospection. This theme investigates how these complementary, non-destructive approaches are selected and integrated based on their physical principles, response to material contrasts, and depth penetration abilities to accurately detect, map, and characterize archaeological features and landscape modifications. Coupling geophysical data with other archaeological and sedimentological datasets enhances the formation of detailed archaeo-geophysical models essential for site documentation, management, and interpretation.

This theme centers on applying diverse geoarchaeological techniques—such as micromorphology, micromapping (micro-XRF), magnetic property analyses, chemical assays including biomarker detection, palynology, and archaeozoological comparison—to dissect the formation, composition, and use-context of anthropogenic deposits. Investigations of occupation layers, burnt structures, stabling deposits, and refuse enrich understanding of past human behaviors, site maintenance, subsistence strategies, and the interaction between settlements and their environment. Such interdisciplinary approaches allow reconstruction of depositional events, land use, domestication practices, and socio-cultural dynamics with enhanced resolution and contextual precision.

Geoarchaeology extends beyond sediments and artifacts to encompass landscapes and monumental architecture, revealing human influence on environments and symbolic terrain through geological, geomorphological, material compositional, and geophysical approaches. This theme covers research at emblematic sites and natural features—such as the Osirion at Abydos or rock art contexts—that integrates material science, harmonic and scalar field theory, geophysical prospection, and paleoenvironmental data to reinterpret ancient constructions as engineered energetic or symbolic systems. It also includes studies synthesizing archaeological land-use over millennia to inform long-term human landscape transformations crucial for understanding the Anthropocene and early human socio-environmental interactions.