SPARK-AEOLOGY: EXAMINING THE LIMITATIONS OF ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY

How can archaeology be done without excavation? The answer lies in archaeogeophysics. These surveys give archaeologists the ability to see into the ground without disturbing the original context of a site. In June of 2024, archaeology students from Minnesota State University Moorhead conducted electrical resistivity surveys at two locations in Illinois. This methodology is dependent on soil conditions for detecting subsurface anomalies, especially potential precontact features. Detection of precontact features is often more difficult than historic as it relies on minute differences between the anomalies and the surrounding soils. Historic features, like foundations, are seemingly less reliant on soil conditions due to a sharp contrast between the anomaly and the surrounding soils. This poster presents a preliminary analysis of our data as well as our experiences in the field.