Geophysical-assisted landscape archaeology of the the Vallum of Hadrian's Wall (North England)

Non-invasive geological and geophysical investigations are conducted in areas of archaeological interest to (1) determine how parts of the soil were eroded/deposited in recent history (2) reconstruct the ancient landscape and how people interacted with it in the past (3) determine which soils are more likely to preserve artefacts of a given age and (4) plan further surveys in target areas. One specific tool used to assist in such deposit modelling is electrical resistivity tomography (ERT).

In this project the student will conduct a 3D ERT survey of portions of the Vallum associated with Hadrian's Wall (North England). The Vallum is a large, linear earthwork, around 36 m wide, which was comprised of a ditch flanked by two 'mounds' (linear earthen banks) set back around 9 m from the edges of the ditch. It was an important part of the frontier defences, and, according to one current interpretation, it was designed to enforce a no-access frontier zone.

The data collected will be used to produce tomographic images of the underground resistivity. These images can be interpreted in terms of the structure and nature of the underlying soil, rocks and geology. This will allow the student to reconstruct the original topography, geology, and environment (e.g. rivers, wetlands) encountered by the Romans, and infer how they used it or adapted to it.