ANR Celtecophys

Archaeology - programme Agence Nationale de la Recherche

How to be able to answer at the requests of increasingly many extensive surveys in France like abroad, for surfaces where surveys are not enforceable manually. The archaeologists need to test these new tools on varied and considered grounds difficult, with specific problems to the Protohistory.
The development within the framework of this ANR of a towed magnetic prospection system has made it possible to move from a recording of 256 m2 per day to an average of 15 hectares per day, completely overturning the expected results and therefore the problems.
Another electro-magnetic detection device developed by the University of Jussieu was also tested.

Project leader : Katherine Gruel.

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Institutional Partners

 ANR - Celtecophys ANR-Agence Nationale de la Recherche AOROC - UMR8546-CNRS/ENS Geocarta INRAP - Institut National d’Archéologie Préventive PSL  - Paris Sciences et Lettres | université de recherche UMR7619 - Sisyphe

The results obtained during the ANR CELTECOPHYS are classified by regional folders, which are listed in the horizontal menu. After selecting the folder, one can open the different maps prepared on each prospected site and check or uncheck the associated views or layers in the side menu.

Spatial approach to Iron Age craft structures

Work on the spatial organisation of artisanal activities, by improving the detection of the foundations of earth and wood buildings, combustion structures and metal objects. In order to detect these workshop remains, it is necessary to develop a coupled magnetic and electromagnetic prospecting tool that is faster and complementary to the towed machines that already work in electrical prospecting (CNRS patent).
This type of project has just become popular in fields such as airborne prospecting or mine clearance of large areas.

The partnership with a young SME, Géocarta, associated with the CNRS, will enable it to be at the forefront of the application of these techniques in developing sectors such as the diagnosis of large surfaces (> 10 ha) in preventive archaeology.

Objectives :
To integrate geophysical methods into the archaeologists’ ’toolbox’.
To prospect large areas in the future.
To place an excavation within a larger whole.
To complete the plans of partially known structures.

Instruments :
The AMP, which was designed as part of this programme, is already in use on the sites for magnetic surveys.
The electromagnetic device has passed the test phase.
Database on the results of the protohistoric surveys and linked to the Iron Age site database.

Results :

See (Youtube) the video "Radiographie des villages gaulois, de la prospection à la fouille".

The aim is to be able to respond to the growing number of requests for extensive surveys in France and abroad, at competitive prices and for areas that cannot be surveyed manually. The stakes are therefore high, both in terms of the application of theoretical research carried out in laboratories and the inevitable need to test these new tools with archaeologists on varied and reputedly difficult terrain, with problems specific to protohistory.
One of the spin-offs of the project will also be the provision of an Internet application for the scientific community, which will manage the data from the various surveys within a secure client-server system. This server will rely, in particular, on the data and technology developed to visualise and merge the various cartographic data (Chronocarto).
This was the first time that a towed magnetic detector was tested on a "real scale", on very large sites such as those offered in France by the diagnoses provided for by the new law on Concerted Development Zones or major routes, as well as on Iron Age sites identified by aerial or pedestrian prospecting. A surface area of 360 ha surveyed at the end of the programme has completely renewed our perception of the occupation of the selected sites.