preview

What It Does It Exist?

Good Essays

In our history as a species, humankind has always been curious about itself. We have entire fields of study dedicated to the understanding of what it means to be a human. One of the ways we explore our species and the societies we build is through the discovery and careful recording of those people and societies that have come before us. However, as early research destroyed more than it conserved, new techniques were necessary to keep as much of our history intact as possible. This led to new ways of conducting these investigations, preserving as much of the materials as possible. Two such advances are ground penetrating radar (GPR) and side-scan sonar (SSS). Ground penetrating radar was first suggested not long after radar itself was patented, but was not widely available to the general public until the mid-20th century. The way it works is simple: electromagnetic radiation that exists on the radio band of frequency is sent into the earth, and different densities of materials reflect these waves back in different ways. A highly skilled operator is absolutely essential in the use of GPR, as these waves are difficult to read and interpret. However, with these returned waves understood properly, much information can be discovered without ever compromising the site. Side-scan sonar is a similar application for an entirely different kind of archaeological site: underwater. SSS uses sonar pulses aimed at the bottom of any body of water and the reflections of these

Get Access