GPR Remote Sensing in Archaeology

Dr. Salvatore Piro has been part of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Institute of Technologies Applied to Cultural Heritage, ITABC-CNR) which, from early 1980, was one of the first governmental institutions worldwide to recognize the importance of geophysics in archaeological investigations. Salvatore has helped to advance the use of GPR and other geophysical techniques through the ITABC and the Ground Remote Sensing Lab he has worked at and directed since the 1980s. From the inception of this lab in early 1980s till now, his research has involved the development of acquisition, elaboration and interpretation techniques for archaeological prospection employing magnetic, earth resistance and ground penetrating radar methods. His recent research interest includes acquisition and processing of integrated geophysical methods for near surface investigations.

Dr. Dean Goodman had a unique opportunity to work at a small archaeological geophysics lab of the University of Miami Japan Division from 1989-2008. Dean had significant support from the city of Nakajima Machi, the museum at Saitobaru in Miyazaki, and the Nara National Cultural Properties Research Institute where he also was a guest researcher for many years. Since 2001, Dean had the tremendous fortune to be ‘adopted’ by the US Forest Service Heritage Program, run at that time by Dr. Kent Schneider who helped to encourage and foster continued growth of software development at the Geophysical Archaeometry Laboratory.