Flinders University in Adelaide
Mapping Indigenous Cultural Landscapes Using Advanced Archaeological Geophysics (ICHDR#5 Year 2)
This PhD project will develop innovative approaches and best-practice frameworks for detecting and mapping large archaeological landscapes using advanced geophysical survey techniques. Geophysical methods are powerful tools for identifying buried archaeological features that leave little or no visible trace on the surface. Traditionally, however, archaeological geophysics has been applied at small scales for highly targeted investigations due to limitations in equipment coverage and the time required to conduct surveys.
Recent technological advances in geophysical instrumentation and survey platforms now allow vastly larger areas to be investigated, opening new possibilities for mapping extensive archaeological landscapes. Working together with our industry partners, this project will explore how these emerging capabilities can be used to detect, map and analyse broad cultural landscapes rather than focusing solely on individual sites.
The research will focus on Australian Indigenous landscapes, where archaeological traces can be subtle yet distributed across very large areas. By combining cutting-edge geophysical survey techniques with advanced analytical methods such as signal processing, computer vision and machine learning, the project aims to develop new methods for identifying and interpreting large-scale archaeological patterns.
The outcomes of this research have the potential to significantly expand our understanding of Australia’s archaeological landscapes while improving our capacity to detect, manage and protect Indigenous cultural heritage across vast and challenging environments.
