%0 Journal Article
%A Torrese, P.
%A Zucca, F.
%A Martini, S.
%A Benazzi, Stefano
%A Drohobytsky, D.
%A Gravel‐Miguel, C.
%A Hodgkins, J.
%A Meyer, D.
%A Miller, C.
%A Peresani, M.
%A Orr, C.
%A Riel‐Salvatore, J.
%A Strait, D. S.
%A Negrino, F.
%+ Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society
%T Ground truth validated 3D electrical resistivity imaging of the archaeological deposits at Arma Veirana cave (northern Italy)  : 
%G eng
%U https://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-0009-C4CB-5
%R 10.1002/jqs.3406
%7 2022-01-07
%D 2022
%* Review method: peer-reviewed
%X We present 3D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) imaging of the archaeological deposits at Arma<br>Veirana cave (northern Italy), to date only partially explored. The archaeological importance of the cave is due to the<br>presence of a rich Mousterian layer, traces of Late Upper Palaeolithic (Epigravettian) temporary occupations and an<br>Early Mesolithic burial of a female newborn. ERT is rarely employed in Palaeolithic cave contexts because<br>Palaeolithic remains are typically disseminated in loose deposits and either do not possess high electrical resistivity<br>contrasts or are too small to be detected. Furthermore, some issues can derive from the confined environment in<br>caves. In this view, our study represents an opportunity to assess the capability of this geophysical method to retrieve<br>subsurface information of Palaeolithic cave deposits and create a framework for the improvement of ERT applications<br>in such a peculiar cave context. The aim of this study was to define the features of the deposits (i.e. geometry,<br>thickness and sediment distribution) and to map the morphology of the underlying bedrock. Results reveal that the<br>thickness of the deposits varies both along the primary axis of the cave and transverse to it. This study allowed the<br>recognition of shallow, meter‐sized, fine‐grained sediment‐filled structures with a longitudinal orientation with<br>respect to the primary axis of the cave, as well as a possible erosional‐like structure. The cross‐validation of<br>geophysical results with the archaeological evidence (the Early Mesolithic newborn burial and Epigravettian artefacts)<br>confirms that the low‐resistivity unit could be the most promising from an archaeological point of view.
%K 3D resistivity imaging; cave deposit; Early Holocene; ERT; geophysical investigations; Pleistocene
%J Journal of Quaternary Science
%V 37
%N 6
%& 1112
%P 1112 - 1132
%@ 0267-81791099-1417