Fast geophysical prospection to map the archaeological site of Cocciano: Preliminary results

Abstract

We present preliminary results of a multidisciplinary geophysical investigation applied to the subsoil imaging of the archaeological site of Cocciano, near Rome. We acquired capacitive coupled resistivity data along two parallel profiles and we performed a magnetic survey over a small subset of the survey area. The recovered resistivity models suggest the presence of a shallow, sub-horizontal, resistive layer (ρ > 350 Ωm), of slightly variable thickness (2 – 3 m), which we interpret as the response of ancient substructions overlying a relatively low-resistive layer, which we ascribe to the geological substratum. Processed magnetic data show a clear magnetic signature aligned to form a curve-shaped anomaly right at the prosecution of a nearby, partially exposed, ancient wall.