Geophysical Prospection at Portus: An Evaluation of an Integrated Approach to the Interpretation of Subsurface Archaeological Features

Recent developments in geophysical data analysis suggest that in addition to a multi-method approach, “data fusion” techniques can offer meaningful insights into archaeological features, as well as allow for researchers to establish patterns between multivariate data sets that might otherwise go unnoticed. Extensive and intensive geophysical prospection has been employed at the site of Portus in recent years, proving an integral role in discerning the nature and extent of the archaeological record of the port complex. Excavations at the site have allowed for a reciprocal relationship to exist between geophysical and archaeological research, and have paved the way for a regime of meaningful, integrated geophysical analysis. Many types of geophysical and archaeological survey methods have been employed to interpret the archaeological record, as well as to provide an immense volume of data to be compared and contrasted to the excavation data. The sheer quantity of data, in addition to the nature of the archaeology at Portus, have provided an ideal site for the exploration of spatial data and remote sensing analysis techniques, as well as the assessment of their utility within archaeo-geophysical research as a whole. This research attempts to critically assess the data processing methodologies used, and to examine the applicability of a variety of mathematical and multivariate analytical approaches to the prospection results at Portus.