The Project

Deploying geophysical equipmentIn the first stage of the project, Wessex Archaeology is reviewing geophysical and geotechnical data that has been collected by Hanson Aggregates Marine Limited over the last decade. This review is aiding our understanding of the geology of the area and will help to place the results of detailed investigation in their wider context.

The second stage of the project is an intensive geophysical survey of the 3km x 1km area where the handaxes were recovered. The survey is being carried out using survey lines that are much more closely spaced than is usually the case and we are using four different types of instrument to penetrate the layers of seabed.

Stage three of the project is a programme of seabed sampling, to test different ways of ‘ground-truthing’ geophysical results and – we hope – to recover more artefacts and start to understand their distribution.

This project will constantly re-evaluate itself at each phase. The results of the geophysical and seabed sampling survey will be used to inform the methodologies of future phases.

Currently it is anticipated that future phases may include exploring the area using Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV’s) and divers and taking geotechnical samples using vibrocores. However, these phases of work will depend upon the results of current phases and so the extent and nature of such work is yet to be determined.

Monitoring equipment on board the survey vessel