Case Studies
Heritage Malta Archaeological Survey Project
Survey
Heritage Malta Archaeological Survey Project
The world’s first Deepwater Archaeological Park is located right on our doorstep, off Xlendi in Gozo. Designated as an Archaeological Zone at Sea in 2020, this unique park encompasses a rectangular area of archaeological value covering 67000m2 where artefacts from the Punic period dating to the 3rd century BC were discovered. These artifacts include complete amphorae, ceramic fragments, jugs and urns
(photo credit: UnderwaterMalta)
Project Scope
The depth of the site averaging between 110 to 120m has helped ensure its well preserved condition, but has also made it challenging to investigate. Heritage Malta have used their own side scan sonar and photogrammetry to build 3D models of the site that can be seen here: https://youtu.be/a0QJ8lSSQJ0.
We were commissioned to do a comprehensive hydrographic survey of the area surrounding the site, to understand the topography and geology and identify any potential risks or hazards surrounding this important archaeological site.
Hydrographic survey with Voxometer®
The Voxometer XL system was deployed to cover an area of around 1 square Km including the intricate coastline, with depths ranging from 4m to 120m. Cell size of 0,25m
With Enhanced Quad Mode, that delivers comprehensive and detailed data in a single pass, survey time is considerably reduced; This entire survey project was completed in under 15 hours. Frequencies between 500 and 600kHz were used for the deeper sections, with the highest frequency of 1MHz in the shallow areas delivering detailed resolution.
The geomorphology of the shallow areas along the rugged coastline are characterized by high cliffs (around 60m) with lots of debris indicating the large scale chemical and physical erosion and degradation of these limestone cliffs. The general area surrounding the site is characterized by fine sand and vegetation.
Conclusion
Assisting Heritage Malta with their projects of significant historical relevance is always exciting and rewarding work.
“This case study demonstrates the efficient, high resolution mapping capability of the Voxometer to deliver the highest quality survey data in a timely manner for research projects” states Monica Giona Bucci from the R3Vox survey team.
Thankfully no evidence of potential future threats to the archaeological site could be established.
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