A quantitative approach to magnetometer survey data: The case of the Late Bronze Age site of Březnice

• Published in: Journal of archaeological science 2021-02, Vol.126, p.105298, Article 105298
• Main Authors: Kuna, Martin, Křivánek, Roman, Chvojka, Ondřej, Šálková, Tereza
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bronze age; House burning; Intra-site patterning; Magnetometry; Prehistoric homestead clusters; Trenches with house debris
• ISSN: 0305-4403; 1095-9238
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2020.105298

This paper summarizes the extensive magnetometer survey (over 17 ha) of an important archaeological site in South Bohemia (Czechia). The Late Bronze Age settlement of Březnice has become known for a large amount of specific and at first enigmatic features: trenches, rich in burnt material and structured depositions of finds. Apart from processing by usual methods, magnetometer data has been handled in a less common way in terms of its informative value: as quantitative, spatially continuous information on the intensity of human activities in the landscape. This approach not only led to the definition of the overall extent of the site and detected tens of new trenches, but it also brought information on the functional and behavioural structure of the settlement. The indicated spatial patterns match the model of a continuous growth of individual settlement segments (homesteads) and their gradual shifts following intentional burnings of the buildings. The obtained data represents a significant contribution both to the typology of prehistoric settlements and to the research of their ‘biography’, abandonment rituals and other aspects of prehistoric settlement behaviour. Not least, the data from Březnice demonstrated the information potential of magnetometer data in regard to the formation processes of archaeological sites. The magnetic anomalies were categorized into several groups, some of which can be connected to archaeological features still surviving underground whereas some others may – from the most part – represent the last remains of features, which have been already destroyed in their original setting. Illustrations by the authors. The photo of burning house from https://exarc.net/history/burning-down-house (3.8. 2020), licenced by the CC BY-NC 4.0. [Display omitted] •An uncommon approach to the analysis of magnetometer data has been tested.•Dozens of peculiar features (trenches with burnt house debris) have been identified.•Results enable to model the structure and dynamics of a Bronze Age settlement site.•Hints for the reconstruction of house abandonment rituals have been obtained.