Using microgravity techniques in the archaeology case study, the animal cemetery at Saqqara, Egypt

Abstract

ABSTRACT The use of microgravity technique for the detection of subsurface features is considered a valuable tool in archaeological prospection. The precise and detailed measurements obtained through this method have been crucial for the identification of buried structures. In the animal cemetery of Saqqara, a microgravity survey was conducted using a high-precision relative gravity metre called CG-5 device. This instrument has a standard resolution of 1 microGal (1 microGal = 10−8 m s−2) and a standard deviation of less than 5 microGals. The survey covered the entire animal cemetery, including the Ebbs tunnels, and was processed to calculate the vertical deviations in the area after applying terrain correction (TC). By detecting and delineating local density variations caused by a near-surface void, the microgravity technique was able to identify the presence of a possible void feature, as indicated by the acquired negative anomaly in the residual Bouguer anomalies. The precise gravitation data obtained after correction revealed that both the entrance of the cemetery and the densities of the burial chamber were relatively smaller than the surrounding areas of the animal cemetery in the Saqqara region. The data also showed the presence of two crypts leading to the burial chamber region in the southeast part of the cemetery. However, these preliminary results require further investigation, and the study area needs to be expanded to include a larger area. Additionally, other geophysical methods may be used to confirm the abnormality detected and verify the existence of a burial chamber or other corridors.