The State of Archaeo-geophysics in the Maghreb: Case Studies from Tunisia and Morocco

Abstract

AbstractNorth Africa possesses a rich archaeological heritage, which to a significant degree remains to be investigated. This chapter reviews the current state of archaeo-geophysical research in Tunisia and Morocco, tracing its earliest development in the 1970s up to the present. While geophysical surveys were implemented in both countries within a fairly short amount of time, the uptake has been slow, increasing only in recent decades. Archaeo-geophysical research has also largely been focused on ancient and medieval contexts. From the perspective of rescue archaeology, many sites are threatened by increasing urbanisation and modern development. Geophysical survey offers a key tool to obtain fast, economical, and non-destructive observations on subsurface archaeological remains, allowing for targeted archaeological excavations in the future. Developing training programs in geophysics for archaeologists will help to promote the continuity and health of the field of archaeo-geophysics in both countries in the future.