Comparing geophysical prospection data with archaeological excavation at the later city wall of roman italica (Santiponce, Sevilla)

Abstract

Italica's late city wall, first identified by geophysical methods in the 1990s, has been recorded within a Hispano-German cooperation project more accurately thanks to technically improved measurement equipment and new methodology. In addition, its course in the area of the Traianeum could be further narrowed down. Based on the geophysical surveys conducted between 2015 and 2018, the structure, stratigraphy and chronology of one of the corner towers and parts of the course of the wall were examined archaeologically. The expected clarity and state of preservation of the features, as suggested by the geophysical measurements, was not met by the excavation results. By means of an objectified approach in interpreting the geophysical data, an attempt is made to correlate the survey images with the excavation findings. Also problems which arise by comparing radiocarbon dates from bone samples of the necropolis with traditional ceramic chronology are discussed.