Archaeogeophysical study on the site of Tell Toukh El‐Qaramous, Sharkia Governorate, East Nile Delta, Egypt

Abstract

Abstract The archaeological site of Tell Toukh El‐Qaramous, which is located to the south of Abu Kebir, Sharkiya Governorate, was subjected to detailed geophysical studies using magnetic vertical gradient and geoelectric resistivity survey. The success of these surveys depends on the contrast in the physical properties between the dominant sedimentary deposits (clays and sands) and the buried archeological constructions. The area of study occupies about 80 acres at present. It was subjected firstly to a regional geophysical survey to discover the subsurface conditions above one of the most important military fortress that had been constructed to be vanguard of the eastern entry to Egypt during the Ptolemaic age (323–30 BC ). Detailed gridded magnetic (0.5 m grid interval) and geoelectric resistivity surveys (2 m grid interval) were also carried out at a selected site of about 50 × 100 m according to the recommendations of the archaeologists who periodically carried out excavation of the archaeological remains. Such surveys could help mapping of the anomalous features that probably reflect the buried archaeological remains. The integrated results of the magnetic gradient images obtained as well as apparent resistivity maps for depths ranges from 1 to 5 m gave fascinating results. The results indicate that the Tell‐Toukh El‐Qaramous has been built on a buried sand gezira. Also, groups of ancients walls made of mud bricks and some interesting locations of archeological buried artefacts have been delineated. Both the magnetic and resistivity data supported each other and are in good agreement for the same locations of archeological interest. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.