Page 1 - Acoustical_underwater_2003

Revue d'Archéométrie, 21, 2003

ACOUSTICAL UNDERWATERRESEARCHES

INTHE EGADI ISLANDS

S. TUSA*, G. LINO*, S. ZANGARA *, D. GRAVI LI** and A. URBANO*

Résumé : Depuis les mois de juin et juillet 2000 le S.C.R.A.S (Servizio per il Coordinamento delle Ricerche Archeolo-
giche Sottomarine) a commencé une campagne de recherches sous-marines dans la mer des iles Egadiennes (ouest de
Trapani, còté occidental de la Sicile). Ce site fùt le théatre des batailles navales entre les Romains et les Carthaginois,
aujourd'hui immense dépòt de pièces archéologiques. La merde l'archipel est depuis des siècles le gardien des témoigna-
ges historiques.
Le S.C.R.A.S. a opéré avec des systèmes de recherches traditionnelles, avec ses opérateurs plongeurs, et avec la collabo-
ration des spécialistes de la géophysique du CEOM (Centro Oceanologico Mediterraneo) utilisant des technologies bien
rodées dans la recherche des hydrocarbures.
La campagne des Egadiennes a pour but de tracer une carte détaillée du fond de la mer et de vérifier l'application des
technologies pétrolières dans le champ de l'archéologie, avec le contròle des objects connus (targets). Les résultats ont
permis de mettre au point un paramètre pour individualiser !es sites archéologiques cachés par !es sédiments et la flore
marine au fond de la mer.
Abstract : During the months of June and July 2000, S.C.R.A.S (Servizio per il Coordinamento delle Ricerche Archeo-
logiche Sottomarine) started a campaign ofunderwaterresearches in the marine area ofEgadi islands (west ofTrapani,
on the western coast of Sicily). This site was the theatre of a naval battle between Romans and Phoenicians, and for this
reason it's a very large deposit of archaeological targets.
S.C.R.A.S. operated with a traditional system of researches, with his underwater operators and with the cooperation
of the geophysicists of CEOM (Centro Oceano logico Mediterraneo), with methodology normally used for oil industry
research.
The campaign of Egadi islands permitted to obtain a detailed map ofthe sea bottom and to verify the application ofthese
technologies in the archaeological field and on the control ofthe targets. Results permitted to seta parameter to detect the
archaeological sites hidden by sediments and plants on the sea bottom.
Mots-clefs : Recherches archéologiques sous-marines, 'ìles Egadiennes, géophysique.
Key-words: Underwater archaeological research, Egadi island, geophysic.

1 - GENERAL INFORMATION
Which is the goal using this kind of equipment?
1.1 - INTRODUCTION Main part of the archaeological heritage is under the
sea bottom. This means the environment can create an
Marine archaeological surveys have always been obstacle to the direct vision of the targets. Furthermore,
carried out with traditional methodology, using direct this instrumentation provides to cover very large areas
observations from divers in shallow waters, or observation in a short time, and it 's allowed to operate in ultra deep
from Automatic Underwater Vehicle (AUV) and Remote waters, avoiding the use of submarines. In this way,
Operated Vehicle (ROV) in deep waters. In the last we can obtain a strong reduction of management costs
years, it's starting to become common the use of compared to ordinary surveys realised with traditional
some instrumentation derived from geophysical research visual methods only.
for scientific purposes, and above ali, in the offshore For this reason visual inspection methods, which
o il surveys ( e.g. laying and installation of submarine however remain indispensable, allow spot checks on
pipelines ). suspected targets to carry out after large scale surveys.

* S.C.R.A.S. -Servizio per il Coordinamento delle Ricerche Archeologiche Sottomarine. Lungomare Cristojòro Colombo. 452 l, Rooseve/t, 90151,
PALERMO, ltalie - scras@regione.sicilia.it
www.regione.sicilia.it/beniculturali/archeologiasottomarina
** CEOM ScpA, Centro Oceanologico Mediterraneo, Piazzale del Fante, 40, 90146, PALERMO, ltalie. daniele.gravili@ceom.it- www.ceom.it