Geophysical Investigations of the Bronze Age Andreevskoye Settlement in the Southern Trans-Urals (Russia)

the southern Trans-Urals steppe. The earliest stage of investigations was related to the decoding of
aerial photos that allowed specialists to discover and identify the majority of the settlements. This
report presents the results of a geophysical investigation at the Andreevskoye settlement, where
we conducted micro-magnetic and ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys. Magnetic studies have
provided new information on the structure of the fortifications and the number and location of
houses in the settlements during their occupancy, as well as on the many wells discovered inside the
houses. Drawing on our data, a new plan of the settlement was produced, more accurate than the one
prepared solely from interpretations of aerial photographs. The settlement consists of multiple layers
and is characterized by a complex configuration formed from three rectangular systems of defensive
structures. We obtained GPR deep sections along three profiles, indicating the ditches and dwellings of
the ancient settlement under sediments and the ruins of walls. Based on these data, we conclude that
the depth from the modern surface of the earth to the occupation layer in the dwellings of the ancient
settlement is approximately 50–70 cm. Our results provide archaeologists with reliable data that are
necessary for the selection of excavation sites.