In this thesis, supervised by the archaeologist Ana Isabel Ortega and co-supervised by the geologist Josep M. Parés, from CENIEH, a study is carried out on the recognition of endokarst morphologies and sites in the karst of these deposits in the province of Burgos, through geophysical prospecting techniques.
Today Lucía Bermejo Albarrán passed the viva voce for her doctoral thesis, dsupervised by the archaeologist Ana Isabel Ortega and co-supervised by the geologist Josep M. Parés, from the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), focusses on the study, through geophysical techniques, of the Sierra de Atapuerca and the Ojo Guareña karst systems, which bear outstanding sites from ancient and recent Prehistory.
For this work, Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys were performed with the aim of identifying the dimensions and continuity of the karstic passages that bear these sites. The interpretation of the results has allowed determining the extension of the conduits, to distinguish between intact geological features and anthropic alterations, and to locate new archaeological excavations. These interpretations have been verified by mechanical boreholes.
it has been also analysed the limitations of both geophysical techniques and their implications in the interpretation of the results. All these data have ultimately led to a better understanding of the karst and sites’ formation process
The jury, chaired by José Mª Bermúdez de Castro (CENIEH) and also made up of Eneko Iriarte (Universidad de Burgos), Roger Guérin (Sorbonne Université de París), José Ángel Porres Benito (Universidad de Burgos), Óscar Pueyo Anchuela (Universidad de Zaragoza) awarded the new Universidad de Burgos doctor the mark of 'cum laude'.
