Detection and localization of chamber tombs in the environs of ancient Olympia, Peloponnese, Greece, based on a combination of archaeological survey and geophysical prospection

Researchers have successfully identified and localized multiple Mycenaean chamber tombs in the environs of ancient Olympia, Greece, using non-invasive geophysical methods. By combining electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) with ground-penetrating radar (GPR), the study detected ten previously unknown tomb candidates near the village of Epitalio, expanding knowledge of an uncharted cemetery. The approach was validated at the Mageiras-Kioupia necropolis, where excavated chamber tombs provided a reference for interpreting geophysical data. While no comparable tombs were found on the Dartisa plateau, this study demonstrates the potential of ERT and GPR to uncover hidden archaeological features in regions lacking systematic excavation records.

Obrocki, L., Eder, B., Gehrke, H.-J., Lang, F., Vött, A., Willershäuser, T., Rusch, K., Wilken, D., Hatzi‐Spiliopoulou, G., Kolia, E.-I., & Vikatou, O. (2019). Detection and localization of chamber tombs in the environs of ancient Olympia, Peloponnese, Greece, based on a combination of archaeological survey and geophysical prospection. Geoarchaeology, 34(6), 648–660. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.21724