Acoustic Archaeology

Draft paper for Till, Rupert (2009) Songs of the stones: the acoustics of Stonehenge. In: The Sounds of Stonehenge. Centre for the History of Music in Britain, the Empire and the Commonwealth. CHOMBEC Working Papers No. 1 . Hadrian Books. ISBN 9781407306308

The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum is a unique subterranean Maltese Neolithic sanctuary with a well-documented history of interest in its acoustics (Till, 2017; Debertolis et al., 2015; Reznikoff, 2014; Devereux, 2009; Skeates, 2008; Mifsud and Mifsud 1999; Devereux, 1996; Evans, 1971; Zammit, 1910; Griffiths, 1920). Previous studies have noted its unusual strongly-defined frequency spectrum (Debertolis et al., 2015), but it is unknown if this was coincidental. In this paper, we present evidence that the Hypogeum's creators shaped the site's geometry to create or amplify its frequency spectrum, or another property closely correlated with the spectrum. Specifically, we show that the observed spectrum required jointly fine-tuning the dimensions of multiple non-contiguous cave walls across multiple independent chambers, to a degree that seems unlikely to be coincidental. We also note that the peak frequencies are evenly spaced and resemble a whole-tone scale in music, which is also unlikely to be coincidental and suggests the spectrum itself might have held some cultural significance. Taken together, it suggests acoustic or spectral properties may have played a motivational or cultural role for the site's Neolithic creators. This work identifies one of the earliest known examples of a manmade structure with a significant musical element to its interior architecture.

Pecked petroglyphs of a prehistoric Mojave Desert slot canyon hint at experience crafting processes in rock image production.  The unique qualities here not shared by other area petroglyph sites support the need to consider archaeological and geographic context of these sites as a critical variable, rather than an assumed constant.  With narrow passages, dry falls, and towering vertical walls, the slot's metamorphised limestone substrate yields the potential for sound characteristics not found at many other petroglyph sites in the region.  A summer 2014 expedition undertook experimentation with percussive sounds in the highest density concentrations of rock art within the slot.  this research aims to indentify novel acoustic properties brought about by  both the unique landform and curious continuity of the use of pecking strategy in image production.  Weathering suggests continuity in pecked engraving technique over a substantial time depth - likely spanning through both the Numic and part of the Archaic Periods.  This study adds depth to the range of variables to consider relevant in recording rock art sites.  More broadly, it demonstrates the capacity of experimental archaeology to push the limits of interpretation by expanding the range of inferences which can be reasonably drawn from even faint traces.

Researchers have been applying Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to examine the roles of visibility and movement in archaeological landscapes around the world. However, few studies have investigated the role sound potentially played in structuring experience in ancient cities. To begin to fill this gap, this paper builds on our initial investigations to develop new geospatial and virtual reality (VR) methods to examine ancient acoustics. For the ancient Maya, sight and sound worked in concert to create synesthetic experiences that influenced daily life and shaped society. To explore this interaction, we apply a combination of GIS modeling: viewshed analysis, soundshed analysis, and an Urban Digital Elevation Model (Urban DEM) generated from airborne LiDAR and 3D modeling data. This approach provides an opportunity to perform computational analysis on a simulated ancient landscape rather than the contemporary landscape. We then take these GIS-derived computational data into a VR environment to combine sound and vision to illustrate the complementary roles of visual and auditory experience at ancient Copan.