GPR (Ground Penetration Radar) research in forest areas to identify archaeological sites (Mount Sleza, Poland)

The register of archaeological remains in forests is one of the important elements hindering the optimal planning of forest management, especially in key areas from the point of view of cultural heritage. In areas managed by the State Forests National Forest Holding, archaeological sites may need to be precisely described in the registers. This may make it difficult for forest services to plan appropriate forest management. Numerous finds and archaeological sites have been inventoried on Mount Sleza. However, detailed research is needed to identify the archaeological sites accurately. The GPR method is one of the most effective tools enabling a quick and non-invasive inventory of archaeological objects. The paper presents the research results on two objects in the State Forests on Mount Sleza: a hill and a forest road. GPR equipment was used in the MAL & ANGS; Ground Explorer (GX) HDR. Based on field prospection and GPR measurements of the hillock in the forest and the forest area adjacent to it, various permittivities of the mediums were observed. The results indicate that the tested object is anthropogenic. The applied GPR methodology has also proven itself in studying a forest road with a rock cobblestone surface in some places. GPR echograms, however, showed that most of the pavement surface is covered with a layer of soil. Based on the obtained 2D images, it was found that the georadar can be successfully used to recognize archaeological objects in forests. It is also advisable to conduct research in the 3D system.