Comparing Similar Ground-penetrating Radar Surveys Under Different Moisture Conditions at Kalavasos-Ayios Dhimitrios, Cyprus

ABSTRACT Water is known as being a dominant factor in ground‐penetrating radar reflection and transmission from subsurface interfaces. Before embarking on a multi‐season, large‐scale survey of late Bronze Age cities in Cyprus we wanted to empirically identify the impact of seasonal moisture on ground‐penetrating radar transmission and reflection from buried Late Bronze Age architecture to determine the optimum time of the year to conduct our surveys. Having conducted preliminary surveys under dry conditions to support a grant proposal we were then in a position to return to the site during wet conditions after receiving our funding and before beginning our full‐scale project. We report here a comparison of the ground‐penetrating radar results at Kalavasos‐Ayios Dhimitrios during a drought year (summer 2008, 54% normal) versus a roughly average year (spring 2010, 109% normal) conditions, which identified drier conditions as providing the best data for interpreting Late Bronze Age urban planning given the methods employed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.