Assessing Unmarked Graves Using Ground-penetrating Radar at Ayn Gharandal Archaeological Site, Jordan

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has emerged as a valuable non-invasive technique for detecting and delineating unmarked graves, particularly in arid and semi-arid environments where preservation conditions differ markedly from humid settings. The Islamic religion forbids excavating graves or moving human remains, as such, GPR represents an effective method to determine grave characteristics including burial depth, size, type, and orientation of caskets, as well as the distribution and number of graves within a particular area. This study evaluates the effectiveness of GPR in identifying subsurface grave features within dry climate regions, where low soil moisture, limited vegetation cover, high electrical resistivity, and minimal organic decomposition can influence radar signal behavior. Grave characteristics including depth of burial, size, type, and orientation of caskets, as well as the quantity of graves in a given region and the geographic distribution of burials within a particular area, may frequently be ascertained using (GPR). In this study, two unmarked grave sites were surveyed using a SIR-20 GSSI (GPR) instrument. The number of graves and precise locations were unknown due to the lack of historical information. GPR data were acquired using multiple antenna frequencies to optimize the balance between radar penetration depth and resolution. Two anomalies representing possible unmarked adult graves and one unmarked infant grave were identified by two-dimension two-dimension (B-scan) and three -dimensions (C-scan) cross –sections. The anomalies ranged from 0.6 to 1 meters in depth, with lateral dimensions of 0.6 to 2 meters is typical for individual burials. All mapped anomalies have northwest-southeast orientation consistent with Islamic burial practices.