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Audio Archaeology Series

Some time ago, whilst reading about Magnetometry, a technique used in archaeology to survey beneath the ground, we at TSR had an idea. The Magnetometer detects variations in the magnetism under the ground, and cassette tape heads work by detecting variations in the magnetism on tape to reproduce sound (probably, we didn't really check...). So, if a machine could be made which could work like a magnetometer, but with the sensitivity of tape heads, perhaps ancient sounds, whose waves caused micro-fluctuations in the magnetism of the soil, could be retrieved. Well, with a little tinkering, and trial and error, we succeeded in making that machine, and called it the magnetaudiometer. The results it achieves are a little unstable, regular readjustments of the equipment being required and a certain amount of distortion and feedback from the machine are unavoidable. However, we believe the recordings being made are of potentially great interest and significance, and so as work proceeds we will be presenting the results unedited and free for all to download in the TSR Audio Archaeology Series.

TSRARCH001 - Druid's Circle, Cefyn Coch, Penmaenmawr, N. Wales

National Grid Reference: SH72287464

Stone circle of some 30 stones, many still upright, some fallen, probable Bronze Age date.

 

Taper's notes: We laid out a grid of 1m squares, along the lines of which we slowly walked the magnetaudiometer. Occasional loss of signal, some machine feedback until able to engage new signal. Overall, a reasonably successful survey. 

 

*Download available from the following address:

https://archive.org/details/TSRARCH001DruidsCircle

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