2D Resistivity Method to Investigate an

Archaeological Structure in Jeniang,

Kedah
Postgraduate Student, Norhidayahti Binti Mohd. Muztaza
Centre for Global Archaeological Research, 11800 Universiti Sains
Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
e-mail: [email protected]

Prof. (Dr.) M. Mokhtar Saidin

Centre for Global Archaeological Research, 11800 Universiti Sains
Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
e-mail: [email protected]

Senior Lecturer (Dr.) Rosli Saad

Geophysics Section, School of Physics, 11800 Universiti Sains Malaysia,
Penang, Malaysia
e-mail: [email protected]

Post graduate Student, M.M. Nordiana

Geophysics Section, School of Physics, 11800 Universiti Sains Malaysia,
Penang, Malaysia
e-mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT
Geophysical application in archaeology is very useful in detecting and mapping buried
structures, especially in optimizing the extent of excavation. There are various methods
of applying geophysics in archaeology. One of the methods is 2D resistivity which can
be applied to map shallow subsurface structures at the archaeological site. Discoveries
of archaeological structures in Jeniang were reported in 1990 and 1992. In 2010, USM
Centre for Global Archaeological Research (CGAR), unearthed similar structures at two
different locations in the district of Jeniang. Such findings have led to other discoveries,
particularly from the survey conducted around the area of Kampung Sungai Perahu
(KSP). There are two site in the village, named of KSP 1 and KSP 2. This paper will
focus on the resistivity study conducted in KSP 2. Preliminary research on the site does
not rule out the possibility that the structure in Jeniang may have been a furnace or a
kiln. This paper attempts to identify the archaeological structures of Jeniang by using 2D
resistivity method. The results from the inversion model resistivity may be used to
detect similar structures for future research.
KEYWORDS: Jeniang, site KSP 2, archeological structures, 2D resistivity.

INTRODUCTION
Geophysical applications are essential tools for archaeological prospection on all scales of
investigation. There are many methods of geophysical application depending on archaeological
features, site, and environmental conditions (Schmidt, 2009). For this study, 2D Resistivity
methods are chose to obtain data of the archaeological findings without conducting an excavation.

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Moreover, the information from the data obtaining shallow subsurface helps in detecting and
mapping similar structures which expected to be more in the district of Jeniang, in order to plan
for the future archaeological prospection. By applying 2D Resistivity method, an electrical
current that is injected into a homogenous ground spread evenly. But, where it encounters
obstacles in the form of archaeological features, it had to change its course leading to measurable
electrical effects at the surface. A map of the lateral surface variation will hence be a
representation of buried archaeological remains (Schmidt, 2009).

Early discoveries of the archaeological findings in Jeniang were reported in 1990 at Kampung
Mambung Bawah and in 1992 at Kampung Gading by the museum officer. The discoveries
however does not follow with further archaeological research ever since (Zokhi,1995). In 2010,
USM Centre for Global Archaeological Research (CGAR) rediscovered similar findings that
were previously reported in 1990 and 1992 at two different location in the district of Jeniang
(Figure 1&2). In Kampung Gading, seven archeological structures were unearthed, just a few
meters away from the early findings on 1992 (Figure 3). The findings were followed by the
discovery of four similar structures at Kampung Chemara (Figure 4).

Figure 1 & 2: Archaeological structures found in the district of Jeniang at Kampung Mambung
Bawah in 1990 (left) and Kampung Gading in 1992 (right).

Figure 3 & 4: Archaeological structures unearthed in the district of Jeniang at Kampung Gading
(left) and Kampung Chemara (right) in 2010 by USM CGAR.

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The structures unearthed come in various sizes with the measurement of roughly 1.2 meter in
height and 1 meter in diameter. Observation on the physical structure showed that it was made of
clay with traces of combustion on the inner wall of the structure. Based on preliminary study on
this site, the structures may possibly have functioned as furnace or kiln. Survey conducted in the
district of Jeniang has led to the discovery of similar structures in Kampung Sungai Perahu.

Geophysical method of 2D resistivity was applied to elucidate and detect underlying

structure. This is an indirect method used for the shallow subsurface survey without effecting the
infrastructures and geo-environment. Moreover, this surface finding which located near to a
residential area has made it to difficult for an excavation to be carried on this research. The
objective is to obtain resistivity result for future studies since there are other potential locations
with similar findings in the district of Jeniang.

2D RESISTIVITY
The purpose of resistivity survey is to determine the subsurface resistivity distribution by
taking measurement from the ground surface. This measurement shows that the true resistivity on
the surface can be estimated (Figure 5). The ground resistivity is related to various geological
parameters such as mineral and fluid content, porosity and degree of water saturation in the rock.
Variations in electrical resistivity may indicate changes in composition, layer or contaminant
levels (Loke,1997).
Station 32

Laptop Computer
Station Resistivity Meter

Station 1

Electrode Number

Data Level

Figure 5: The arrangement of electrodes for a 2-D electrical survey and the sequence of
measurements used to build up a pseudo section (After Loke,1999).

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GENERAL GEOGRAPHY
The study area is situated at the bank of the longest river in Kedah, Sungai Muda. Located at
the northern Peninsular Malaysia, Sungai Muda drains mountainous areas of the state of Kedah.
The domain vegetation along the river includes plantation of rubber trees, oil palm trees, fruits /
garden trees and nippa palm. The soils of the river basin are primarily composed of aluvium,
sedentary soils and lithosoil (P.Y Julien, 2010). Geologically, Jeniang area is part of Sungai
Petani Formation which is also homologous with the Mahang Formation. It consist shale,
siltstone and orthoquartzite (Bradford, 1972). Most of the settlements in Jeniang are in a form of
villages near to Sungai Muda.

STUDY AREA
The area of research is in the Northwest of Kedah in the district of Jeniang. The structures are
located in Kampung Sungai Perahu and labeled as KSP 2 (N 5º 47.693’ , E100 º 37.934’) at the
bank of Sungai Muda (Figure 6). The structures seemed to be distributed in a clustered form, of
which the upper parts of the structure are visible above the ground. The location of the discovery
overlapped with a house, tucked between pillar and stair.

Figure 6: The location the archaeological findings in Kampung Sungai Perahu, Jeniang, Kedah. The
upper part of this archaeological structure can be seen on the ground surface, in between a pillar and a
stairs of the local house (Google Earth, 2011).

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METHODOLOGY
Resistivity mapping is one of the geophysical methods which has been widely used for
directing ancient buried structures prior to the excavation (Parasnis, 1997). This method can
determine the lateral variations in the conductivity of the ground. This paper aims to present how
2D resistivity method can be used in detecting and mapping archaeological remains at the site in
KSP2. The survey used ABEM SAS 4000 with Pole-dipole array and 0.5 meter minimum
electrode spacing. There are nine survey lines were conducted at the investigation area with 0.5
meter interval spacing between each line (Figure 7). Processing was performed using Res2dinV
and surfer software.

Figure 7: Survey lines of 2D resistivity at site KSP 2 in Kampung Sungai Perahu, Jeniang.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The 2D inversion model resistivity shows initial description of anomalies possibly associated
with archeological structures with low resistivity value < 15 ohm-m at depth < 1.5 m. The visible
upper part of archeological structure was located at 11.5 m to 12.5 m. However, the inversion
model resistivity shows the distribution of low resistivity value from 10-13 m and decreasing
towards last survey line. These low resistivity value indicated clay corresponding to the
archeological structure which has made of clay known as cylindrical clay shaft. Then, the 2D
inversion models were performed in Surfer software to obtain the 3D model (Figure 10).

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L1

L2

L3

L4

L5

L6

Figure 8: 2D Inversion model resistivity of L1-L6.

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L7

L8

L9

Figure 9: 2D Inversion model resistivity of L7-L9.

Figure 10: 3D model of archeological structure indicated from low resistivity value.

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CONCLUSION
The 2D inversion model resistivity shows the presence of low resistivity value caused by clay
(archeological structure). The result showed low resistivity value and decreasing towards last
survey lines, caused by a different distribution of mineral in the survey area which may affect the
data. This area might potentiality to have more than one archeological structures. Application of
2D resistivity method may be a useful strategy in detecting and mapping similar structures which
expected to be more in the district of Jeniang, in order to plan for the future archaeological
prospection.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Authors wish to express gratitude to USM geophysics postgraduate and staffs for assistance
in geophysics data acquisition and interpretation. In addition, many thanks are due to lecturers,
postgraduate students and staff of USM Centre for Global Archaeological Research (CGAR)
especially to Mr. Nasha Rodziadi Khaw and Mr. Syeh Shyeh Sahibul Karamah Masnan for their
kindly assistance also to local resident in Kampung Sungai Perahu, Jeniang, Kedah.

REFERENCES
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Kedah: Geological Survey Malaysia, District Memoir 13.
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© 2012 ejge

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